US 6,480,645 B1 · Sidewall electrodes for electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensing

Abstract

A structure and method for an optical switch is provided that includes providing sidewall electrodes with steerable micro-mirrors to position and control micro-mirror movement. The structure and method includes using the sidewall electrodes in conjunction with electrodes underlying a micro-mirror to sense capacitance present between a micro-mirror and underlying electrodes and/or sidewall electrodes, and driving the electrodes underlying the micro-mirror and the sidewall electrodes to move the micro-mirror into an angular position. The electrode structures and methods of driving them may be used in systems with closed loop feedback control to reduce transient mirror settling time and provide substantial immunity to system perturbations when micro-mirrors switch an optical signal from an input fiber to an output fiber of the optical switch, or when a micro-mirror is held at an angular position over long time scales.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An optical switch, comprising:

a plurality of input optical fibers for carrying a plurality of input optical signals;
a plurality of output optical fibers;
an optical switch mechanism for selectively coupling the input optical signals to selected output optical fibers, the optical switch including a substrate and a plurality of micro-mirrors on the substrate, wherein at least one of the micro-mirrors is pivotable relative to the substrate about a first axis and about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
a first plurality of electrodes underlying the at least one micro-mirror;
and
a second plurality of electrodes substantially surrounding the first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the second plurality of electrodes has an elongated sidewall portion that extends in a first direction substantially orthogonal to the first and second axes and a height in the first direction greater than a height of the first plurality of electrodes.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sidewall electrodes for electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensing

Life of this patent

Sidewall electrodes for electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28