An optical microswitch comprising a support body and first and second output fibers carried by the body. A rotary electrostatic microactuator is carried by the body and extends in plane. A micromirror is disposed out of the plane. The microactuator has a mirror holder coupled to the micromirror and at least one comb drive assembly coupled to the mirror holder for driving the micromirror about an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to the plane between a first position for reflecting a laser beam to the first output fiber and a second position for reflecting the laser beam to the second output fiber.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/112,263 filed Dec. 15, 1998, to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/112,265 filed Dec. 15, 1998 and to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/123,512 filed Mar. 8, 1999, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/271,440 filed Mar. 18, 1999, which application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/823,422 filed Mar. 24, 1997, abandoned, which application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/023,476 filed Aug. 6, 1996 and to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/025,801 filed Aug. 27, 1996, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
A microswitch is realized that can be driven by low voltage, and at the same time, that has increased impedance between switch terminals when the switch is OFF. The relation between upper electrode (4), lower electrode (6), contact electrode (7), and signal lines (8) is arranged such that the minimum distance between contact electrode 7 and signal lines 8 is greater than the minimum distance between upper electrode 4 and lower electrode 6 when the microswitch is in the OFF state.
A fiber optic switch package and method of assembling the same with improved protection of the fibers and simple assembly. A fiber support device has passages that receive optic fibers and help align those fibers with respect to an optic switch component. In addition, the fibers that extend into the interior of the fiber support device are isolated from strains that may occur on the fibers that extend external to the fiber support device.
A miniature device comprising a substrate, a movable member overlying the substrate and first and second spaced-apart suspension members. Each of the first and second suspension members has a first bendable end portion coupled to the substrate and a second bendable end portion coupled to the movable member and a substantially rigid central portion. The first and second end portions of each suspension member have respective first and second lengths and the suspension member has an overall length. The sum of the first and second lengths of each suspension member ranges from 5% to 40% of the overall length of the suspension member.
A MEMS-based adjustable mirror module allows faster, lower cost, and easier alignment of optical fibers in substrates. Movable mirrors formed on the substrate allow adjustment of the light path after the optical fiber is attached, after which the mirrors are affixed in place to prevent misalignment.
A balanced microdevice that includes a substrate and at least one comb drive assembly having first and second comb drive members. The first comb drive member is mounted on the substrate and the second comb drive member overlies the substrate. At least one spring member is provided that has a first end portion coupled to the substrate and a second end portion coupled to the second comb drive member. The first comb drive member has a plurality of spaced-apart first comb drive fingers and the second comb drive member has a plurality of spaced-apart second comb drive fingers. The second comb drive member is movable between a first position in which the first and second comb drive fingers are not substantially fully interdigitated and a second position in which the first and second comb drive fingers are substantially fully interdigitated. A counterbalance is carried by the substrate and coupled to the second comb drive member for inhibiting undesirable movement of the second comb drive member in response to externally applied accelerations to the microdevice.
