Abstract
Precise control of micromirror curvature is critical in many optical microsystems. Micromirrors with current-controlled curvature are demonstrated. The working principle is that resistive heating changes the temperature of the micromirrors and thermal expansion induces a controlled curvature whose magnitude is determined by coating design. For example, for wide focal-length tuning, the radius of curvature of a gold-coated mirror was tuned from 2.5 to 8.2 mm over a current-induced temperature range from 22° to 72 °C. For fine focal-length tuning, the radius of curvature of a dielectric-coated mirror was tuned from to over a current-induced temperature range from 22 to 84 °C. These results should be readily extendable to mirror flattening or real-time adaptive shape control.
© 2003 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
Wei Liu and Joseph J. Talghader
Appl. Opt. 41(16) 3285-3293 (2002)
Ariel Bruner, David Eger, Moshe B. Oron, Pinhas Blau, Moti Katz, and Shlomo Ruschin
Opt. Lett. 28(3) 194-196 (2003)
K. L. Vodopyanov and P. G. Schunemann
Opt. Lett. 28(6) 441-443 (2003)