Micro electromechanical system and method for transmissively switching optical signals

A method of manufacturing an optical switch, comprising the steps of:

• a first step of fabricating in a first substrate an array of a plurality of optical switching elements;
• a second step of fabricating in a second substrate an array of a plurality of optical switching elements;
• and
• bonding together said substrates so that the switching elements of said two substrates face each other;
• wherein each of said optical switching elements includes
• a deformable mechanical element,
• an electrical control element controlling an angular orientation of said mechanical element, and
• a transmissive optical element supported on said mechanical element and allowing passage of light between said two arrays of switching elements.

A method of manufacturing an optical switch, comprising the steps of:

• a first step of fabricating in a first substrate an array of a plurality of optical switching elements;
• a second step of fabricating in a second substrate an array of a plurality of optical switching elements;
• and
• bonding together said substrates so that the switching elements of said two substrates face each other;
• wherein each of said optical switching elements includes
• a deformable mechanical element,
• an electrical control element controlling an angular orientation of said mechanical element, and
• a transmissive optical element supported on said mechanical element and allowing passage of light between said two arrays of switching elements, wherein said bonding step is performed between said two fabricating steps;
• and
• wherein said bonding step is performed between said two fabricating steps.

An optical switch, comprising:

• a first substrate having formed therein a first plurality of optical switching elements;
• and
• a second substrate having formed therein a second plurality of said optical switch elements optically associated with said first plurality of optical switching elements;
• wherein each said optical switching element comprises
• a deformable mechanical element extending in a direction parallel to a principal surface of a corresponding one of said substrates and deformable in a direction perpendicular to said principal surface,
• an optical element supported on said mechanical element and providing at least partial transmission therethrough of light incident thereupon into any of plurality of directions extending closer to a normal to said principal surface than parallel to said principal surface, and
• an electrical control element controllably deforming said mechanical element and thereby selecting one of said plurality of directions.

An assembly of a plurality of individually adjustable optical switching devices formed from a first substrate and a second substrate, each substrate having a respective principal surface and wherein said optical switching devices are distributed two dimensionally in said respective principal surfaces, comprising:

• a first plurality of said individually adjustable optical switching devices formed from said first substrate and distributed in a plane of said first substrate;
• and
• a second plurality of said individually adjustable optical switching devices formed from said second substrate and distributed in a plane of said second substrate;
• wherein said first and second substrates are bonded together and allow a beam of light to be transmitted through optical elements on both of said substrates;
• and
• wherein each of said individually adjustable optical switching devices comprises
• a deformable mechanical element extending in a direction parallel to said respective principal surface,
• an optical element supported on said mechanical element and providing at least partial transmission therethrough of light incident thereupon into any of plurality of directions extending closer to normal to said respective principal surface than parallel to said respective principal surface, and
• an electrical control element controllably deforming said mechanical element and thereby selecting one of said plurality of directions.

An optical switch, comprising:

• a first substrate having formed within a first principal surface thereof a first array of at least partially transmissive first optical elements which are individually tiltable about respective first axes extending parallel to said first principal surface;
• and
• a second substrate having formed within a second principal surface thereof a second array of at least partially transmissive second optical elements which are individually tiltable about respective second axes extending parallel to said second principal surface;
• wherein optical paths are selectively formed between said first and second optical elements by tilting selected ones of said first and second optical elements.