Fabrication of a mechanical antireflection switch for fiber-to-the-home systems

We present the methods used to fabricate a micromechanical silicon optical modulator for use in a fiber-to-the-home applications. We emphasize the efforts made to realize a practical, robust, manufacturable, and easily packaged device. In addition, recent speed, temperature stability, and reliability results are presented. Rise and fall times of 132 and 125 ns, respectively, have been observed in response to a square wave drive signal. The device has been temperature cycled from -50/spl deg/C to 90/spl deg/C and shown greater than 10-dB optical contrast ratio over this temperature range. Finally, the device has been cycled at 500 kHz for a period of nearly two months (two-trillion cycles) without a noticeable loss in performance.