MEMS mirror arrays for use in optical spectrometric detection

Scott Samson; Sunny Kedia; Vandana Upadhyay; Rahul Agarwal

doi:10.1117/12.666123

18 May 2006 MEMS mirror arrays for use in optical spectrometric detection

Scott Samson, Sunny Kedia, Vandana Upadhyay, Rahul Agarwal

Proceedings Volume 6206, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXII; 62062N (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.666123
Event: Defense and Security Symposium, 2006, Orlando (Kissimmee), Florida, United States

Abstract

Optical spectrometers are used in a variety of chemical and biological analytical instruments. Typically these employ a single input slit, a spectrograph, and a CCD or photodiode array for sensing. Only a few wavelengths may be of interest to the operator in many applications, due to absorption or fluorescence occurring within these specific optical regions. In the case of fluorescence, the excitation light intensity can be orders of magnitude greater than the fluorescence signal. In lieu of a detector array, a setup where a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) fabricated mirror array directs only the wavelengths of interest to a few detectors can be advantageous over sequential-readout arrayed detector systems. The MEMS mirrors and detector combination allows the desired wavelengths to be simultaneously and rapidly measured, with specialized detectors or electronics dedicated to each band. Integration time and electronic filtering may be adjusted independently, yielding better sensitivity and dynamic range. This combination is especially relevant in the infrared region, where arrayed detectors can be noisy or expensive, and arrays of dedicated amplifiers and filters are not cost effective. This paper reports on the design, fabrication, testing and control of MEMS-fabricated one-dimensional micromirror arrays for use in visible or infrared spectrometer applications. The micromirrors are fabricated using a surface micromachining process. A multiplexing method is introduced in the design to enable positioning a large number of mirrors from a few electrical inputs, which is necessary for practical applications when integrated control circuitry cannot be created on-chip with the MEMS devices. This approach also enables separate optimization of the actuation and control sections, and significantly reduces the number of drive signals required.

Citation Download Citation

Scott Samson, Sunny Kedia, Vandana Upadhyay, and Rahul Agarwal "MEMS mirror arrays for use in optical spectrometric detection", Proc. SPIE 6206, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXII, 62062N (18 May 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.666123

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