Proceedings Article | 17 September 1999
Proc. SPIE. 3778, Gradient Index, Miniature, and Diffractive Optical Systems
KEYWORDS: Infrared detectors, Gold, Thermography, Infrared sensors, Optical fabrication equipment, Sensors, Coating, Finite element methods, Chemical elements, Temperature metrology
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been instrumental in developing ultraprecision technologies for the fabrication of optical devices. We are currently extending our ultraprecision capabilities to the design, fabrication, and testing of micro-optics and MEMS devices. Techniques have been developed in our lab for fabricating micro-devices using single point diamond turning and ion milling. The devices we fabricated can be used in micro-scale interferometry, micro-positioners, micro-mirrors, and chemical sensors. In this paper, we focus on the optimization of microstructure performance using finite element analysis and the experimental validation of those results. We also discuss the fabrication of such structures and the optical testing of the devices. The performance is simulated using finite element analysis to optimize geometric and material parameters. The parameters we studied include bimaterial coating thickness effects; device length, width, and thickness effects, as well as changes in the geometry itself. This optimization results in increased sensitivity of these structures to absorbed incoming energy, which is important for photon detection or micro-mirror actuation. We have investigated and tested multiple geometries. the devices were fabricated using focused ion beam milling, and their response was measured using a chopped photon source and laser triangulation techniques. Our results are presented and discussed.
