Modular MEMS design and fabrication for an 80 x 80 transparent optical cross-connect switch

The ability to transparently switch optical signals from one fiber to another without conversion to the electrical domain is a basic functionality that has a wide range of applications within the fiber optic industry. The so-called 3D-MEMS architecture has emerged as the preferred approach for building transparent, scalable systems with port-counts ranging from 16x16 to 1024x1024. The primary components of the 3D-MEMS architecture are fiber array, lens array, and MEMS mirror array. While a central theme in the MEMS industry is integration, we adopted a strategy of modularization. The key MEMS components, which include mirror array, ceramic substrate, and high-voltage drivers, were manufactured separately and then combined to yield a working product. Central to our modular approach was critical design parameter tolerancing to ensure manufacturability. Results from a large sampling of MEMS components and MEMS assemblies are presented to highlight manufacturability and performance.