Analog Piezoelectric-Driven Tunable Gratings With Nanometer Resolution

Abstract

Abstract-This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of a piezoelectrically actuated MEMS diffractive optical grating, whose spatial periodicity can be tuned in analog fashion to within a fraction of a nanometer. The fine control of the diffracted beams permits applications in dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) optical telecommunications and high-resolution miniaturized spectrometers. The design concept consists of a diffractive grating defined on a deformable membrane, strained in the direction perpendicular to the gratings grooves via thin-film piezoelectric actuators. The tunable angular range for the first diffracted order is up to 400 rad with 0.2% strain ( 8 nm change in grating periodicity) at 10 V actuation, as predicted by device modeling. The actuators demonstrate a piezoelectric 31 coefficient of 100 pC/N and dielectric constant r of 1200. Uniformity across the tunable grating and the out-of-plane deflections are also characterized and discussed.[1036]

Characterizing Effective d31 Values for PZT from the Nonlinear Oscillations of Clamped-Clamped Micro- Resonators

“…Working with these structures, the properties of the piezoelectric materials were determined by analyzing static deformations [6] to [8] and resonance frequency shifts [7] and [9]. Dynamic responses were also used to characterize piezoelectric materials, often at very low frequencies to avoid large amplitude oscillations associated with resonance and the potential nonlinear behavior which may result [9] to [12].…”

Nonlinear Control Design for a Piezoelectric-Driven Nanopositioning Stage

“…The focus on nanoscale material's research and device development continues to increase, highly accurate nanopositioning control becomes increasingly important in applications such image steering devices [6], nanoscale material characterization [7], atomic manipulation [8], and protein delivery [9]. Piezoelectric materials are often employed as actuators in nanopositioning stages as well as embedded actuators within MEMS devices [6].…”

“…Piezoelectric materials are often employed as actuators in nanopositioning stages as well as embedded actuators within MEMS devices [6]. A careful assessment of the control design is generally required to ensure adequate control is available to meet the performance objectives while accommodating constitutive nonlinearities and hysteresis.…”

Nonlinear optimal tracking control of a piezoelectric nanopositioning stage

“…Highly accurate nanopositioning control becomes increasingly important in applications such image steering devices [24], piezoresponse force microscopy [5], atomic manipulation [22], and protein delivery [23]. Often, piezoelectric materials are chosen as actuators in nanopositioning stages as well as embedded actuators within MEMS devices [24].…”

“…Often, piezoelectric materials are chosen as actuators in nanopositioning stages as well as embedded actuators within MEMS devices [24]. These materials provide small displacements and large forces over a relatively large bandwith (Hz -MHz); however, nonlinearities and hysteresis often occur at moderate to large electric field levels.…”