Claims
- 1. An enclosure for sealing a MEMS device, comprising
one or more sidewalls, an optical element coupled to at least one of the sidewalls,
wherein at least one of the one or more sidewalls or the optical element includes a surface that is angled with respect to an optical plane, wherein the dimensions of the enclosure are such that the enclosure completely encloses the MEMS device.
- 2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the optical element is chosen from the group consisting of simple refractive surfaces, partially reflective surfaces, curved refracting or partially reflecting, surfaces, prisms, lenses, diffractive elements, fresnel lenses, anti-reflective coated surfaces, and dichroic coated surfaces.
- 3. The enclosure of claim 1, and the optical element is a window.
- 4. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising an optically transparent window disposed on top of the enclosure.
- 5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the optical element is a wedge-shaped window.
- 6. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is evacuated.
- 7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is filled with a gas.
- 8. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein the gas provides moisture-free environment for the MEMS device to operate in.
- 9. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of thermal conductor, thermal insulator, electrical conductor and electrical insulator.
- 10. The enclosure of claim 7 where in the gas prevents squeeze film or viscous damping of the MEMS device.
- 11. A MEMS apparatus comprising:
a MEMS device; an enclosure that encloses the MEMS device; an enclosure having one or more vertical sidewalls, an optical element located an opening in at least one of the sidewalls,
wherein at least one of the one or more sidewalls or the optical element includes a surface that is angled with respect to an optical plane.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the optical element is a window and at least one of the one or more sidewalls includes a surface that is angled with respect to an optical plane,
wherein the window is attached to the surface.
- 13. The MEMS apparatus of claim 11, wherein the MEMS device includes a substrate and the enclosure is bonded to the substrate.
- 14. The MEMS device of claim 13, further comprising a device controller chip attached to a back side of the substrate.
- 15. The MEMS apparatus of claim 11, wherein the MEMS device includes a substrate attached to a mount and the enclosure is bonded to the mount.
- 16. The MEMS apparatus of claim 11, wherein the enclosure is evacuated.
- 17. A MEMS module, comprising
a mount; a MEMS device attached to the mount; one or more optical fibers attached to the mount proximate the MEMS device; and an enclosure attached to the mount and enclosing the MEMS device,
wherein the enclosure has one or more vertical sidewalls, wherein at least one sidewall includes one or more optical elements sealed to an opening in the sidewall, wherein the fibers are optically coupled to the device via the one or more optical elements, wherein at least one of the one or more sidewalls or the optical element includes a surface that is angled with respect to an optical plane, and wherein the fibers are located outside the enclosure.
- 18. The MEMS module of claim 17 wherein said optical element is a window and optical signals may be coupled between the MEMS device and the optical fibers through the one or more optical elements.
- 19. The MEMS module of claim 17 further comprising a control electronics unit coupled to the MEMS device.
- 20. The MEMS module of claim 19, wherein the control electronics unit is a device controller chip attached to a back side of a substrate of the MEMS device.
- 21. The MEMS module of claim 20, wherein the enclosure is evacuated.
- 22. The MEMS module of claim 20, wherein the enclosure is filled with a gas.
- 23. A method for switching optical signals with a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) optical device having one or more moveable MEMS optical elements, the steps comprising:
In a reduced pressure atmosphere proximate the MEMS optical device, moving at least one of the optical elements from a first position to a second position; and deflecting an optical signal with the at least one optical element when it is in the second position.
- 24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:
returning the MEMS optical element to the first position.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority from Provisional Application No. 60/250,237, filed Nov. 29, 2000, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60250237 |
Nov 2000 |
US |