9419112 Lau A revolutionary, yet practical, approach to optoelectronic packaging which abandons traditional methods based upon permanent, precise placement of optical components inside the module will be investigated. In the new approach, microactuators are included inside the adaptively-packaged module to provide for continuous optimization of the alignment of optical components. The control signals fed back to the microactuators are derived from monitoring one or more key performance parameters of the system. In addition to the obvious benefit of this design, this new approach actually reduces the manufacturing cost because it replaces the active monitoring/alignment procedure now performed on each module individually on the manufacturing floor (often manually), by batch-manufacturing procedures. The precise alignment needed for high-performance modules will be accomplished automatically in the field under electronic servo control. The work represents a joint effort between the optoelectronics group and the sensors and actuators group at the University of California at Berkeley. The goals of this projects are: (1) development of silicon surface-micromachined technology for fabrication of alignment structures which possess the motion range, accuracy, and optical properties needed for adaptive optoelectronic packaging; (2) rigorous testing of these structures in regard to their optical properties, mechanical integrity, and environmental robustness; (3) demonstration of a simple optoelectronic module, specifically a pigtailed laser module, as a tool investigate issues related to adaptive packaging; (4) demonstration of high-performance, high-functionality optical subsystem, namely, a continuously-tunable narrow -linewidth external-cavity diode-laser, for investigation of the ultimate potential and limits of adaptive optoelectronic packaging. Successful development of this technology will lead to a great reduction in production costs of sophisticated and high-functionality optoelect ronic components and subsystems, presently available only as high cost, and sometimes laboratory-bound, bench-top instruments. This development is essential in order for optical and optoelectronic systems to make wide and lasting impact on the communication and computing infrastructures. ***
