MEMS fast steering mirror with a large optical aperture and high surface quality for free-space optical communication

This work presents a MEMS fast steering mirror fabricated by an 8-inch AlScN platform, with a large optical aperture of up to 10 mm and high surface quality (RMS < 20 nm, PV < 120 nm), intended for free-space optical communication. The device comprises a high reflective mirror plate, a pillar and four cantilever beams with AlScN thin films. This device is prepared by a wafer-level eutectic bonding process. A reinforcement structure is proposed to increase the resonant frequency and the resistance to deformation. The mechanical performance, including resonant frequency, step response, linearity, and long-term stability are characterized. The maximum tilting angle is 1.38 mrad at 68 V, the settling time is improved from 400 ms in the open-loop control mode to 0.5 ms with the double step algorithm. The relationship of the resonant frequency, surface figure, and the depth of reinforced ribs is studied through characterizing devices with different depths of reinforced ribs. The bonding quality and the mutual melting states of bonding layers interface are investigated. (c) 2024 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement