The aim was the uniform fabrication of high aspect ratio polymer-based MOEMS (microoptical-electrical-mechanical system) on small and/or fragile samples, such as GaAs. The printing conditions were optimized, and the resulting thickness uniformity profiles were compared to those obtained via lamination and SU-8 standard spin-coating. Under the best conditions tested, STP and lamination produced similar results, with a maximum deviation to the central thickness of 3% along the sample surface, compared to greater than 40% for SU-8 spin-coating. Both methods were successfully applied to the collective fabrication of DF1050-based MOEMS designed for the dynamic focusing of VCSELs (vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers). Similar, efficient electro-thermo-mechanical behaviour was obtained in both cases.
In this paper, we discuss the design, fabrication, and characterization of electrothermally actuated polymer-based microoptical electromechanical microsystems (MOEMS) for active microoptics in vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) devices. We describe in particular the principle of a SU8-based MOEMS designed for single-mode VCSEL beam active focusing. The ultimate objective is the realization of parallel compact optical scanners for sensing applications using collective and low-cost technologies. After discussing the advantages of the epoxy resist SU-8 for fabricating an integrated movable lens on active optical devices, we present our latest advances in technology for ensuring precise MOEMS fabrication on small III-V samples and for achieving accurate alignment of lenses on suspended circular membranes. Finally, we present our first results on the beam focusing of multimode VCSELs, which demonstrate the feasibility of our approach and could provide new insights in the MEMS-VCSEL field.
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