IMAGE SYSTEM AND MINIATURE DEFORMABLE MIRROR THEREOF

• US 20070008634A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chen-Wei Chiu
• Original Assignee: Chen-Wei Chiu
• Inventors: Chiu, Chen-Wei
• Granted Patent: US 7,679,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/847
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0816 off-axis or unobscured systems in which not all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry, e.g. at least one of the mirrors is warped, tilted or decentered with respect to the other elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0825 the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24

Abstract

A miniature deformable mirror includes an upper portion, a lower portion, and a spacer. The upper portion includes a frame, an organic thin film, and a reflecting layer. The organic thin film is used as a deformed element and supported by the frame. The reflecting layer is disposed on the organic thin film used for reflecting incident light. The lower portion includes a conductive substrate. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate and used for conducting the driving voltage. The spacer is sandwiched between the upper portion and the lower portion. While voltages are applied, electrostatic forces are generated to deform the organic thin film and reflecting layer. Therefore, a miniature deformable mirror with continuously variable focuses is realized.

Claims

1. A miniature deformable mirror comprising:

an upper portion comprising an organic thin film and a reflecting layer disposed on a lower surface or on an upper surface of the organic thin film;

a lower portion comprising a conductive substrate; and

a spacer disposed between the upper portion and the lower portion.

2. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the upper portion further comprises a frame having a mirror opening, and the frame disposed on the organic thin film and the reflecting layer so as to support the organic thin film and the reflecting layer to be disposed between the frame and the spacer.

3. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a spacer opening for defining a deflecting area.

4. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the reflecting layer and the conductive substrate are a first and a second electrode respectively.

5. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the organic thin film is transparent.

6. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the conductive substrate is transparent.

7. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 3, wherein the spacer further comprises at least one air channel expanding from the spacer opening.

8. The miniature deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the conductive substrate may comprise a substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the substrate.

9. An image system comprising:

a camera module comprising a lens set, an image-sensing element for obtaining a image from the lens set, a control circuitry electronically connecting to the image-sensing element;

a miniature deformable mirror comprising

an upper portion comprising an organic thin film and a reflecting layer disposed on a lower surface or on an upper surface of the organic thin film;

a lower portion comprising a conductive substrate; and

a spacer disposed between the upper portion and the lower portion; and

a power supply control unit electronically connecting to the control circuitry of the camera module and the miniature deformable mirror.

10. The image system of claim 9, wherein the upper portion of the miniature deformable mirror further comprises a frame having a mirror opening, and frame disposed on the organic thin film and the reflecting layer so as to support the organic thin film and the reflecting layer to be disposed between the frame and the spacer.

11. The image system of claim 9, wherein the spacer of the miniature deformable mirror comprises a spacer opening for defining a deflecting area.

12. The image system of claim 9, wherein the organic thin film of the miniature deformable mirror is transparent.

13. The image system of claim 9, wherein the conductive substrate of the miniature deformable mirror is transparent.

14. The image system of claim 11, wherein the spacer of the miniature deformable mirror further comprises at least one air channel expanding from the spacer opening.

15. The image system of claim 9, wherein the conductive substrate may comprise a substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the substrate.

16. A method for making a miniature deformable mirror comprising:

forming an upper portion comprising;

depositing a reflecting layer on a frame; and

forming an organic thin film on the reflecting layer;

forming a lower portion comprising;

depositing a conductive layer on a substrate; and

forming a spacer to bond the upper portion and the lower portion.

17. The method of claim 16, before the step of depositing the reflecting layer on the frame further comprising:

pattering masking films;

depositing the masking films on two opposite surfaces of the frame respectively; and

etching one of the two opposite surfaces of the frame without through to another surface of the frame and remaining a remaining membrane of the frame;

wherein the reflecting layer is substantially deposited on the non-etched masking film.

18. The method of claim 17, after the step of forming the spacer to bond the upper portion and the lower portion further comprising:

etching the remaining membrane and the non-etched masking film until exposing the reflecting layer.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the spacer is formed by molding and comprises a spacer opening with at least one air channel expanding from the spacer opening.

20. The method of claim 16, before the step of depositing the conductive layer on the substrate further comprising:

forming an insulation layer on the substrate;

wherein the conductive layer is substantially deposited on the insulation layer.