Actuator for micro-electromechanical system fabry-perot filter

A method, comprising:

• routing light from a sample of molecules into a tunable Fabry-Perot cavity associated with a wafer having two, substantially parallel, planar surfaces;
• moving a Fabry-Perot filter cavity mirror, using a bi-stable micro-electrical mechanical system actuator structured to:
• (i) rest in a first latched position and (ii) rest in a second latched position, wherein the mirror is moved between the first latched position and the second latched position and the distances between the first and second latched positions are associated with a spectral range of light wavelengths;
• and
• detecting interference patterns across the spectral range, wherein a reflective surface of the Fabry-Perot filter cavity mirror is positioned between, and substantially perpendicular to, the two planar surfaces of the wafer, the bi-stable actuator being oriented such that the first and second latched positions are both substantially within a plane defined by one of the planar surfaces of the wafer.

A spectrometer, comprising:

• a laser source;
• an analyte sample to reflect light from the laser source;
• a Fabry-Perot filter cavity portion to receive the reflected light, including:
• a bi-stable micro-electrical mechanical system actuator oriented within a plane defined by a top surface of a silicon wafer and structured to:
• (i) rest in a first latched position and (ii) rest in a second latched position, wherein the bi-stable actuator is further structured so as to not rest in positions other than the first and second latched positions,
• a movable Fabry-Perot filter cavity mirror coupled to the bi-stable actuator, the movable mirror being formed of a crystallographic plane of silicon having a reflective surface positioned vertically within the silicon wafer and substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the silicon wafer, and
• a fixed Fabry-Perot filter cavity mirror having a reflective surface positioned vertically within the silicon wafer, substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the silicon wafer, and substantially parallel to the movable mirror;
• a detector to detect photons exiting the Fabry-Perot filter cavity over time as the movable mirror is moved by the actuator;
• and
• a decision unit to determine if the analyte sample is associated with at least one type of molecule based on the sensed photons.