Patent ID: 6643052
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising a micro-mechanical modulator for modulating an optical signal having a wavelength &lgr;, said micro-mechanical modulator comprising:a substrate having refractive index ns; a multi-layer mirror disposed on said substrate; a membrane that is separated from said multi-layer mirror by a gap and that is movable toward said multi-layer mirror, said membrane having a refractive index nm and a thickness tm, wherein nm is not equal to ns; wherein said multi-layer mirror comprises: an anti-reflection layer that is disposed on said substrate, said anti-reflection layer having a refractive index that is about equal to the square root of said substrate refractive index n, and a thickness that is about equal to an odd integer multiple of one-quarter of said wavelength &lgr;; and a coating layer that is disposed on said anti-reflection layer, said coating layer having a refractive index nc and a thickness tc, wherein a sum of said membrane thickness tm and said coating layer thickness tc is about equal to an integer multiple of one-half of said wavelength &lgr;.