Bryzek J., Nasiri S., Flannery A., Kwon H., Novack M., Marx D., Sigari El, Chen E., Garate J.
Transparent Networks, US
Keywords: array, MEMS, MEOMS, mirror, photonic., switch
The demand for communication bandwidth together with advances in MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) technology has spurred rapid development in the field of MOEMS (micro-optical-electrical mechanical systems). One exciting opportunity is in the area of photonic switching. MOEMS mirror arrays are being used at the core of all-optical cross-connects, enabling switches that are transparent to network protocols, wavelengths, and bandwidth requirements. One critical factor affecting the ability to develop larger port-count switches is the scalability of the MOEMS mirror array. As the number of mirrors in an array grows by x, the number of control lines grows by nx, where n is the number of control signals for each mirror (typically 3 or 4). Passive array technology does not scale well beyond 128-256 mirrors because the density of interconnects and bond pads becomes impractical. To address the need for scalable technology, Transparent Networks has developed a series of enabling technologies to fabricate a highly integrated MOEMS mirror array. The end result is a highly integrated MOEMS mirror array capable of scaling to 4000 or more ports that meets both performance and cost requirements for successful development in the photonic switching market (fig. 5).
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 2, Technical Proceedings of the 2003 Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 2
Published: February 23, 2003
Pages: 428 - 431
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: MEMS & NEMS Devices, Modeling & Applications
ISBN: 0-9728422-1-7