Reconfigurable-pitch photonic MEMS devices

Abstract

This paper will investigate a novel agile-pitch diffraction grating array design and phenomenology, for micro-shutter Photonic MEMS technologies, to enable adaptive coded aperture imaging and non-imaging systems. The use of Photonic MEMS for creating adaptive coded apertures, for surveillance systems, has been gaining momentum since 2007 1,2 . The use of the agile-pitch diffraction grating has also been used previously to perform beam-dispersion which is a critical step in imaging processing 3 . Through the investigation of new diffraction grating approaches, we hope to show a reconfigurable capability for agile beam steering for adaptive coded apertures surveillance imaging and non-imaging systems. This paper discusses challenges and opportunities that may arise from in-house fabrication of agile-pitch diffraction grating array micro-shutter designs which may prevent and/or improve structural uniformity, reproducibility, & reliability. This paper will also discuss characterization of the micro-shutters to include mechanical, electrical and optical properties. The “open and shut” speeds of the micro-shutter device will also be assessed from a scaling perspective to determine usability.