Micromachined 1x2 Optical Fiber Switch

This paper describes a 1x2 thermally actuated optical fiber switch. The switch includes a thick electroplated nickel actuator to move a single-mode optical fiber, and a trench anisotropically etched in silicon for alignment of "send" and "receive" optical fibers. The switch is designed such that the optical fibers do not need to be coupled by means of waveguides or lenses in order to achieve the desired low-loss switching function. The switch actuators were made from 25 - 50 /spl mu/m-thick electroplated nickel. The switches used edges of trenches anisotropically etched in silicon for fiber alignment. Test actuators were built at the same time as the switches, integrated with short, stiff cantilevers to be used as force gauges, as well as etched deflection scales.