Theoretical analysis is presented for a pitch-variable blazed grating which consists of freestanding silicon beams. The pitch-variable blazed grating is implemented by combining silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology with microelectronicmechanical system (MEMS) technology. The whole device is fabricated on a 10μm silicon device layer to guarantee sufficient stiffness. The 4-level blazed surface profile is realized by combining a two-mask process with fast atom beam etching. Electrostatic combdrive microactuators with double folded springs are proposed to stretch the freestanding grating beams. In association with reactive ion etching and vapor HF release, the freestanding grating beams and the microactuators are obtained, and a Cr/Au film is deposited onto the blazed grating surfaces by a protective mask process to improve the diffracted power. Mechanical response and diffraction efficiency of fabricated devices are characterized, and the experimental results indicate that the fabricated 4-level blazed gratings extend both the tuning range and the diffraction efficiency of the 1^st diffraction order of present MEMS diffraction gratings.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

1. H. Sagberg, M. Lacolle, I.-R. Johansen, O. Løvhaugen, R. Belikov, O. Solgaard, and A. Sudbø, "Micromechanical gratings for visible and near-infrared spectroscopy," IEEE J. Sel. Topics Quantum Electron. 10, 604 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. A.Q. Liu and X.M. Zhang, "A review of MEMS external-cavity tunable lasers," J. Micromech. Microeng. 17, R1 (2007). [CrossRef]
3. C. Antoine, X. Li, J. Wang, and O. Solgaard, "Reconfigurable Optical Wavelength Multiplexer Using a MEMS Tunable Blazed Grating," J. Lightwave Technol. 25, 3100 (2007). [CrossRef]
4. J. Hsieh, S. Hsiao, H. Yin, W. Chen, C. Weng, Y. Lin, W. Fang, and K. Shieh, "An in-plane dispersive system utilizing micro tunable vertical grating," 2005 IEEE/LEOS International Conference on Optical MEMS and Their Applications Conference, pp.97-98.
5. W. Shih, S. Kim, and G. Barbastathis, "High-resolution electrostatic analog tunable grating with a single-mask fabrication process," J. Microelectromech. Syst. 15, 763 (2006). [CrossRef]
6. A. Q. Liu, B. Zhao, F. Chollet, Q. Zou, A. Asundi, and H. Fujita, "Micro-opto-mechanical grating switches," Sens. Act. A 86, 127 (2000). [CrossRef]
7. D. Yan and A. Lal, "Design and characterization of slit variable microgratings," IEEE J. Sensors. 6, 458 (2006). [CrossRef]
8. X. M. Zhang, Q. W. Zhao, T. Zhong, A. B. Yu, E. H. Khoo, C. Lu, and A. Q. Liu, "Variable nano-grating for tunable filters," 2007 Solid-state sensors, actuators and Microsystems conference, pp. 2417-2420.
9. M. Tormen, Y.-A. Peter, Ph. Niedermann, A. Hoogerwerf, and R. Stanley, "Deformable MEMS grating for wide tunability and high operating speed," J. Opt. A: Pure and Appl. Opt. 8, 337 (2006). [CrossRef]
10. X. Li, C. Antoine, D. Lee, J.-S. Wang, and O. Solgaard, "Tunable blazed gratings," J. Microelectromech. Syst. 15, 597 (2006). [CrossRef]
11. Y.-S. Yang and C.-H. Liu, "Design and fabrication of pitch tunable blaze grating," Proceeding of SPIE Photonics West 2005, Volume 5717 MEMS/MOEMS Components and Their Applications II -13.
12. Y.-C. Tung and K. Kurabayashi, "Nanoimprinted strain-controlled elastomeric gratings for optical wavelength tuning," Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 161113 (2005). [CrossRef]
13. H. Tamada, "Blazed GxLPTM light modulators for laser projectors," J. Soc. Inf. Display 15, 817 (2007). [CrossRef]
14. M. W. Kowarz, J. C. Brazas, Jr., and J. G. Phalen, "Conformal grating electromechanical system (GEMS) for high-speeddigital light modulation," 2002 The Fifteenth IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, pp.568-573.
15. S. K Yun, "Spatial optical modulator (SOM): Samsung's light modulator for next-generation laser displays," J. Soc. Inf. Display 15, 321 (2007). [CrossRef]
16. T. Shiono, T. Hamamoto, and K. Takahara, "High-efficiency blazed diffractive optical elements for the violet wavelength fabricated by electron beam lithography," Appl. Opt. 41, 2390 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. M. Okano, H. Kikuta, Y. Hirai, K. Yamamoto, and T. Yotsuya, "Optimization of diffraction grating profiles in fabrication by electron beam lithography," Appl.Opt. 43, 5137 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. T. W. Ang, G. T. Reed, and A. Vonsovici, "Highly efficient unibond silicon-on-insulator blazed grating couplers," Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 4214 (2000). [CrossRef]
19. C. Lee, K. Hane, and S. Lee, "The optimization of sawtooth gratings using RCWA and its fabrication on a slanted silicon substrate by fast atom beam etching," J. Micromech. Microeng. 18, 45014 (2008). [CrossRef]
20. M. Ahn, R. K. Heilmann, and M. L. Schattenburg, "Fabrication of ultrhigh aspect ratio freestanding gratings on silicon-on-insulator wafers," J.Vac.Sci.Technology. B 25, 2593 (2007). [CrossRef]
21. C.-h. Chang, R. K. Heilmann, R. C. Fleming, J. Carter, E. Murphy, T. C. Bailey, J. G. Ekerdt, R. D. Frankel, and R. Voisin, "Fabrication of sawtooth diffraction gratings using nanoimprint lithography," J.Vac.Sci.Technol.B 21, 2755 (2003). [CrossRef]
22. Y. Wang, Y. Kanamori, T. Sasaki, and K. Hane, "Design and fabrication of freestanding pitch-variable blazed gratings on silicon-on-insulator wafer," accepted by J. Micromech. Microeng.
23. S. Sinzinger and J. Jahns, Microoptics (Wiley-VCH 1999).
24. Z. Jaroszewicz, A. Kolodziejczyk, A. Kowalik, and R. Restrepo, "Determination of phase-step errors of kinoform gratings from their diffraction efficiences," Opt. Eng. 40, 692 (2001). [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• T. Shiono, T. Hamamoto, and K. Takahara, "High-efficiency blazed diffractive optical elements for the violet wavelength fabricated by electron beam lithography," Appl. Opt. 41, 2390 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• Y.-C. Tung and K. Kurabayashi, "Nanoimprinted strain-controlled elastomeric gratings for optical wavelength tuning," Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 161113 (2005). [CrossRef]
• T. W. Ang, G. T. Reed, and A. Vonsovici, "Highly efficient unibond silicon-on-insulator blazed grating couplers," Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 4214 (2000). [CrossRef]

Appl.Opt.

• M. Okano, H. Kikuta, Y. Hirai, K. Yamamoto, and T. Yotsuya, "Optimization of diffraction grating profiles in fabrication by electron beam lithography," Appl.Opt. 43, 5137 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

IEEE J. Sel. Topics Quantum Electron.

• H. Sagberg, M. Lacolle, I.-R. Johansen, O. Løvhaugen, R. Belikov, O. Solgaard, and A. Sudbø, "Micromechanical gratings for visible and near-infrared spectroscopy," IEEE J. Sel. Topics Quantum Electron. 10, 604 (2004). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sensors.

• D. Yan and A. Lal, "Design and characterization of slit variable microgratings," IEEE J. Sensors. 6, 458 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• C. Antoine, X. Li, J. Wang, and O. Solgaard, "Reconfigurable Optical Wavelength Multiplexer Using a MEMS Tunable Blazed Grating," J. Lightwave Technol. 25, 3100 (2007). [CrossRef]

J. Microelectromech. Syst.

• W. Shih, S. Kim, and G. Barbastathis, "High-resolution electrostatic analog tunable grating with a single-mask fabrication process," J. Microelectromech. Syst. 15, 763 (2006). [CrossRef]
• X. Li, C. Antoine, D. Lee, J.-S. Wang, and O. Solgaard, "Tunable blazed gratings," J. Microelectromech. Syst. 15, 597 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Micromech. Microeng.

• A.Q. Liu and X.M. Zhang, "A review of MEMS external-cavity tunable lasers," J. Micromech. Microeng. 17, R1 (2007). [CrossRef]
• C. Lee, K. Hane, and S. Lee, "The optimization of sawtooth gratings using RCWA and its fabrication on a slanted silicon substrate by fast atom beam etching," J. Micromech. Microeng. 18, 45014 (2008). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. A: Pure and Appl. Opt.

• M. Tormen, Y.-A. Peter, Ph. Niedermann, A. Hoogerwerf, and R. Stanley, "Deformable MEMS grating for wide tunability and high operating speed," J. Opt. A: Pure and Appl. Opt. 8, 337 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Soc. Inf. Display

• S. K Yun, "Spatial optical modulator (SOM): Samsung's light modulator for next-generation laser displays," J. Soc. Inf. Display 15, 321 (2007). [CrossRef]
• H. Tamada, "Blazed GxLPTM light modulators for laser projectors," J. Soc. Inf. Display 15, 817 (2007). [CrossRef]

J.Vac.Sci.Technol.B

• C.-h. Chang, R. K. Heilmann, R. C. Fleming, J. Carter, E. Murphy, T. C. Bailey, J. G. Ekerdt, R. D. Frankel, and R. Voisin, "Fabrication of sawtooth diffraction gratings using nanoimprint lithography," J.Vac.Sci.Technol.B 21, 2755 (2003). [CrossRef]

J.Vac.Sci.Technology. B

• M. Ahn, R. K. Heilmann, and M. L. Schattenburg, "Fabrication of ultrhigh aspect ratio freestanding gratings on silicon-on-insulator wafers," J.Vac.Sci.Technology. B 25, 2593 (2007). [CrossRef]

Opt. Eng.

• Z. Jaroszewicz, A. Kolodziejczyk, A. Kowalik, and R. Restrepo, "Determination of phase-step errors of kinoform gratings from their diffraction efficiences," Opt. Eng. 40, 692 (2001). [CrossRef]

Sens. Act. A

• A. Q. Liu, B. Zhao, F. Chollet, Q. Zou, A. Asundi, and H. Fujita, "Micro-opto-mechanical grating switches," Sens. Act. A 86, 127 (2000). [CrossRef]

Other

• X. M. Zhang, Q. W. Zhao, T. Zhong, A. B. Yu, E. H. Khoo, C. Lu, and A. Q. Liu, "Variable nano-grating for tunable filters," 2007 Solid-state sensors, actuators and Microsystems conference, pp. 2417-2420.
• J. Hsieh, S. Hsiao, H. Yin, W. Chen, C. Weng, Y. Lin, W. Fang, and K. Shieh, "An in-plane dispersive system utilizing micro tunable vertical grating," 2005 IEEE/LEOS International Conference on Optical MEMS and Their Applications Conference, pp.97-98.
• M. W. Kowarz, J. C. Brazas, Jr., and J. G. Phalen, "Conformal grating electromechanical system (GEMS) for high-speeddigital light modulation," 2002 The Fifteenth IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, pp.568-573.
• Y.-S. Yang and C.-H. Liu, "Design and fabrication of pitch tunable blaze grating," Proceeding of SPIE Photonics West 2005, Volume 5717 MEMS/MOEMS Components and Their Applications II -13.
• Y. Wang, Y. Kanamori, T. Sasaki, and K. Hane, "Design and fabrication of freestanding pitch-variable blazed gratings on silicon-on-insulator wafer," accepted by J. Micromech. Microeng.
• S. Sinzinger and J. Jahns, Microoptics (Wiley-VCH 1999).

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