SBIR Phase I: Development of a Hybrid Microelectromechanical (MEMS) Driven Tunable Optical Filter Technology

该项目的第一阶段小企业创新研究目标是开发用于高比特率光纤网络的集成晶圆级高速可调谐滤波器技术。具体而言，开发一个创新的法布里-珀罗可调谐滤波器的晶圆级阵列中使用的发射机或接收机的通信系统的可行性进行了探讨。滤波器的工作电压被设计为在0 - 40伏的范围内，扫描时间小于0.1毫秒，并且滤波波长区域在2.5和5 μ m之间。在第一阶段，创新的可调谐滤波器将首先在一个小阵列（88像素）原型，并在第二阶段，它将被缩放到一个3232模块，将由一个有源矩阵高压VLSI芯片驱动。在第二阶段的工作中，这些滤波器阵列将直接集成到VCSEL阵列和探测器阵列（由我们的一个公司合作伙伴提供）的表面上，形成一个预对准的坚固紧凑的封装。 这种新型的MEMS可调谐滤波器阵列将在光纤通信系统、低成本、高性能的遥感仪器和光谱仪中得到应用

This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I objective of this project is to develop an integrated wafer-scale, high-speed tunable filter technology for high-bit-rate fiber optic networks. Specifically, the feasibility of developing a wafer-scale array of innovative Fabry-Perot tunable filters for use in either the transmitter or the receiver of a communications system is explored. The operating voltage of the filters is designed to be in the range of 0 - 40 volts, the scanning times are less than 0.1 milliseconds and the filtering wavelength region between 2.5 and 5 m. In Phase I, the innovative tunable filter will first be prototyped in a small array (88 pixels), and in Phase II it will be scaled to a 3232 module that will be driven by an active matrix high voltage VLSI chip. In the Phase II work these filter arrays will be integrated directly onto the surface of VCSEL arrays and detector arrays (to be supplied by one of our corporate partners) to form a pre-aligned rugged and compact package. This novel MEMS-based tunable filter array will find applications in fiber-optic telecommunication systems, and in low-cost, high-performance remote sensing instruments and spectrometers