Projection display system including a high fill ratio silicon spatial light modulator

• US 20070097486A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Inventors: Payne, Justin, Wang, Yuxiang, Yang, Xiao, Wang, Ye, Ji, Wook, Chen, Dongmin, Woo, Howard, Worley, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A display system includes a light source and a first optical system coupled to the light source and adapted to provide an illumination beam along an illumination path. The display system also includes a spatial light modulator positioned in the illumination path. The spatial light modulator includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of electrode devices and a hinge structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate. The hinge structure includes silicon material. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror post coupled to the hinge structure and extending to a predetermined distance from the semiconductor substrate and a mirror plate coupled to the mirror post and overlying the plurality of electrode devices. The display system further includes a second optical system coupled to the spatial light modulator and adapted to project an image onto a projection surface.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a light source;

a first optical system optically coupled to the light source and adapted to provide an illumination beam along an illumination path;

a spatial light modulator positioned in the illumination path, the spatial light modulator comprising;

a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of electrode devices;

a hinge structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the hinge structure comprises silicon material;

a mirror post coupled to the hinge structure and extending to a predetermined distance from the semiconductor substrate; and

a mirror plate coupled to the mirror post and overlying the plurality of electrode devices; and

a second optical system optically coupled to the spatial light modulator and adapted to project an image onto a projection surface.

2. The display system of claim 1 wherein the light source includes a plurality of primary colors.

3. The display system of claim 1 wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a plurality of micro-mirrors disposed to form a multi-dimensional array of pixels.

4. The display system of claim 3 wherein the multi-dimensional array of pixels comprises up to and including 1920×

1080 pixels.

5. The display system of claim 3 wherein the multi-dimensional array of pixels comprises greater than 1920×

1080 pixels.

6. The display system of claim 1 wherein the silicon material of the hinge structure comprises single crystal silicon.

7. A projection display system comprising:

a light source adapted to provide an illumination beam;

a spatial light modulator including a plurality of micro-mirrors controllably deflectable between a first deflection angle and a second deflection angle, wherein each micro-mirror of the plurality of micro-mirror is associated with a pixel of an image and wherein each micro-mirror comprises;

one or more electrodes provided on a support substrate;

a hinge device coupled to the support substrate, wherein the hinge device comprises silicon material;

a mirror post coupled to the hinge device and extending away from the support substrate; and

a mirror plate coupled to the mirror post and overlying the one or more electrodes;

illumination optics adapted to direct the illumination beam to the spatial light modulator;

optics provided in a projection path lying along the first deflection angle and adapted to project the image on a projection surface; and

optics provided in a light dump path lying along the second deflection angle and adapted to reduce an intensity of light propagating along the light dump path.

8. The projection display system of claim 7 further comprising control circuitry adapted to provide control signals to the spatial light modulator.

9. The projection display system of claim 7 further comprising a color wheel positioned between the light source and the spatial light modulator.

10. The projection display system of claim 9 wherein the color wheel is operative to provide a sequential train of optical pulses, each optical pulse characterized by a different wavelength.