MEMS variable optical attenuator with a compound latch
نویسندگان
چکیده
A variable optical attenuator with a compound latch is described. The attenuator and fibre mounts are fabricated in bonded silicon-on-insulator, using microelectromechanical systems technology. The latch has two stages. Each can be continuously adjusted or fixed into position using a rack and tooth driven by electrothermal actuators. The second stage has a mechanical advantage of 10, giving a tenfold increase in precision compared with the tooth size of 10 lm. The mechanism is used to fix a shutter in the optical path between two fibres. Static and dynamic mechanical and optical characteristics are given, and a dynamic range of >30 dB is demonstrated. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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