Memscap

Philippe Helin

Kareem Madkour

Tarek Badreldin

Diaa Khalil

Bassam Saadany

An optical switching matrix, including optical input fibers () and optical output fibers () oriented substantially perpendicular to each other, moveable mirrors () placed at the intersections of the directions defined by the various optical fibers, each mirror () being capable of moving in order to reflect a beam coming from an optical input fiber, bound for an optical output fiber, and a set of channels defined between the mirrors, inside which the various beams are propagated before and after having encountered the mirrors. The set of mirrors are made on a first substrate wafer () that is covered with a second substrate wafer (), and the various channels () are formed between protruding zones () present under the second substrate wafers. The protruding zones include housings () inside which the moveable mirrors are able to move.

Optical switching matrix and method of fabricating such a matrix

A process for fabricating a microelectromechanical optical component from a silicon substrate is disclosed. The component comprises optical propagation guides; a wall which can move with respect to the propagation guides; and an electrostatic actuator associated with return means formed by at least one beam capable of causing the moving wall to move with respect to the rest of the substrate. The substrate is single-crystal silicon having (111) crystallographic planes parallel to the plane of the substrate. The process comprises a first series of deep reactive ion etching steps during which the heights of the moving wall, of the electrodes of the actuator, and of the beams of the return means of the actuator are defined with different values, and a second wet etching step, making it possible to free the moving wall, the electrodes and the beams from the rest of the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Grenoble, France

Philippe Helin