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Aligning Optical Fibers by Means of Actuated MEMS WedgesMicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) of a proposed type would be designed and fabricated to effect lateral and vertical alignment of optical fibers with respect to optical, electro-optical, optoelectronic, and/or photonic devices on integrated circuit chips and similar monolithic device structures. A MEMS device of this type would consist of a pair of oppositely sloped alignment wedges attached to linear actuators that would translate the wedges in the plane of a substrate, causing an optical fiber in contact with the sloping wedge surfaces to undergo various displacements parallel and perpendicular to the plane. In making it possible to accurately align optical fibers individually during the packaging stages of fabrication of the affected devices, this MEMS device would also make it possible to relax tolerances in other stages of fabrication, thereby potentially reducing costs and increasing yields. In a typical system according to the proposal (see Figure 1), one or more pair(s) of alignment wedges would be positioned to create a V groove in which an optical fiber would rest. The fiber would be clamped at a suitable distance from the wedges to create a cantilever with a slight bend to push the free end of the fiber gently to the bottom of the V groove. The wedges would be translated in the substrate plane by amounts Dx1 and Dx2, respectively, which would be chosen to move the fiber parallel to the plane by a desired amount Dx and perpendicular to the plane by a desired amount Dy. The actuators used to translate the wedges could be variants of electrostatic or thermal actuators that are common in MEMS.
Document ID
20090040738
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Other - NASA Tech Brief
External Source(s)
http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/1977
Authors
Morgan, Brian (Maryland Univ. MD, United States)
Ghodssi, Reza (Maryland Univ. MD, United States)
Date Acquired
September 8, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Publication Information
Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, January 2007
Subject Category
Technology Utilization And Surface Transportation
Report/Patent Number
GSC-14959-1
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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IDRelationTitle20090040737Collected WorksNASA Tech Briefs, January 2007
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