Tunable optical filters for in-plane integration on InP MEMS platform

M. Datta; J. McGee; M. W. Pruessner; K. Amarnath; S. Kanakaraju; R. Ghodssi

doi:10.1117/12.608530

7 July 2005 Tunable optical filters for in-plane integration on InP MEMS platform

M. Datta, J. McGee, M. W. Pruessner, K. Amarnath, S. Kanakaraju, R. Ghodssi

Proceedings Volume 5840, Photonic Materials, Devices, and Applications; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.608530
Event: Microtechnologies for the New Millennium 2005, 2005, Sevilla, Spain

Abstract

We have demonstrated a planar waveguide-based tunable integrated optical filter in indium phosphide (InP) with on-chip micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) actuation. An air-gap Fabry-Perot resonant microcavity is formed between two waveguides, whose facets have monolithically integrated high-reflectivity multilayer InP/air Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) mirrors. A suspended beam electrostatic microactuator attached to one of the DBR mirrors modulates the microcavity length, resulting in a tunable filter. The DBR mirrors provide a broad high-reflectivity spectrum, within which the transmission wavelength can be tuned. The in-plane configuration of the filter enables easy integration with other active and passive waveguide-based optoelectronic devices on a chip and simplifies fiber alignment. Experimental results from the first generation of tunable optical filters are presented. The microfabricated filter exhibited a resonant wavelength shift of 12nm (1513-1525nm) at a low operating voltage of 7V. A full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) of 33 nm was experimentally observed, and the quality factor was calculated to be 46. Several improvements of the MEMS actuator, waveguide, and optical cavity design for the future devices are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

M. Datta, J. McGee, M. W. Pruessner, K. Amarnath, S. Kanakaraju, and R. Ghodssi "Tunable optical filters for in-plane integration on InP MEMS platform", Proc. SPIE 5840, Photonic Materials, Devices, and Applications, (7 July 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.608530

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