Using the Grating Light Valve device as a multichannel variable optical attenuator (VOA) for the 1.55-μm spectral region

Abstract

The Grating Light Valve (GLV) spatial light modulator is a unique and proven CMOS process-compatible optical MEMS device. The modulator employs a dynamically adjustable diffraction grating to manipulate an optical signal. Today, the GLV technology is successfully used in high-resolution display and imaging systems, where its high efficiency, large dynamic range, precise analog attenuation, fast switching speed, high reliability, high yield, and the ability to integrate thousands of channels into a single device are fundamental advantages. These same properties make the GLV device desirable for optical telecommunication applications. The optical properties, functionality, device design, and CMOS processing of the GLV will be presented. Challenges and solutions that arise from adapting the current GLV technology to optical telecommunications wavelengths will be discussed. Measured results will be presented that describe GLV performance parameters, including insertion loss, dynamic range, polarization dependent loss, and spectral attenuation accuracy.

Nanocomposite‐based stretchable optics

“…In view of a large number of applications in spectroscopy, microscopy , optical telecommunications , aerospace and in vivo medical imaging , a very strong interest is focused on the fabrication of optical elements such as lenses , gratings , mirrors , able to change their geometrical shapes thus improving the image quality. Different alternatives have been proposed for the replacement of rigid optical elements (in particular gratings and mirrors) fabricated on glass or metals with adaptive elements such as electrostatically actuated suspended ribbons forming grating surfaces , complex comb‐driven diffraction gratings and piezoelectric‐driven tunable gratings . These technical approaches are finding applications, however, they are still considered too expensive and technologically complex to allow for a widespread use of adaptive optics solutions .…”

Grating light valve based on high reflectance micro-beams: Design by simulation

“…Deflection of the GLV micro-beams is small, in range of hundreds of nanometers. During actuation there is no physical contact between moving elements, thus avoiding mechanical fatigue, wear, and stiction failure modes (common in other MOEMS devices) which can significantly reduce the device lifetimes, [4].…”