Corning Incorporated

Christopher Philip Brophy

Bernard Eid

Victoria Ann Edwards

Darol Chamberlain

Peter Gerard Wigley

Mark Francis Krol

Xiaodong Robert Fu

Robert G Lindquist

Marc G Brun

Yongqian Liu

David W Lambert

Paul P Merchant

Anita K Thompson

A moveable micromirror includes a supporting structure, a flexible post extending from the supporting structure, and a table extending radially from the end of the post along a plane generally perpendicular to the post, the table having a reflective surface facing away from the supporting structure. The post, preferably formed of single-crystal silicon, is dimensioned to be sufficiently flexible to allow the reflective surface to be selectively moveable and positionable, with at least two degrees of freedom, when urged by a suitable actuating force. A method of making an array of moveable micromirrors of this type includes deep etching a silicon substrate so as to form posts surrounded by trenches, etching back the surface of the substrate around the posts so as to allow the posts to protrude beyond the surface of the substrate, and affixing a table with a reflective surface thereon to the tops of a plurality of the posts.

MEMS mirror and method of fabrication

The present invention relates to a collimator assembly for use in an optical switch. The collimator assembly includes an integrated LED/photodiode plane disposed in a dual microlens array. The integrated LED/photodiode plane results in a relatively simple way to manufacture high port count collimator arrays with integrated monitoring capabilities. The LED/photodiode plane can be readily produced using standard electronics manufacturing technology.

Integrated LED/photodiode collimator array

An optical fiber collimator ( ) in an optical system, includes a pair of optical fibers ( ) having emitting cleaved planes ( ) to provide a substantially uniform angled side surface for forming a prescribed angle ( ) relative to the optical axis ( ) of the optical system. The pair of optical fibers ( ) are disposed coplanarly in the object plane of the optical system for sharing the optical axis and separated from each other and from the optical axis on the same object plane. Optically coupled to the pair of fibers, a microlens ( ) has a sloped rear surface ( ) opposite a rotationally symmetric microlens surface ( ) which bound a volume having a homogeneous index of refraction. The pair of fibers ( ) are positioned near the focal plane containing the optical axis ( ) of the microlens for the generation or reception of collimated beams at the prescribed angle ( ) relative to the optical axis ( ) of the microlens ( ).

Dual fiber collimator

A symmetric optical switch for selectively switching wavelength channels between four optical inputs. The symmetric optical switch includes two dispersive elements receiving optical inputs from respective optical fibers where the optical inputs are dispersed into a plurality of wavelength-separated input channels. The symmetric optical switch also includes a plurality of circulators disposed on each optical fiber and a switching array mechanism that receives the plurality of wavelength-separated input channels from each of the dispersive elements. The shutter array simultaneously switches one or more pairs of the wavelength-separated input channels between four optical inputs. Each circulator that is disposed on the associated optical fiber operates with the shutter array to form an eight port device so as to independently switch wavelength channels.

Symmetric wavelength selective switch for interconnecting two WDM rings

A fluid encapsulated MEMS optical switch includes an optical waveguide matrix with MEMS mirrors situated in trenches located at waveguide cross-points. The trenches are filled with collimation-maintaining fluid and the mirrors are immersed therein. The collimation maintaining fluid prevents the light beam from spreading when it enters the switch cross-points. This feature enables the use of much smaller MEMS mirrors and prevents some of the typical MEMS mirror problems found in the related art. In particular, the MEMS mirror disclosed in the present invention is reduced to approximately 15 &mgr;m wide and 2 &mgr;m thick, resulting in shorter actuation distances of approximately 15 &mgr;m. This feature results in an optical switch having faster switching times.

Fluid-encapsulated MEMS optical switch

A fluid encapsulated MEMS optical switch includes an optical waveguide matrix with MEMS mirrors situated in trenches located at waveguide cross-points. The trenches are filled with collimation-maintaining fluid and the mirrors are immersed the rein. The collimation maintaining fluid prevents the light beam from spreading when it enters the switch cross-points. This feature enables the use of much smaller MEMS mirrors and prevents some of the typical MEMS mirror problems found in the related art

Wavelength dispersion and spatial light modulation are combined having regard for polarization management within a feedback control system for dynamically adjusting spectral power distributions among different wavelength channels. Micro-optic, hybrid, and planar implementations are proposed along with coupling schemes to larger fiber optic systems. Utility is found throughout multi-channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems.

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Corning, NY, United States of America

Christopher Philip Brophy