Bulk and heterostructure semiconductor lasers pumped by dc ;amE·;amB fields are being studied as continuously tunable coherent sources over a 3-to-1 frequency range for the millimeter-submillimeter spectral region. Molecular lasers are being used to do solid-state spectroscopy of semiconductor energy levels in ;amE·;amB=0 fields to aid in laser line assignments and evaluate gain mechanisms.

Applications for micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) that are being developed include low-cost microoptical mechanical switches for telecommunications, mechanical devices for microsurgery, and masks for biological molecule deposition. This project is aimed at high-force and displacement devices, as well as using dissimilar materials and creating 3-D utility from planar elements. One approach is to combine wafer-scale and laser-material processing to join elements that cannot be fabricated in the same process as silicon. Research in silicon and laser-material processing is currently being developed to solve the fundamental issues of MEMS.

This research explores a mixed technology for the realization of low-cost, high-performance, planar optical wave guide switches. By combining the outstanding optical properties of silica waveguides on silicon and advanced silicon-processing technologies used for microelectrical-mechanical systems (MEMS), a novel micro-opto-mechanical switch (MOMS) is developed as an alternate device for planar switching fabrics. The research entails silicon fabrication, optical waveguide properties, mechanical design issues such as critical fracture strength of silicon and silica, and integrated actuators and position sensors.