Abstract
The field of microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) is reviewed. This field leverages mechanics at the nanometer to micrometer scale to improve existing components and introduce novel functionalities in PICs. This review covers the MEMS actuation principles and the mechanical tuning mechanisms for integrated photonics. The state of the art of MEMS tunable components in PICs is quantitatively reviewed and critically assessed with respect to suitability for large-scale integration in existing PIC technology platforms. MEMS provide a powerful approach to overcome current limitations in PIC technologies and to enable a new design dimension with a wide range of applications.
Highlights
P HOTONIC Integrated Circuits (PICs) bring the benefits of miniaturization to optics, promising leaps in performance and scalability, as well as a dramatic reduction in cost and power consumption for a wide range of optical systems
While a special focus is laid on Silicon Photonics, the MEMS concepts apply to the various PIC platforms
Since power consumption is minimal for most MEMS actuators, it can be argued that IL is the most relevant figure when discussing the scalability of photonic MEMS circuits
Summary
P HOTONIC Integrated Circuits (PICs) bring the benefits of miniaturization to optics, promising leaps in performance and scalability, as well as a dramatic reduction in cost and power consumption for a wide range of optical systems. This approach drastically reduced the cost of PIC development, making state-of-the-art technology accessible to industry and academia alike, which has resulted in several large-scale PIC demonstrations in recent years [12]–[18]. In order to bring PICs to an even larger scale, efficient tuning mechanisms are required, to compensate for manufacturing variations and environmental perturbations, or to enable reconfiguration In this quest for enhancing current PIC technologies, the standard platforms are constantly augmented, e.g., by introducing new materials or process modules, while typically ensuring full compatibility with the existing platform. While a special focus is laid on Silicon Photonics, the MEMS concepts apply to the various PIC platforms
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