Microcantilever-integrated photonic circuits for broadband laser beam scanning
Saeed Sharif Azadeh, Jason C. C. Mak, Hong Chen, Xianshu Luo, Fu‐Der Chen, Hongyao Chua, Frank Ulrich Weiß, Christopher Alexiev, Andrei Stalmashonak, Youngho Jung, John N. Straguzzi, Guo‐Qiang Lo, Wesley D. Sacher, Joyce K. S. Poon
Abstract
Abstract Laser beam scanning is central to many applications, including displays, microscopy, three-dimensional mapping, and quantum information. Reducing the scanners to microchip form factors has spurred the development of very-large-scale photonic integrated circuits of optical phased arrays and focal plane switched arrays. An outstanding challenge remains to simultaneously achieve a compact footprint, broad wavelength operation, and low power consumption. Here, we introduce a laser beam scanner that meets these requirements. Using microcantilevers embedded with silicon nitride nanophotonic circuitry, we demonstrate broadband, one- and two-dimensional steering of light with wavelengths from 410 nm to 700 nm. The microcantilevers have ultracompact ~0.1 mm 2 areas, consume ~31 to 46 mW of power, are simple to control, and emit a single light beam. The microcantilevers are monolithically integrated in an active photonic platform on 200-mm silicon wafers. The microcantilever-integrated photonic circuits miniaturize and simplify light projectors to enable versatile, power-efficient, and broadband laser scanner microchips.