Innovative MOEMS architectures for optical switching

Academic collaboration, a key part of how we innovate in MOEMS switching technology. 

In a world where data centers and network edge computing will require considerable amount of switching for dynamic resource allocation, optical switching will gradually settle in as a power-effective and low-latency alternative to electrical switching. Parallel to that, hybrid integration schemes and rising technologies such as LIDAR or optical FPGAs are fueling the quest for low-cost and rapid mechano-optical actuation. In all these cases MOEMS can bring effective solutions for optical signal manipulation.

In this presentation, we showcase the work of three graduate students working on optical switching and out of plane optical aligners in the context of an academic-industrial partnership between AEPONYX and the Microtechnology and Microsystems group (Micro²) group from École de Technologie Supérieure in Montréal. This collaboration is centered around the proprietary SiN integrated photonics and MOEMS fabrication process AEPONYX has developed in the 200 mm MEMS fab from the Collaborative Center for MiQro Innovation (C2Mi) in Bromont. We show the working details and performance of five different MOEMS devices and, mostly, how the student’s work influences the way AEPONYX designs MOEMS switches and optical actuators.