Trey Roessig et al
Analog Devices

For telecommunication systems to transition from 10-Gbit to 40-Gbit rates, signal paths using all-optical switches are becoming increasingly attractive. Analog Devices has developed an integrated optical microelectromechanical system (optical iMEMS) technology. It combines mirrors, high-voltage CMOS for electrostatic deflection, and low-voltage CMOS for on-chip capacitive position-sensing. This technology could drastically lower the cost of all-optical switching systems, ranging from 2-by-2 switches to large arrays. This technical paper briefly describes the methodology and initial results of the position-sense functionality.