ABSTRACT
Recent research on the use of free-space optics for computing and switching applications (Midwinter, 1993; Jahns and Lee, 1994) has led to, amongst other things, the insight that new packaging techniques are required that allow the building of compact, stable and relatively inexpensive systems with high alignment precision. A typical requirement often encountered in photonic applications is an alignment precision of a few micrometres or even less. Furthermore, mechanical and thermal stability has to be guaranteed. Experience has shown that conventional optomechanics is not able to satisfy these requirements simultaneously. Although laboratory systems have been demonstrated for the use of free-space optics for interconnection applications, such systems are usually bulky and expensive. The cost is due to a large extent to the amount of human manpower required in the assembly of a complex system.
