MEMS-actuated microdisk resonators with variable power coupling ratios

A novel tunable microdisk resonator with microelectromechanical-system (MEMS)-actuated deformable waveguides is demonstrated for the first time. The deformable waveguide enables us to continuously vary the power coupling ratio of the microdisks. A laterally coupled device with a quality factor of 7700 is fabricated on silicon-on-insulator substrate. An optical notch filter with variable attenuation at the resonant wavelength is successfully demonstrated, with an extinction ratio of 9 dB. The MEMS-actuated tunable microdisk is a basic building block for many dynamic wavelength-division-multiplexing circuits.