Abstract: A device comprising an array of free metal ribbons that are coupled to a substrate through ceramic support structures is disclosed. The device is preferably an optical MEM device, wherein a first set of free metal ribbons are configured to move relative to a second set of alternating free metal ribbons for modulating an incident light source. An optical MEM system in accordance with the invention includes a light source and suitable optics for transmitting light to and from the array of free metal ribbons. The optical MEM device exhibits reduced surface charging and has applications in optical communications.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming a metallic electrode comprises depositing a metal layer over a surface (e.g., substrate) and thermally processing the metal layer to form a conductive metallized ceramic. The metal layer may be deposited by sputtering and thermally processed by rapid thermal processing, for example. Among other advantages, embodiments of the present invention allow for the formation of conductive metallized ceramics, such as titanium-nitride, without the use of relatively expensive deposition tools.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an optical displacement sensor for sensing transverse displacement of a data input device relative to a surface by determining displacement of optical features in a succession of frames. The sensor includes at least a coherent light source, illumination optics to illuminate a portion of the surface, imaging optics, and a first array of photosensitive elements having a periodic distance. The illuminator and the detector are configured to produce on the first array of photosensitive elements an intensity pattern of light reflected from the illuminated portion of the surface. The intensity pattern comprises a plurality of speckles having an average speckle diameter which is between one half and two times the periodic distance of the array.

Abstract: A modulator for and a method of modulating an incident beam of light including means for supporting a plurality of active elements and a plurality of bias elements, each active and bias element including a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane and the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of active and bias elements are parallel to each other and further wherein the plurality of bias elements are mechanically or electrically deflected with respect to the plurality of active elements. Each of the plurality of bias elements is deflected an odd multiple of the wavelength of an incident light wave divided by four and the plurality of light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements move between the first parallel plane to the second parallel plane.

Abstract: One embodiment disclosed relates to a method for wavelength-selective switching and equalization. The method includes dispersing an incoming multiplexed signal into wavelength components, focusing the wavelength components onto different portions of a controllable light diffractor array, and controllably diffracting each wavelength component such that each said component is individually attenuated and arrives at the individually selected output without substantial crosstalk between the outputs. Another embodiment relates to a wavelength-selective switching device with integrated equalizer functionality. Another embodiment relates to an optical apparatus for wavelength-selective switching and equalization. The apparatus includes a means for controllably diffracting each wavelength component of a multiplexed input such that each said component is controllably attenuated and directed to arrive at an individually selected output.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a high-density spatial light modulator includes a substrate having a reflective surface and a reflective ribbon over the reflective surface. The ribbon may have one or more openings, such as rectangular slots. The openings allow light to pass through the ribbon and impinge on the reflective surface. Deflecting the ribbon towards the substrate thus allows for dynamically-controllable diffraction of incident light. The spatial light modulator pixel requires less space than a conventional light modulator, thus allowing for relatively large pixel count within a manufacturable device size. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: The current invention provides for encapsulated release structures, intermediates thereof and methods for their fabrication. A multi-layer structure has a capping layer, that preferably comprises silicon oxide and/or silicon nitride, and which is formed over an etch resistant substrate. A patterned device layer, preferably comprising silicon nitride, is embedded in a sacrificial material, preferably comprising poly-silicon, and is disposed between the etch resistant substrate and the capping layer. Access trenches or holes are formed in to capping layer and the sacrificial material is selectively etched through the access trenches, such that portions of the device layer are release from sacrificial material. The etchant preferably comprises a noble gas fluoride NGF2x, (wherein NG=Xe, Kr or Ar: and where x=1, 2 or 3). After etching that sacrificial material, the access trenches are sealed to encapsulate released portions the device layer between the etch resistant substrate and the capping layer.

Abstract: A device for selectively adjusting power levels of component signals of a wavelength division multiplexed signal including a first wavelength signal and a second wavelength signal. The device includes a light modulator comprising a plurality of elements. The plurality of elements are configured to form an arbitrary phase profile. The plurality of elements includes a first group of elements configured to receive the first wavelength signal and a second group of elements configured to receive the second wavelength signal. The first group of elements and the second group of elements include at least one common element. Each element is controllable such that each group of elements directs a selected portion of a corresponding received wavelength signal in a first mode. Each first mode is collected such that a power level of each wavelength signal is selectively adjusted.

Abstract: An integrated device including one or more device drivers and a diffractive light modulator monolithically coupled to the one or more driver circuits. The one or more driver circuits are configured to process received control signals and to transmit the processed control signals to the diffractive light modulator. A method of fabricating the integrated device preferably comprises fabricating a front-end portion for each of a plurality of transistors, isolating the front-end portions of the plurality of transistors, fabricating a front-end portion of a diffractive light modulator, isolating the front end portion of the diffractive light modulator, fabricating interconnects for the plurality of transistors, applying an open array mask and wet etch to access the diffractive light modulator, and fabricating a back-end portion of the diffractive light modulator, thereby monolithically coupling the diffractive light modulator and the plurality of transistors.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a delay circuit is configured to delay pixel information from an image source, such as a frame buffer. The delay circuit may be configured to delay the pixel information by an amount of time that would move a pixel projected on a surface by a distance less than a dimension of the pixel. A light modulator may modulate a light beam onto a surface, such as a display screen, based on the delayed pixel information. This advantageously allows for sub-pixel electronic alignment.

Abstract: An interferometer comprises a membrane, a substrate, and a support structure. The membrane comprises a first reflector. The substrate comprises a second reflector. The support structure circumferentially couples the membrane to the substrate and orients the first reflector parallel to and facing the second reflector.

Abstract: An arrangement for optical communication comprises an optical coupler, an opto-electronic board, and an optical fiber. The optical fiber comprises a first refraction surface, a second refraction surface, and an internal reflector. The first refraction surface has a first finite focal length. The second refraction surface has a second finite focal length. In operation, an optical signal enters the first refraction surface, couples from the first refraction surface to the second refraction surface via the internal reflector, and exits the second refraction surface, where the optical signal defines a light path. The light path optically couples the opto-electronic board to the optical fiber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing speckle uses polarization averaging. A polarizing beam splitter divides a first polarized laser output into a second polarized laser output and a third polarized laser output. A plurality of mirrors creates an optical path difference between the second and third polarized laser outputs. The optical path difference is at least about a coherence length for the first polarized laser output. The second and third polarized laser outputs are combined into a fourth laser output, which illuminates a depolarizing screen. If a human eye or an optical system having a intensity detector views the depolarizing screen, the eye or the intensity detector will detect reduced speckle, which results from uncorrelated speckle patterns created by the second polarized laser output and the third polarized laser output. A first alternative embodiment of the invention functions without the optical path difference being at least about the coherence length.

Abstract: A device comprising a light modulator including a plurality of elements wherein each element is selectively operable such that the plurality of elements are dynamically configurable to combine selected ones of a plurality of grating periods such that selected portions of an incident light are directed into one or more distinct modes wherein each distinct mode corresponds to a grating period. The device can be used as a 1×N wavelength selective switch and equalizer where N is the number of output channels.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an imaging apparatus includes a light modulator array having modulators arranged in a loosely-packed configuration. For example, the modulators may be arranged in columns at a first pitch, and the columns may be spaced at a second pitch. The optically active areas of the modulators may form a repeating pattern including a hexagonal pattern, a rectangular pattern, or a diamond pattern. In one embodiment, the modulators are diffractive light modulators.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a ferroelectric material is processed by placing the material in an environment including metal vapor and heating the material to a temperature below the Curie temperature of the material. This allows the bulk conductivity of the ferroelectric material to be increased without substantially degrading its ferroelectric domain properties. In one embodiment, the ferroelectric material comprises lithium tantalate and the metal vapor comprises zinc.

Abstract: A light modulator comprises a series of ribbons divided by a series of gaps. Sequences of consecutive ribbons and gaps are grouped together to form a plurality of pixels that are configured to process a respective plurality of wavelengths. The spacing from center-line to center-line of adjacent pixels is progressively increased from a reference pixel to align component pixels with their assigned wavelengths. The widths of ribbons and gaps within a particular pixel affect the polarization dependent loss of a pixel, and affect the first order diffraction angle. Ribbon widths and gap widths within successive pixels are altered to normalize polarization dependent loss and first order diffraction angles against the values associated with a reference pixel.

Abstract: The current invention provides for encapsulated release structures, intermediates thereof and methods for their fabrication. The multi-layer structure has a capping layer, that preferably comprises silicon oxide and/or silicon nitride, and which is formed over an etch resistant substrate. A patterned device layer, preferably comprising silicon nitride, is embedded in a sacrificial material, preferably comprising polysilicon, and is disposed between the etch resistant substrate and the capping layer. Access trenches or holes are formed in to capping layer and the sacrificial material are selectively etched through the access trenches, such that portions of the device layer are release from sacrificial material. The etchant preferably comprises a noble gas fluoride NGF2x (wherein Ng=Xe, Kr or Ar: and where x=1, 2 or 3). After etching that sacrificial material, the access trenches are sealed to encapsulate released portions the device layer between the etch resistant substrate and the capping layer.

Abstract: A light modulator includes elongated elements arranged parallel to each other. Each elongated element includes a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces configured in a first grating plane. A support structure is coupled to the elongated elements to maintain a position of the elongated elements relative to each other and to enable movement of each elongated element in a direction normal to the first grating plane. The support structure enables movement between a first modulator configuration and a second modulator configuration. In the first modulator configuration, the elongated elements act to reflect an incident light as a plane mirror. In the second modulator configuration, the elongated elements form a stepped blaze configuration along a second grating plane lying at a grating angle to the first grating plane and act to diffract the incident light into at least two diffraction orders.

Abstract: An apparatus for selective blocking WDM channels comprises a light modulator, a diffraction grating, and a transform lens. The light modulator comprises an array of pixels. Each pixel of the light modulator is selectively operable to direct light into a first mode and a second mode. The first mode directs the light to an output. The second mode directs the light away from the output. The diffraction grating is operable to receive the WDM channels from an input and to disperse the WDM channels into a range of angles. The transform lens couples the diffraction grating to the light modulator. The diffraction grating is operable to transform the range of angles of the WDM channels into a range of spatially distinct positions along the array of pixels of the light modulator without overlap of two of the WDM channels on an individual pixel. In operation, the light modulator directs at least one of the WDM channels into the second mode while directing a remainder of the WDM channels into the first mode.