A design of micromachining based direct-coupled variable optical attenuator (VOA) is presented. The device, fabricated by using CNC engraving and laser spot welding techniques, operates by misaligning a fiber-to-fiber coupling through a lateral displacement of one of the fibers mounted on a micro-machined flexure driven electromagnetically. An FET software package ANSYS was employed to optimize micro-mechanical structure and simulation of the device operation was described in detail. The measured performance of a VOA prototype is reported, featuring a fast dynamic response (<2.3 ms), great dynamic range (0~65dB) and wide bandwidth.
A novel digital micro-machined variable optical attenuator (VOA) capable of 40dB dynamic range is described. The device consists of an electromagnetically actuated shutter interposed in a fiber collimator gap and allows adjustment of optical attenuation stepwise in response to inputting TTL pulses. A linear response with respect to driving pulses was achieved by incorporation of a compensation mechanism in the design. Measured performance of the VOA is reported and the characteristics of the device were analyzed with a numerical simulation based on scalar wave theory. The VOA is scalable to a discrete array for the implementation of channel equalization in WDM systems for the realization of high capacity cross-connects.
A micro-machined MEMS variable optical attenuator capable of greater than 40 dB dynamic range is described. The device consists of an electromagnetically actuated gold-coated silicon micro-mirror rotating around a 100 µm-diameter shaft and a miniature driven coil. Enabling technology is precision EDM machining and laser cutting. The attenuator is scalable to a discrete array to implement a WDM drop module of an add/drop multiplexer and allows the realization of high capacity cross-connects.
We report a fiber optic switch based on a novel MEMS technology allowing fast switch (<2 ms), excellent isolation (>50dB) and wide bandwidth. Each switch module consists of an electromagnetically actuated gold-coated silicon mirror rotating around a 100 µm diameter shaft and a miniature 5V driven coil. Enabling technology is precision EDM machining and laser cutting. The switch is scalable to 8 X 8 and allows the realization of high capacity cross-connects.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
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.