Optical phase modulation beam steering using silicon micromachined and hybrid integrated Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are integrated micrometer-sized devices or systems that combine electrical and mechanical components. Integrated circuit (IC) technology is used for batch fabrication of mechanical and electrical devices in the from micrometer to millimeter. The research and development of optical beam steering devices using MEMS is presented in this thesis. Phase modulation beam steering techniques including phased array and decentered microlens beam steering are implemented.; Theories of phase modulation beam steering techniques including geometrical and Fourier transform analysis are studied and applied to understand the principal operation of the devices. Design consideration, analytical/finite element analysis, device characterization, and optical testing methodologies to design, model, and characterize the fabricated devices are presented.; Several novel lenslet integrated MEM-deformable micromirror arrays including the high optical fill factor and large-stroke micromirror array and MEMS-controllable microlens array are created and demonstrated as miniature beam steering systems for targeting and tracking application, display, optical interconnects, and optical communication.; Optical analysis of decentered microlens for beam steering is studied. Optical efficiency and coupling analysis of the MEMS-controllable microlens array in the optical interconnect systems are analyzed based on the Gaussian beam propagation of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs). Tolerance analysis, including lateral and longitudinal misalignment when the device is implemented, is studied to determine the possible range of critical tolerances. Finally, wavefront aberrations of a steered beam are modeled and determined using optical design software to understand the influences of focus shift and aberrations on the system performance.