Optical: systems and elements – Optical modulator – Light wave temporal modulation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2001-09-11
Sugarman, Scott J. (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Optical modulator
Light wave temporal modulation
C359S291000, C359S224200, C359S292000, C359S223100, C385S017000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288821
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical signal processing apparatus and more particularly to an optical apparatus having a mirror array.
2. Background of the Related Art
Electro-optic devices often employ an array of micro-machined mirrors, each mirror being individually movable in response to an electrical signal. For example, the mirrors can each be cantilevered and moved by an electrostatic force. Typically, electro-optic mirror array devices can be used as optical cross connects in optical communication systems, visual presentations and displays, for example. Generally, each mirror of the cross connect is addressed by a number of electrical lead lines and receives a beam of light from, for example, an individual optical fiber in a fiber optic bundle. The beams reflected from the mirrors are individually directed to a prespecified location (for example, another fiber optic bundle) by individually moving the mirrors.
It is desirable to have a high density of optical transfer. However, large mirror arrays are generally not feasible because the electrical interconnection density often presents a bottleneck. As the number of mirrors in an array increases, the number of electrical lead lines also increases, and these lead lines must be crowded into more confined spaces. For example, a 256 mirror array chip (16×16 array) with four lead lines per mirror requires 1,032 wirebond pads and electrical interconnections. The electrical leads must be adequately spaced to handle relatively high voltage (e.g., 100-150 volts). Hence there is a limit as to how small the leads can be made and how closely they can be spaced apart from each other. The routing of this number of electrical wires between the individual mirror elements, and routing from the chip center to the outer edge, forces the mirror spacing to be larger than desired and limits the useful size of the integrated array.
What is needed is an electro-optic chip which includes a larger array of mirrors while not increasing the mirror spacing.
SUMMARY
An optical signal processing apparatus is provided herein which comprises: a base, and at least two mirror array chips mounted on an upper surface of the base in close proximity to each other to form a compound array. Each mirror array chip includes a substrate and a plurality of spaced-apart mirrors mounted on an upper surface of the substrate. The mirrors are movable in response to an electrical signal. The mirror array chip further includes a plurality of electrical leads for conducting the electrical signal to the mirrors. At least a portion of the electrical leads extend at least partially along the upper surface of the base between a lower surface of the substrate and the upper surface of the base.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4229732 (1980-10-01), Hartstein et al.
patent: 4698602 (1987-10-01), Armitage
patent: 5054870 (1991-10-01), Lösch et al.
patent: 5199087 (1993-03-01), Frazier
patent: 5237434 (1993-08-01), Feldman et al.
patent: 5357122 (1994-10-01), Okubora et al.
patent: 5416870 (1995-05-01), Chun et al.
patent: 5572540 (1996-11-01), Cheng
patent: 5608826 (1997-03-01), Boord et al.
patent: 5611006 (1997-03-01), Tabuchi
patent: 5623564 (1997-04-01), Presby
patent: 5627923 (1997-05-01), Kakizaki
patent: 5708741 (1998-01-01), DeVeau
patent: 5719976 (1998-02-01), Henry et al.
patent: 5761350 (1998-06-01), Koh
patent: 5790731 (1998-08-01), Deveau
patent: 5799120 (1998-08-01), Kurata et al.
patent: 5828800 (1998-10-01), Henry et al.
patent: 5835256 (1998-11-01), Huibers
patent: 5863809 (1999-01-01), Koren
patent: 5917645 (1999-06-01), Min et al.
patent: 5923798 (1999-07-01), Aksyuk et al.
patent: 6097859 (2000-08-01), Solgaard et al.
patent: 6107979 (2000-08-01), Chiu et al.
Aksyuk Vladimir Anatolyevich
Bishop David John
Bolle Cristian A.
Gates, II John VanAtta
Giles Randy Clinton
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Sugarman Scott J.
Thompson Tim
LandOfFree
Hybrid electro-optic device with combined mirror arrays does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hybrid electro-optic device with combined mirror arrays, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hybrid electro-optic device with combined mirror arrays will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2549068