Mass Reduction Patterning of Silicon-on-Oxide–Based Micromirrors

Authors

Harris J. Hall, Air Force Research Lab
Andrew Green, Air Force Research Lab
Sarah Dooley, Air Force Research Lab
Jason D. Schmidt, Air Force Research Lab
Lavern A. Starman, Air Force Research LabFollow
Derrick Langley, Air Force Institute of Technology
Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Publication Date

12-20-2016

Publisher

Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Source Publication

Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS and MOEMS

Source ISSN

1932-5150

Abstract

It has long been recognized in the design of micromirror-based optical systems that balancing static flatness of the mirror surface through structural design with the system’s mechanical dynamic response is challenging. Although a variety of mass reduction approaches have been presented in the literature to address this performance trade, there has been little quantifiable comparison reported. In this work, different mass reduction approaches, some unique to the work, are quantifiably compared with solid plate thinning in both curvature and mass using commercial finite element simulation of a specific square silicon-on-insulator–based micromirror geometry. Other important considerations for micromirror surfaces, including surface profile and smoothness, are also discussed. Fabrication of one of these geometries, a two-dimensional tessellated square pattern, was performed in the presence of a 400 - μ m -tall central post structure using a simple single mask process. Limited experimental curvature measurements of fabricated samples are shown to correspond well with properly characterized simulation results and indicate ∼ 67 % improvement in radius of curvature in comparison to a solid plate design of equivalent mass.

Comments

Published version. Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, Vol. 15, No. 4 (2016). DOI. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

Ronald A. Coutu, Jr. was affiliated with the Air Force Institute of Technology at the time of publication.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Hall, Harris J.; Green, Andrew; Dooley, Sarah; Schmidt, Jason D.; Starman, Lavern A.; Langley, Derrick; and Coutu, Ronald A. Jr., "Mass Reduction Patterning of Silicon-on-Oxide–Based Micromirrors" (2016). Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications. 353.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/electric_fac/353