Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Optical MEMS Basics and Applications

In course

MICRO-534: Advanced MEMS & microsystems

In depth analysis of the operation principles and technology of advanced micro- and nanosystems. Familiarisation to their implementation into products and their applications. ...

Description

This lecture covers the basics of Optical MEMS, including actuation mechanisms like electrostatic and magnetic actuators, and explores their applications in consumer electronics, telecommunications, and fiberoptic communication systems. It also delves into the market overview of MEMS devices and the key metrics in fiber-optic telecom devices. Additionally, it discusses MEMS tunable lasers, semiconductor lasers, fiber types, and SOI surface micromachining, providing insights into the technology and design considerations in the field of Optical MEMS.

This video is available exclusively on Mediaspace for a restricted audience. Please log in to MediaSpace to access it if you have the necessary permissions.

Watch on Mediaspace

Instructors (2)

Danick Briand

Niels Quack

Prof. Dr. Niels Quack received the M.Sc. degree from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2005, and the Dr.Sc. degree from Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland, in 2010. From 2011 to 2015, he was Postdoctoral Researcher and Visiting Scholar with the Integrated Photonics Laboratory, Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. From 2014 to 2015, he was Senior MEMS Engineer with Sercalo Microtechnology, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He is currently an SNSF Assistant Professor with Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. He has authored and co-authored more than 50 papers in leading technical journals and conferences. His research interests include photonic micro and nanosystems, with an emphasis on diamond photonics and silicon photonic MEMS. He is Steering Committee Member of the IEEE International Conference on Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics (OMN) and served as General Chair of the IEEE OMN 2018 and the Latsis Symposium 2019 on Diamond Photonics. He is a Senior Member of IEEE, Member of The Optical Society (OSA) and life member of SPIE.

Official source

Related concepts (23)

Fiber-optic communication

Fiber-optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending pulses of infrared or visible light through an optical fiber. The light is a form of carrier wave that is modulated to carry information. Fiber is preferred over electrical cabling when high bandwidth, long distance, or immunity to electromagnetic interference is required. This type of communication can transmit voice, video, and telemetry through local area networks or across long distances.

Optical amplifier

An optical amplifier is a device that amplifies an optical signal directly, without the need to first convert it to an electrical signal. An optical amplifier may be thought of as a laser without an optical cavity, or one in which feedback from the cavity is suppressed. Optical amplifiers are important in optical communication and laser physics. They are used as optical repeaters in the long distance fiberoptic cables which carry much of the world's telecommunication links.

Optical fiber

An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber and find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data transfer rates) than electrical cables.

Fiber-optic cable

A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable is used. Different types of cable are used for optical communication in different applications, for example long-distance telecommunication or providing a high-speed data connection between different parts of a building.

Tunable laser

A tunable laser is a laser whose wavelength of operation can be altered in a controlled manner. While all laser gain media allow small shifts in output wavelength, only a few types of lasers allow continuous tuning over a significant wavelength range. There are many types and categories of tunable lasers. They exist in the gas, liquid, and solid state. Among the types of tunable lasers are excimer lasers, gas lasers (such as CO2 and He-Ne lasers), dye lasers (liquid and solid state), transition metal solid-state lasers, semiconductor crystal and diode lasers, and free electron lasers.

Related lectures (32)

Semi-conductor laser and beam quality

Explores semi-conductor lasers, beam quality, direct vs. indirect bandgap, and M2 parameter significance.

Laser Systems: Rate Equations

Explores rate equations in laser systems, semiconductor lasers, beam quality, and applications.

Optical Fiber Waveguides

Explores optical fiber waveguides, covering modes of propagation, single-mode, multimode fibers, manufacturing, and applications in data transmission.

Laser Systems: Theory and Applications

Covers the basic principles of laser operation, types of laser systems, noise characteristics, optical fibers, ultrafast lasers, and modern applications.

Laser Systems: Theory and Modern Applications