Free-Space Integrated Optics Realized by Surface-Micromachining

Abstract

A surface-micromachined free-space micro-optical bench (FS-MOB) technology has been proposed to monolithically integrate micro-optical elements, optomechanical structures, micropositioners, and microactuators on the same substrate. Novel three-dimensional micro-optical elements have been fabricated by surface-micromachining techniques. The optical axes of these optical elements are parallel to the substrate, which enables the entire free-space optical system to be integrated on a single substrate. Mocro-scale Fresnel lenses, refractive microlenses, mirrors, beam-splitters, gratings, and precision optical mounts have been successfully fabricated and characterized. Integration of micro-optical elements with translation or rotation stages provides on chip optical alignment or optomechanical switching. This new free-space micro-optical bench technology could significantly reduce the size, weight, an cost of most optical systems, and could have a significant impact on optical switching, optical sensing and optical data storage systems as well as packaging of optoelectronic components.