SPATIAL SPLITTING-BASED OPTICAL MEMS INTERFEROMETERS

A spatial splitting-based optical Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Interferometer includes a spatial splitter for spatially splitting an input beam into two interferometer beams and a spatial combiner for spatially combining the two interferometer beams. A MEMS moveable mirror is provided to produce an optical path difference between the first interferometer beam and the second interferometer beam.

The present invention relates optical MEMS interferometers. MEMS interferometers are key elements in many sensor applications, such as optical spectrometers. MEMS interferometers have recently been developed using technologies such as surface micromachining, LIGA and Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) on Silicon on Insulator (SOI) wafers.