Mechano-optical switching in a MEMS integrated photonic crystal slab waveguide

A photonic crystal slab waveguide (PhC-WG) with an integrated MEMS bimorph cantilever actuator has been successfully fabricated using deep UV lithography and surface micromaching techniques. The cantilever is equipped with tips that are self-aligned with respect to the holes of the PhC-WG such that on electrostatic actuation, with modest voltages of less than 10 V, these tips move into the holes. This provides electro-opto-mechanical modulation of light-transmission, up to 80%, for interaction lengths as short as 10 μm. The device is monolithically integrated and designed to operate in the C-band of the telecommunication wavelengths.