Laser power monitoring using MEMS micromirror technology

We have fabricated and characterized fiberized MEMS in situ power monitor chips in which a surface-micromachined out-of-plane micromirror partially reflects the incident multimode light to an on-chip fiber tap. Reflectivity and transmittivity were measured as a function of time at various increasing incident optical power levels, and for various material systems. The first prototypes show stability to hundreds of milliwatts.