Triple electrode MOEMS tunable filter and fabrication process therefor
AssigneeAxsun Technologies, Inc.
InventorWalid A. Atia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A MOEMS Fabry-Perot tunable filter includes an optical membrane structure. Two electrostatic cavities are provided, one on either side of the membrane structure. As a result, electrostatic attractive forces can be exerted on the optical membrane to enable deflection in either direction, typically, along the optical axis. This is useful in calibrating the tunable filter during operation to an initial wavelength (λo) set point. It is also useful in controlling the membrane to avoid unstable operation.
Claims27
A triple electrode, single optical cavity micro-optical electromechanical system (MOEMS) Fabry-Perot tunable filter, comprising:
- a support wafer structure on which a membrane layer and an intervening spacer layer have been formed, which extend orthogonally to an optical axis;
- an optical membrane structure, which has been formed in the membrane layer that is attached to the support wafer structure, the optical membrane structure including a membrane electrode and a reflective coating, the optical membrane structure being released from the support wafer structure by partial removal of the intervening spacer layer;
- a first stationary electrode for supporting a first electrical field to deflect the optical membrane in a first direction toward the support structure;
- and
- a second stationary electrode for supporting a second electrical field to deflect the optical membrane in a second direction.
A single optical cavity tunable filter, comprising:
- a support wafer structure on which an intervening spacer layer has been formed, which extends orthogonally to an optical axis;
- an optical membrane structure, including an optical coating and a membrane electrode, that is attached to the support wafer structure, the optical membrane structure being released from die support wafer structure by partial removal of the intervening spacer layer;
- a first electrostatic cavity between the support wafer and a proximal side of the optical membrane structure;
- and
- a second stationary electrode defining a second electrostatic cavity on a distal side of the membrane structure.
A single optical cavity tunable filter, comprising:
- a support wafer structure on which an intervening spacer layer has been formed, which extends orthogonally to an optical axis;
- an optical membrane structure, including a membrane electrode, that is attached to the support wafer structure, and an optical coating, the optical membrane structure being released from the support wafer structure by partial removal of the intervening spacer layer;
- first electrostatic cavity means for deflecting the optical membrane structure in a first direction;
- and
- second electrostatic cavity means for deflecting the optical membrane in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.