MEMS micromirrors for optical switching in multichannel spectrophotometers

Adisorn Tuantranont; Tanom Lomas; Victor M. Bright

doi:10.1117/12.521155

2 April 2004 MEMS micromirrors for optical switching in multichannel spectrophotometers

Adisorn Tuantranont, Tanom Lomas, Victor M. Bright

Proceedings Volume 5276, Device and Process Technologies for MEMS, Microelectronics, and Photonics III; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.521155
Event: Microelectronics, MEMS, and Nanotechnology, 2003, Perth, Australia

Abstract

This paper reports for the first time that a novel MEMS-based micromirror switch has successfully demonstrated for optical switching in a multi-channel fiber optics spectrophotometer system. The conventional optomechanical fiber optic switches for multi-channel spectrophotometers available in market are bulky, slow, low numbers of channels and expensive. Our foundry MEMS-based micromirror switch designed for integrating with commercially available spectrophotometers offers more compact devices, increased number of probing channels, higher performance and cheaper. Our MEMS-based micromirror switch is a surface micromachined mirror fabricated through MUMPs foundry. The 280 μm x 280 μm gold coated mirror is suspended by the double-gimbal structure for X and Y axis scanning. Self-assembly by solders is used to elevate the torsion mirror 30 μm over the substrate to achieve large scan angle. The solder self-assembly approach dramatically reduces the time to assembly the switch. The scan mirror is electrostatically controlled by applying voltages. The individual probing signal from each probing head is guided by fibers with collimated lenses and incidents on the center of the mirror. The operating scan angle is in the range of 3.5 degrees with driving voltage of 0-100 V. The fastest switching time of 4 millisecond (1 ms rise time and 3 ms fall time) is measured corresponding to the maximum speed of the mirror of 0.25 kHz when the mirror is scanning at ± 1.5 degrees. The micromirror switch is packaged with a multi-mode fiber bundle using active alignment technique. A centered fiber is the output fiber that is connected to spectrophotometer. Maximum insertion loss of 5 dB has been obtained. The accuracy of measured spectral data is equivalent to the single channel spectrophotometer with a small degradation on probing signal due to fiber coupling.

Citation Download Citation

Adisorn Tuantranont, Tanom Lomas, and Victor M. Bright "MEMS micromirrors for optical switching in multichannel spectrophotometers", Proc. SPIE 5276, Device and Process Technologies for MEMS, Microelectronics, and Photonics III, (2 April 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.521155

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available