Silicon Micromachines in Optical Communications Networks: Tiny Machines for Large Systems

Giles, Randy; Aksyuk, Vladimir A., National Institute of Standards and Technology; Bolle, Cristian A., NOKIA Bell Labs; Pardo, Flavio, NOKIA Bell Labs; Bishop, David J., LGS Innovations Inc.

doi:10.1117/3.2265068.ch6

Book: MEMS and MOEMS Technology and Applications

Editor(s): Prosenjit Rai-Choudhury

Author(s): Randy Giles, Vladimir Aksyuk, Cristian Bolle, Flavio Pardo, David Bishop

Published: 2000

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.2265068.ch6

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

Silicon micromechanics is a field with the potential to impact a large cross section of science and technology. In diverse activities such as the automotive industry, aeronautics, cellular communications, chemistry, acoustics, display technologies, and lightwave systems, highly functional microdevices are establishing a large presence despite their diminutive size. In this chapter, we describe interesting new micromachines that enable engineers to build opto-mechanically integrated circuits and subsystems whose capabilities can facilitate the explosive growth in bandwidth and networking features of lightwave systems.