DOUBLE SUBSTRATE REFLECTIVE SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR WITH SELF-LIMITING MICRO-MECHANICAL ELEMENTS
First Claim
1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
- a substrate that is transmissive to visible light;
a silicon substrate;
wherein the silicon substrate and the substrate that is transmissive to visible light are bonded together with a spacer therebetween forming a gap between the substrates; and
a plurality of deflectable elements encapsulated within the gap.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spatial light modulator includes an upper optically transmissive substrate held above a lower substrate containing addressing circuitry. One or more electrostatically deflectable elements are suspended by hinges from the upper substrate. In operation, individual mirrors are selectively deflected and serve to spatially modulate light that is incident to, and then reflected back through, the upper substrate. Motion stops may be attached to the reflective deflectable elements so that the mirror does not snap to the bottom substrate. Instead, the motion stop rests against the upper substrate thus limiting the deflection angle of the reflective deflectable elements.
75 Citations
89 Claims
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1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
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a substrate that is transmissive to visible light;
a silicon substrate;
wherein the silicon substrate and the substrate that is transmissive to visible light are bonded together with a spacer therebetween forming a gap between the substrates; and
a plurality of deflectable elements encapsulated within the gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
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a first substrate having a plurality of micromirrors and a spacer that is positioned within the plurality of micromirrors; and
a second substrate having an array of electrodes and circuitry, wherein the first and second substrates are bonded together with the spacer between the first and second substrates. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
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a first substrate;
a second substrate, wherein the first and the second substrates are bonded together with a spacer therebetween so as to form a gap between the substrates; and
a plurality of micromirrors positioned within the gap, each micromirror further comprising;
a mirror plate, further comprising;
a first and second portions, wherein the second portion moves away from the first substrate when the first portion moves towards the first substrate;
a hinge that is located in a plane other than a plane in which the mirror plate is located; and
wherein the mirror plate is attached to the hinge such that the mirror plate is operable to rotate. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method of modulating light, comprising:
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providing a spatial light modulator that comprises a first and second substrates, the first substrate being optically transmissive and being held above the second substrate, an electrostatically deflectable mirror suspended by a hinge from the optically transmissive substrate, the second substrate containing an electrode and circuitry;
providing an incoming light beam that passes through the optically transmissive substrate and that is reflected by the electrostatically deflectable mirror;
applying a voltage bias between the mirror and the electrode so as to deflect the mirror due to electrostatic attraction; and
deflecting the light beam back through the optically transmissive substrate. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method of making a spatial light modulator, comprising:
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forming a plurality of micromirrors on a first substrate;
forming a plurality of circuitry and electrodes on a second substrate; and
joining the first and second substrates together with a spacer therebetween by bonding with an adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A method of modulating light, comprising:
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providing a spatial light modulator that comprises;
a substrate that is transmissive to visible light;
a silicon substrate having a plurality of electrodes and circuitry;
wherein the silicon substrate and the substrate that is transmissive to visible light are bonded together with a spacer therebetween forming a gap between the substrates; and
a plurality of deflectable elements encapsulated within the gap;
providing an incoming light beam that passes through the light transmissive substrate and that is reflected by the electrostatically deflectable elements;
applying a voltage bias between the deformable element and the electrode so as to deflect the deflectable element due to electrostatic attraction; and
deflecting the light beam back through the optically transmissive substrate. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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Specification