PRESS RELEASE:  MEMX Receives $100,000 STTR Phase I Award from NASA for Research Program in MEMS Optical Beam Steerers

December, 2002

ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)  has awarded MEMX, Inc. a $100,000 STTR Phase I research grant to develop an innovative approach to enhancing LIDAR and optical communication transmitter systems with MEMS beam steering components.  The research will be performed in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL).  The MEMS Optical Beam Steerers (MOBSTERs) will demonstrate a capability that is scalable to space or can be mounted on a relevant platform (UAV, long duration balloon, or aircraft) for calibration/validation of a spaceborne system.  These Optical Beam Steerers are highly miniaturized with an emphasis on low weight, small volume and low power.  The prototype system to be studied would consist of components that can be easily migrated to a space qualified design. 

To date, MEMS technology has not been used in these applications, and will allow by virtue of their size and mechanical integration significant miniaturization and weight reduction, as well as the potential for multiplicity and redundancy.  The MEMS technology, which is core to this technology enhancement and innovation, has been matured at MEMX by application to commercial telecommunications.  Issues related to micro-mirror flatness, high reflectivity, low insertion loss, dynamic behavior, and die-level packaging have been resolved.  These accomplishments now poise this technology for inclusion into LIDAR and free-space optical communication transmitter systems and components.

MEMX is a broad-based MEMS company pursuing a variety of high value commercial and government products.  MEMX was founded in October 2000 and possesses the world's most advanced MEMS capability. The MEMX technical team spent ten years at Sandia National Laboratories developing and perfecting the revolutionary SUMMiT V MEMS technology.  Our business focuses on design, fabrication, packaging, test and qualification of MEMS-based products, and we typically partner with others to integrate the chips into high value systems and products.  To find out more about this technology and the company behind it, please visit our website at www.memx.com or e-mail us at: info@memx.com.