In this project a prototype of a flexible optical multipath communication system will be developed with specific focus on relevant applications like distributed computing or spatially separated sensing systems. MEMS micromirrors are central to achieving this goal. They are micro-chips containing tiny gold-coated mirrors (e.g. diameters < 3mm) that can arbitrarily and quasi-statically change their tilt angle upon voltage application. They are made using advanced microfabrication and piezoelectric materials at SINTEF MiNaLab, and are capable of rapid (kHz) motions motions at ultra-low power (< 100 nW) and low voltages (< 50 V). SINTEF has recently developed a novel and unique micromirror technology with additional advantages towards optical communication: In addition to scanning a beam, our micromirrors can focus or defocus the beam by making the mirror adaptively “bowl” inwards or outwards, respectively, upon voltage applicaiton. They can also move up and down in a piston motion of 70µm. The project will explore the use of these unique features towards solving the required capabilities of pointing, acquisition and tracking in a self-reconfigurable optical network.
SINTEF MiNaLab develops miniature components for a wide range of industries. A number of startup companies have emerged from our activities over the last decades, including Sonair, sensiBel, Tunable and InVivo Bionics. We have our own venture fund, SINTEF Venture VI, who helps us fund these new startups. A master thesis at SINTEF is a great way to get acquainted with cutting edge technologies and potentially join a startup.
Qualifications:
- Self-driven and capable of attaining new knowledge to overcome ambiguous tasks.
- Excellent programming skills.
- Knowledge of building control systems.
- Familiarity with embedded sensor systems or optics is advantageous, but not necessary.
Literature:
- Reliable Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-based thin film piezoelectric micromirrors for space-applications, Appl. Phys. Lett. 121, 132901 (2022)
- MEMS-tunable dielectric metasurface lens using thin-film PZT for large displacements at low voltages, Optics Letters Vol. 47, Issue 5, pp. 1049-1052 (2022)
- A novel ultra-planar, long-stroke and low-voltage piezoelectric micromirror, J. Micromech. Microeng. 20(6), 064010 (2010)
- Actuator having two piezoelectric elements on a membrane US Patent US9329360B2
Our unique micromirrors have been used in many applications of advanced light control:
- Meng, Chao, et al. "Dynamic piezoelectric MEMS-based optical metasurfaces." Science Advances 7.26 (2021): eabg5639.
- Meng, Chao, et al. "Full-range birefringence control with piezoelectric MEMS-based metasurfaces." Nature communications 13.1 (2022): 2071.
- Ding, Fei, et al. "Electrically tunable topological phase transition in non-Hermitian optical MEMS metasurfaces." Science Advances 10.5 (2024): eadl4661.
- Thrane, Paul CV, et al. "MEMS tunable metasurfaces based on gap plasmon or Fabry–Pérot resonances." Nano letters 22.17 (2022): 6951-6957.
- Dirdal, Christopher A., et al. "MEMS-tunable dielectric metasurface lens using thin-film PZT for large displacements at low voltages." Optics Letters 47.5 (2022): 1049-1052.
- Dullo, Firehun, et al. "Metasurface lens that is converging or diverging depending on transmission direction enables ultra-compact MEMS tunable reflective lens." arXiv preprint arXiv:2402.02755 (2024).