3D structuring of multilayer suspended membranes including 2D photonic crystal structures

New types of switching devices with spatial and spectral resolution combining photonic crystal (PC) and micro-opto-electro-mechanical structures (MOEMS) are proposed. They are based on multilayer suspended high refractive index III-V-based semiconductor membranes, some of these membranes being laterally structured to form a bidimensional PC. We present a method for fabricating these devices implying an original approach that combines micro- and nanotechnologies. The PC is patterned by using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. The MOEMS structure is an InP-air gaps multilayer realized by a combination of classical processing of epitaxially grown layers with a selective postprocess micromachining of sacrificial epilayers. Primary demonstrator acting as a wavelength selective and 'switchable' coupler including a triangular lattice of PC holes on top of a InP-air gap pair-based Bragg reflector has been realized. We present the preliminary results on the technological fabrication and optical characterizations. (C) 2003 American Vacuum Society.