SBIR-STTR Award

Currently the development of ladar seekers is often limited by beam directing mechanisms, which are usually operated by costly, bulky and power hungry voice-coil or electro-mechanical actuators. Umachines proposes to demonstrate the innovative architecture of compact scanning mirrors with sub-millisecond response time based on MEMS technology. This architecture is the next logical evolution of our individual mirror technology and makes use of micromirror arrays to achieve large scanning angles and high-speed response independent of optical aperture sizes. Additionally, we are going to develop a new packaging scheme which could address large arrays of mirror pixels. In the Phase I effort, we propose the following techniques to replace the current mechanical raster scan in the laser ladar systems:

Keywords:
Micro-Mechanical, Mems, Micromirror Arrays , Beam Steering, Moems, Wafer Bonding

In the Phase I effort, Umachines, Inc. has successfully proved the feasibility of fabricating optically flat micromirrors made of single crystalline silicon (SCS) with the hidden spring underneath the mirror surface to avoid any undesirable diffraction effects. Each mirror pixel is covered with the gold coating to improve the reflectivity of near infra red light and surface roughness of each mirror pixel is on the order of 20 nm. The fill factor of the micromirror arrays is 97%. Based on the results from the Phase I program, we are proposing to optimize the current fabrication processes and improve the yield rate of micromirror arrays. This will enable us to make larger mirror arrays with reasonable aperture sizes to handle laser beams used in munitions. Additionally, electronic driving circuits and control mechanism will be developed as well to complete a beam steering system. A physical working prototype is scheduled to be demonstrated at the end of the project.

Keywords:
Mems, Micromirror Arrays, Single Crystalline Silicon, High Fill Factor, Electrostatic, Hidden Springs, Fast Response, Micromachining