Piezoelectrically actuated mirrors for optical communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10816733-B2
Application number	US-201616072240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include an optical routing device that includes an organic substrate. According to an embodiment, an array of cavities are formed into the organic substrate and an array of piezoelectrically actuated mirrors may be anchored to the organic substrate with each piezoelectrically actuated mirror extending over a cavity. In order to properly rout incoming optical signals, the optical routing device may also include a routing die mounted on the organic substrate. The routing die may be electrically coupled to each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors and is able to generated a voltage across the first and second electrodes of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror. Additionally, a photodetector may be electrically coupled to the routing die. According to an embodiment, an array of fiber optic cables may be optically coupled with one of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors and optically coupled with the photodetector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical routing device, comprising:
an organic substrate;
an array of cavities formed into the organic substrate, wherein a bottom surface of each cavity comprises a conductive layer; and
an array of piezoelectrically actuated mirrors anchored to the organic substrate, wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors extends over a cavity, and wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors comprises:
a first electrode;
a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode;
a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer; and
a reflective surface formed on a top surface of the piezoelectrically actuated mirror.

2. The optical routing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a routing die mounted on the organic substrate, wherein the routing die is electrically coupled to each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors and is configured to generated a voltage across the first and second electrodes of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror.

3. The optical routing device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a photodetector electrically coupled to the routing die, wherein the photodetector converts an optical signal into an electrical signal.

4. The optical routing device of claim 3 , further comprising:
an array of fiber optic cables, wherein each of the fiber cables is optically coupled with one of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors.

5. The optical routing device of claim 4 , wherein each of the fiber cables includes an optical splitter that is optically coupled with the photodetector.

6. The optical routing device of claim 4 , wherein each of the fiber optic cables includes an optical delay.

7. The optical routing device of claim 1 , wherein the array of piezoelectrically actuated mirrors is a two dimensional array.

8. The optical routing device of claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface is formed on the second electrode.

9. The optical routing device of claim 1 , wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors include one or more actuation arms, and wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors is anchored to the organic substrate by the one or more actuation arms.

10. The optical routing device of claim 9 , wherein the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode do not extend past the actuation arms.

11. The optical routing device of claim 10 , wherein the reflective surface is formed on the first electrode.

12. The optical routing device of claim 9 , wherein a first actuation arm of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror deflects the piezoelectrically actuated mirror about a first axis and a second actuation arm of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror deflects the piezoelectrically actuated mirror about a second axis.

13. The optical routing device of claim 9 , wherein a first actuation arm of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror has a first length for deflecting the piezoelectrically actuated mirror about a first axis and a second length oriented substantially perpendicular to the first length for deflecting the piezoelectrically actuated mirror about a second axis.

14. The optical routing device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second electrodes are formed along the first and second length of the first actuation arm, a third electrode is formed on the second length of the first actuation arm, and wherein a surface area of the third electrode over the second length is greater than a surface area of the second electrode over the second length.

15. An optical routing device, comprising:
an organic substrate;
an array of cavities formed into the organic substrate;
an array of piezoelectrically actuated mirrors anchored to the organic substrate, wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors extends over a cavity;
a routing die mounted on the organic substrate, wherein the routing die is electrically coupled to each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors and is configured to generated a voltage across a first and a second electrode of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror;
a photodetector electrically coupled to the routing die, wherein the photodetector converts an optical signal into an electrical signal; and
an array of fiber optic cables, wherein each of the fiber cables is optically coupled with one of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors, and wherein each fiber optic cable includes an optical splitter that is optically coupled with the photodetector.

16. The optical routing device of claim 15 , wherein the array of piezoelectrically actuated mirrors is a two dimensional array.

17. The optical routing device of claim 15 , wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors comprises:
a first electrode;
a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode;
a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer; and
a reflective surface formed on a top surface of the piezoelectrically actuated mirror.

18. The optical routing device of claim 17 , wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors include one or more actuation arms, and wherein each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors is anchored to the organic substrate by the one or more actuation arms.

19. The optical routing device of claim 18 , wherein a first actuation arm of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror deflects the piezoelectrically actuated mirror about a first axis and a second actuation arm of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror deflects the piezoelectrically actuated mirror about a second axis.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Oster Sasha N
• Swan Johanna M
• Eid Feras
• Sounart Thomas L
• Aleksov Aleksandar
• Liff Shawna M
• Bicen Baris
• Rao Valluri R

Classifications

• G02B26/0858 Primary

  the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means · CPC title

• H04Q11/0005

  Switch and router aspects · CPC title

• G02B6/3518 Primary

  the reflective optical element being an intrinsic part of a MEMS device, i.e. fabricated together with the MEMS device (MEMS devices in general B81B; manufacture of MEM devices in general B81C; micromechanical devices controlling the direction of light G02B26/0833) · CPC title

• G02B26/08 Primary

  for controlling the direction of light (in light guides G02B6/35) · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0026

  using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors) · CPC title