Optical performance of pivoting micromirrors

In this paper we describe optical and dynamic performance of tip/tilt micromachined mirrors fabricated using the SUMMIT V surface micromachining process. We find that the tilt angle for a given mirror design is determined by a combination of geometric factors and stiffness of the capacitive suspension. Switching speeds of ~40-50 microsecond(s) econds are measured for 50 micrometers -square mirrors. Finally surface roughness and curvature before and after metallization are obtained using white light interferometry.