Abstract-The intensive investment in optical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) in the last decade has led to many successful components that satisfy the requirements of lightwave communication networks. In this paper, we review the current state of the art of MEMS devices and subsystems for lightwave communication applications. Depending on the design, these components can either be broadband (wavelength independent) or wavelength selective. Broadband devices include optical switches, crossconnects, optical attenuators, and data modulators, while wavelength-selective components encompass wavelength add/drop multiplexers, wavelength-selective switches and crossconnects, spectral equalizers, dispersion compensators, spectrometers, and tunable lasers. Integration of MEMS and planar lightwave circuits, microresonators, and photonic crystals could lead to further reduction in size and cost.

We present a new approach to solar concentration where sunlight collected by each lens in a two-dimensional lens array is coupled into a shared, planar waveguide using localized features placed at each lens focus. This geometry yields a thin, flat profile for moderate concentration systems which may be fabricated by low-cost roll manufacture. We provide analyses of tradeoffs and show optimized designs can achieve 90% and 82% optical efficiency at 73x and 300x concentration, respectively. Finally, we present preliminary experimental results of a concentrator using self-aligned reflective coupling features fabricated by exposing molded SU-8 features through the lens array.

This paper describes a single-mode optical fiber switch which routes individual signals into and out of a wavelength multiplexed data stream without interrupting the remaining channels. The switch uses free-space optical wavelength multiplexing and a column of micromechanical tilt-mirrors to switch 16 channels at 200 GHz spacing from 1531 to 1556 nm. The electrostatically actuated tilt mirrors use an 80 V peak-topeak 300 KHz sinusoidal drive signal to switch between ±10 with a 20 s response. The total fiber-to-fiber insertion loss for the packaged switch is 5 dB for the passed signals and 8 dB for added and dropped signals, with 0.2 dB polarization dependence. Switching contrast was 30 dB or more for all 16 channels and all input and output states. We demonstrate operation by switching 622 Mb/s data on eight wavelength channels between the two input and output ports with negligible eye closure.

A life-sized optomechanical eye model with the flexibility to be patient-specific was designed and constructed. The model had the resolution of a healthy human eye and recreated normal refractive errors. This model may be useful in the evaluation of IOLs for cataract surgery.

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Monocentric lenses have recently changed from primarily a historic curiosity to a potential solution for panoramic high-resolution imagers, where the spherical image surface is directly detected by curved image sensors or optically transferred onto multiple conventional flat focal planes. We compare imaging and waveguide-based transfer of the spherical image surface formed by the monocentric lens onto planar image sensors, showing that both approaches can make the system input aperture and resolution substantially independent of the input angle. We present aberration analysis that demonstrates that wide-field monocentric lenses can be focused by purely axial translation and describe a systematic design process to identify the best designs for two-glass symmetric monocentric lenses. Finally, we use this approach to design an F/1.7, 12 mm focal length imager with an up to 160° field of view and show that it compares favorably in size and performance to conventional wide-angle imagers.

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