Optical beam steering using MEMS-controllable microlens array

Abstract

Novel, two-dimensional MEMS-controllable microlens array has been integrated with a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array using flip-chip assembly. The MEMS/VCSEL hybrid system is built as an efficient and reliable smart pixel array for board-to-board or chip-to-chip optical interconnects in digital systems. Theory including geometrical and Fourier transform analysis and beam steering experimental results are presented. By translating polymer microlens, fabricated on a MEMS X– Y movable plate, using electro-thermal actuators, a beam steering angle of 70 mrad is achieved. VCSEL beam steering was successfully demonstrated in our MEMS/VCSEL hybrid system to collimate and steer laser beam for a precision alignment in a two-dimensional free-space optical interconnect.