Method of manufacturing spatial light modulator and electronic device employing it

• US 20010055146A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroshi Koeda, Mitsuro Atobe, Shinichi Yotsuya
• Original Assignee: Hiroshi Koeda, Mitsuro Atobe, Shinichi Yotsuya
• Inventors: Yotsuya, Shinichi, Koeda, Hiroshi, Atobe, Mitsuro
• Granted Patent: US 6,452,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A spatial light modulator is constructed from a conductive silicon mirror substrate and a glass electrode substrate including sodium, anode-bonded together. The silicon mirror substrate has micromirrors arranged in a matrix, torsion bars coupling these micromirrors in the x-direction, and a frame coupled to both ends of the torsion bars. A glass electrode substrate has a central depression, a rim around the periphery thereof, pillars projecting from within the depression, and electrodes and wiring driving micromirrors formed within the depression in an inclining manner. Both ends of the torsion bars are bonded to the rim of the frame portion, and intermediate portions of the torsion bars are bonded to the pillars. Both ends of the torsion bars are cut away from the frame portion during dicing.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a conductive silicon mirror substrate having;

a plurality of micromirrors arranged in one of a line and matrix;

at least one torsion bar coupling said micromirrors in one direction;

and reflective layers formed at least on one surface of said micromirrors;

(b) forming an electrode substrate having;

a depression in a central region;

a rim around the periphery thereof;

sets of electrodes having conducting layers disposed within said depression in positions corresponding to said micromirrors, and driving said micromirrors in an inclining manner by means of a coulomb force; and

pillars projecting from said depression in positions corresponding to an interval between two of said micromirrors adjacent in said one direction; and

(c) positioning at least intermediate portions of said at least one torsion bar on said silicon mirror substrate opposite to said pillars of said electrode substrate, and bonding said silicon mirror substrate to said electrode substrate.

2. The method according to

claim 1

, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of:

doping a silicon substrate with impurities to form a doped layer;

patterning a first mask for forming a window on one surface of said silicon substrate and a second mask for forming said plurality of micromirrors and said at least one torsion bar on the other surface of said silicon substrate;

etching said silicon substrate until said doped layer is exposed using said first mask;

a step of etching said doped layer using said second mask;

removing said first and second masks and forming said plurality of micromirrors and said at least one torsion bar from said doped layer; and

forming said reflective layers on one surface of said micromirrors of said doped layer.

3. The method according to

claim 1

, wherein said step (a) includes a step of forming a frame portion coupled with both ends of said at least one torsion bar and surrounds a region in which said micromirrors are disposed on said silicon mirror substrate;

said step (c) includes a step of bonding said frame portion and both ends of said torsion bar with said rim of said electrode substrate; and

after said step (c) a step is provided to cut away both ends of said at least one torsion bar from said frame portion of said silicon mirror substrate.

4. The method according to

claim 3

, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of:

doping a silicon substrate with impurities to form a doped layer;

patterning a first mask for forming a window on one surface of said silicon substrate and a second mask for forming said plurality of micromirrors, said at least one torsion bar, and said frame portion on the other surface of said silicon substrate;

etching said silicon substrate until said doped layer is exposed using said first mask;

etching said doped layer using said second mask;

removing said first and second masks, and forming said micromirrors, said at least one torsion bar, and said frame portion from said doped layer; and

forming said reflective layers on one surface of said micromirrors of said doped layer.

5. The method according to

claim 4

, wherein the impurity concentration of said doped layer is at least 1×

10¹⁸ atm/cm³; and

said doped layer functions as an etching stop layer when said silicon substrate is etched.

6. The method according to

claim 1

, wherein said electrode substrate is formed from a glass electrode substrate including an alkali metal;

and

said step of bonding uses an anode bonding method.

7. The method according to

claim 6

, wherein said glass electrode substrate is formed by the steps of:

masking positions corresponding to said rim and said pillars and etching a glass substrate including an alkalimetal to form said depression of a predetermined depth; and

forming said sets of electrodes on the base of said depression.

8. The method according to

claim 1

, further comprises a step of bonding a transparent cover plate on said silicon mirror substrate so as to cover said silicon mirror substrate and in a position non-interference with said micromirrors driven in an inclining manner.

9. A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator having a plurality of micromirrors arranged in one of a line and matrix comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an electrode substrate having;

a depression in a central region;

a rim around the periphery thereof;

a sets of electrodes having conducting layers disposed within said depression in positions corresponding to said micromirrors, and driving said micromirrors in an inclining manner by means of a coulomb force; and

pillars projecting from said depression in positions corresponding to an interval between two of said micromirrors adjacent in said one direction;

(b) bonding a silicon substrate having a doped layer doped with impurities on one surface thereof to said electrode substrate so that at least said pillars of said electrode substrate are opposite to said doped layer;

(c) etching and removing said silicon substrate so that leaving said doped layer is left;

(d) forming a reflective layer on a surface of said doped layer; and

(e) etching said doped layer and said reflective layer to form a silicon mirror substrate from said doped layer and reflective layer, said etching step having the steps of;

forming said plurality of micromirrors in positions opposite said sets of electrodes, and

forming at least one torsion bar coupled with said micromirrors in said one direction, said at least one torsion bar being bonded to said pillars at positions between two of said micromirrors adjacent in said one direction and to one of said rim and pillers at both ends.

10. The method according to

claim 9

, wherein said step (e) includes a step of forming a frame portion on said silicon mirror substrate said frame portion coupling with both ends of said at least one torsion bar, and being bonded to said rim of said electrode substrate in a position surrounding a region in which said micromirrors are disposed;

and

after said step (e) a step is provided to cut away both ends of said at least one torsion bar from said frame portion of said silicon mirror substrate.

11. The method according to

claim 9

, wherein the impurity concentration of said doped layer is at least 1×

10¹⁸ atm/cm³; and

said doped layer functions as an etching stop layer when said silicon substrate is etching.

12. The method according to

claim 9

, wherein said electrode substrate is formed of a glass electrode substrate having optical transparency;

and

the position of the pattern of said sets of electrodes is observed from the side of said glass electrode substrate, and the mask pattern is aligned for the etching of step (e) using the pattern position as a reference.

13. The method according to

claim 9

, wherein said electrode substrate is formed from a glass electrode substrate including an alkali metal;

and

said step of bonding uses an anode bonding method.

14. The method according to

claim 13

, wherein said glass electrode substrate is formed by the steps of:

masking positions corresponding to said rim and said pillars and etching a glass substrate to form said depression of a predetermined depth; and

forming said sets of electrodes on the base of said depression.

15. The method according to

claim 12

, wherein said sets of electrodes are formed as sets of transparent electrodes, said method further comprising a step of inspecting the presence of foreign objects between said glass electrode substrate and said silicon mirror substrate from the side of said glass electrode substrate.

16. The method according to

claim 9

, further comprising a step of forming an insulating film on a surface where said micromirrors is opposite said sets of electrodes.

17. The method according to

claim 16

, wherein a surface of said sets of electrodes where said electrodes are opposite said insulating film formed on said micromirrors is formed to be rough.

18. The method according to

claim 16

, further comprising a step of forming an insulating projection on said insulating film and at a position displaced from said at least one torsion bar.

19. The method according to

claim 16

, further comprising a step of forming an insulating stopper projecting from the base of said depression of said electrode substrate to a height less than the height of said rim and said pillars, said insulating stopper abutting said micromirrors when driven in an inclining manner to determine the deflection angle.

20. The method according to

claim 9

, further comprising a step of bonding a transparent cover plate on said silicon mirror substrate so as to cover said silicon mirror substrate and in a position non-interference with said micromirrors driven in an inclining manner.

21. A spatial light modulator having a conductive silicon mirror substrate doped with impurities and an electrode substrate are bonded integrally wherein said silicon mirror substrate, comprises:

a plurality of micromirrors arranged in one of a line and matrix and having reflective layers formed on one surface; and

a torsion bar coupling said micromirrors in one direction;

at least one said electrode substrate comprises;

a depression in a central region thereof;

a rim around the periphery thereof;

sets of electrodes formed within said depression in positions corresponding to said micromirrors and driving said micromirrors in an inclining manner by means of a coulomb force; and

pillars projecting from said depression in positions corresponding to an interval between two of said micromirrors adjacent in said one direction; and

wherein

at least intermediate portions of said at least one torsion bar on said silicon mirror substrate are opposite said pillars of said electrode substrate, and said silicon mirror substrate and said electrode substrate are bonded.

22. The spatial light modulator of

claim 21

, wherein said electrode substrate is formed from a glass electrode substrate including an alkali metal;

and

said glass electrode substrate and said silicon mirror substrate are anode-bonded.

23. The spatial light modulator of

claim 21

, wherein the entire surface of the reflective layers formed on said micromirrors is formed as a flat surface reflecting impinging light with an angle of reflection equal to the angle of incidence.

24. The spatial light modulator of

claim 21

, wherein said sets of electrodes are formed as sets of transparent electrodes.

25. The spatial light modulator of

claim 21

, wherein an insulating film is formed on the surface where said micromirrors are opposite said sets of electrodes.

26. The spatial light modulator of

claim 25

, wherein the surface of said sets of electrodes where said electrodes oppose said insulating film formed on said micromirrors is formed to be rough.

27. The spatial light modulator of

claim 26

, wherein projections of height at least 200 Angstroms are formed on said surface of said sets of electrodes to obtain said rough surface.

28. The spatial light modulator according to

claim 25

, wherein insulating projections are formed on said insulating film and at positions displaced from said at least one torsion bar.

29. The spatial light modulator of

claim 25

, further comprises an insulating stopper projecting from the base of said depression of said electrode substrate to a height less than the height of said rim and said pillars, said insulating stopper abutting said micromirrors when driven in an inclining manner to determine the deflection angle.

30. The spatial light modulator of

claim 21

, wherein a transparent cover plate is bonded on said silicon mirror substrate so as to cover said silicon mirror substrate and in a position non-interference with said micromirrors driven in an inclining manner.

31. An electronic device including the spatial light modulator of

claim 21

.

32. A spatial light modulator, comprising:

a glass substrate on which at least one conductive torsion bar coupling a plurality of conductive micromirrors in one direction is supported by pillars, and on which a conductive frame portion fixing both ends of said at least one torsion bar is formed; and

a circuit substrate on which a plurality of pairs of electrodes opposite each of said micromirrors and a circuit element energizing said plurality of pairs of electrodes are formed;

and wherein said frame portion of said glass substrate and said circuit substrate are bonded.

33. The spatial light modulator of

claim 32

, wherein said micromirrors and said at least one torsion bar are formed of silicon.

34. The spatial light modulator of

claim 32

, wherein said micromirrors and said at least one torsion bar are formed of a metal.

35. An electronic device including the spatial light modulator of

claim 32

.

36. A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming on a glass substrate a depression in a central region thereof, a rim surrounding said depression, and pillars formed to project from said depression;

(b) diffusing impurities into one surface of a silicon substrate to a predetermined depth;

(c) further diffusing impurities into a predetermined portion of said one surface of said silicon substrate to a predetermined depth to form an impurity diffusion surface;

(d) forming an optically reflective film on said impurity diffusion surface of said silicon substrate;

(e) bonding said impurity diffusion surface and said rim of said glass substrate, to form a silicon-glass bonded substrate;

(f) wet-etching said silicon-glass bonded substrate to make said silicon substrate into a thin film;

(g) dry-etching said silicon substrate of said thin film to form a plurality of micromirrors, a torsion bar coupling and supporting the same, and a frame portion fixing both ends of said torsion bar; and

(h) bonding to said frame portion of said silicon-glass bonded substrate a silicon circuit substrate provided with a plurality of pairs of electrodes for driving said plurality of micromirrors, and circuit elements applying a drive voltage to said electrodes.

37. The method according to

claim 36

, wherein in said step (h) said silicon circuit substrate and said frame portion of said silicon-glass bonded substrate are subjected to eutectic bonding.

38. The method according to

claim 36

, wherein in said step (h) said silicon circuit substrate and said frame portion of said silicon-glass bonded substrate are bonded using a conductive adhesive.

39. The method according to

claim 36

, wherein in said step (c) boron is used as an impurity element diffused into said silicon substrate.

40. A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a first resist pattern on a glass substrate to form pillars in a central region thereof and a first rim on the periphery thereof;

(b) forming a first metal film on said glass substrate and said first resist pattern;

(c) forming on said first metal film a second resist pattern to form micromirrors and a torsion bar;

(d) etching said first metal film using said second resist pattern;

(e) removing said second resist pattern;

(f) forming a third resist pattern in a region excluding a surface of said first rim;

(g) forming a second metal film on said first rim and said third resist pattern;

(h) forming a fourth resist pattern on said second metal film and in position opposite said first rim;

(i) etching said second metal film using said fourth resist pattern, and extending said first rim to form a second rim;

(j) removing said first, third, and fourth resist patterns; and

(k) bonding a silicon circuit substrate provided with circuit elements for driving said micromirrors and said second rim of said glass substrate.

41. The method according to

claim 40

, wherein in said step (k) said silicon circuit substrate and said second rim of said glass substrate are subjected to diffusion bonding.

42. The method according to

claim 40

, wherein in said step (k) said silicon circuit substrate and said second rim of said glass substrate are bonded using a conductive adhesive.