A microelectromechanical device for diffracting optical beams comprises a diffractive element suspended over a channel. The diffractive element is configured to receive an optical beam and diffract and/or transmit the optical beam based on an orientation of the diffractive element. At least one torsional actuator is operatively connected to the diffractive element. The at least one torsional actuator is configured to selectively adjust the orientation of the diffractive element. The diffractive element has a diffractive element resonant frequency that is nearly the same as a resonant frequency of the optical beam.

A chip package includes a semiconductor substrate and a metal layer. The semiconductor substrate has an opening and a sidewall surrounding the opening, in which an upper portion of the sidewall is a concave surface. The semiconductor substrate is made of a material including silicon. The metal layer is located on the semiconductor substrate. The metal layer has plural through holes above the opening to define a MEMS (Microelectromechanical system) structure, in which the metal layer is made of a material including aluminum.

Disclosed herein are MEMS devices and systems and methods of manufacturing or operating the MEMS devices and systems for transmitting and detecting radiation. The devices and methods described herein are applicable to terahertz radiation. In some embodiments, the MEMS devices and systems are used in imaging applications. In some embodiments, a microelectromechanical system comprises a glass substrate configured to pass radiation from a first surface of the glass substrate through a second surface of the glass substrate, the glass substrate comprising TFT circuitry; a lid comprising a surface; spacers separating the lid and glass substrate; a cavity defined by the spacers, surface of the lid, and second surface of the glass substrate; a pixel in the cavity, positioned on the second surface of the glass substrate, electrically coupled to the TFT circuitry, and comprising an absorber to detect the radiation; and a reflector to direct the radiation to the absorbers and positioned on the lid.

A method for producing micromechanical components is provided. A liquid starting material which can be cured by means of irradiation is applied onto a substrate. A partial volume of the starting material is cured by means of a local irradiation process using a first radiation source in order to produce at least one three-dimensional structure. The three-dimensional structure delimits at least one closed cavity in which at least one part of the liquid starting material is enclosed. Alternatively or in addition, a micromechanical component is provided that contains a liquid starting material, which is partly cured by means of irradiation, and at least one cavity in which the liquid starting material is enclosed.

A MEMS device includes a semiconductor support body having a first cavity, a membrane including a peripheral portion, fixed to the support body, and a suspended portion. A first deformable structure is at a distance from a central part of the suspended portion of the membrane and a second deformable structure is laterally offset relative to the first deformable structure towards the peripheral portion of the membrane. A projecting region is fixed under the membrane. The second deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a first direction, and the first deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a second direction.

The invention relates to an infrared device comprising a resistive element suspended in a cavity formed in a main element, and capable of transmitting infrared radiation when it is fed with an electric current. In particular, the main element is at least partly covered on the outer surface thereof and/or the inner surface thereof with a reflective coating. The use of the reflective coating makes it possible to at least partly contain infrared radiation transmitted by the resistive element in the cavity.

An optical scanner including micro-electromechanical system phased-arrays suitable for use in a LiDAR system, and methods of operating the same are described. Generally, the scanner includes an optical transmitter having first phased-arrays to receive light from a light source, form a swath of illumination in a far field scene and to modulate phases of the light to sweep or steer the swath over the scene in two-dimensions (2D). An optical receiver in the scanner includes second phased-arrays to receive light from the far field scene and direct at least some of the light onto a detector. The second phased-arrays are configured to de-scan the received light by directing light reflected from the far field scene onto the detector while rejecting background light. In one embodiment the second phased-arrays direct light from a slice of the far field scene onto a 1D detector array.

A micro-electromechanical structure for modulating light beams includes multiple asymmetric deformable diffractive elements, each having an L-shaped cross section, split pedestal and flexible reflective member. The reflective member has an elongated shape, and a supported part and unsupported part. The split pedestal extends along the long dimension of the supported part of the reflective member and is anchored to a substrate which supports one or more electrodes or serves as an electrode. The diffractive element is movable between a non-energized position wherein the diffractive element acts to reflect a beam of light as a planar mirror, to an energized position wherein upon application of an electrostatic force, the diffractive element flexes independently about an axis parallel to the long dimension of each reflective member to vary a curvature of the reflective member to form a blazed grating.

A two-layer optical beam steering device, system, method of utilization and method of fabrication are disclosed. The solid-state device enables beam steering in two dimensions with dramatically fewer control lines than prior devices. This renders the device more technically realizable, easier to control, and more affordable to manufacture. Because less data need be transferred to the device, the device is also able to operate at faster speeds.

An optoelectronic module includes an optical filter and can have a relatively small overall height. The module includes a semiconductor die for the optical filter, where the die has a cavity in its underside. The cavity provides space to accommodate an optoelectronic device such as a light sensor or light emitter. Such an arrangement can reduce the overall height of the module, thereby facilitating its integration into a host device in which space is at a premium.