FABRICATING A SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR

• US 20080220552A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pan, Shaoher X.
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/29
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A high contrast spatial light modulator for display and printing is fabricated by coupling a high active reflection area fill-ratio and non-diffractive micro-mirror array with a high electrostatic efficiency and low surface adhesion control substrate.

Claims

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

forming a plurality of electrodes on a surface of a control wafer; and

forming a plurality of mirrors on the control wafer, wherein the mirrors each have a cavity in a lower portion of the mirror, a hinge is in the cavity, and the binge is supported by a hinge support post that is between the mirror and the control substrate.

2. The method of fabricating a spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of electrodes comprises:

patterning a plurality of vias through a passivation layer on the control wafer;

depositing a first layer filling the vias and forming a first level electrode layer on the surface of the control wafer;

patterning a plurality of openings in the first level electrode layer, forming first level electrodes;

depositing sacrificial material with a predetermined thickness on the first level electrodes to form a sacrificial layer;

patterning the sacrificial layer to form vias and contact openings; and

depositing a second layer on the sacrificial layer, forming a plurality of second level electrodes, landing tips, and support posts.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein depositing the sacrificial material comprises applying photoresist, organic polymer, or amorphous carbon.

4. The method of fabricating a spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors comprises:

depositing a sacrificial material with a predetermined thickness to form a first sacrificial layer on a surface of the control wafer having the electrodes thereon;

patterning the first sacrificial layer to form vias for a plurality of hinge support posts;

depositing a first device material to fill the vias and form a first device layer;

patterning a plurality of openings in the first layer forming a plurality of torsion hinges in the first layer;

depositing sacrificial material, filling the plurality of openings around the torsion hinges and forming a second sacrificial layer with a predetermined thickness on the surface of the first layer;

patterning the second sacrificial layer forming a plurality of spacers on top of the plurality of torsion hinges;

depositing a second device material to cover the surface of the second sacrificial layer and form a second device layer;

planarizing the second device layer to a predetermined mirror thickness; and

patterning a plurality of openings in the second device layer to form a plurality of gaps between individual mirror plates.

5. The method of fabricating a spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors forms a partially fabricated wafer, the method further comprising separating the wafer into individual spatial light modulation device dies, wherein separating the wafer comprises:

depositing a layer of sacrificial material covering a surface of the partially fabricated wafer;

separating the partially fabricated wafer into individual dies by partially sawing and breaking;

removing remaining sacrificial material; and

coating an anti-stiction layer on the mirrors.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein coating an anti-stiction layer on the mirrors includes exposing the mirrors to fluorocarbon, PFPE, phosphazine or combinations thereof at about 200°

C.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising passivating the surfaces of structures on the control wafer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control wafer is a CMOS wafer having functional circuits including a plurality of memory cells and word-line/bit-line interconnect structures.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors comprises applying aluminum, silicon, polysilicon, aluminum-silicon alloys, or combinations thereof on the control wafer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors comprises applying titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, alloys thereof, or silicides thereof on the control wafer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming a reflective layer having a thickness of approximately 400 angstroms or less and formed from aluminum, gold, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming each mirror plate of said plurality of mirrors so that each mirror plate is separated from all adjacent mirror plates by a space of 0.2 microns or less.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors comprises forming the cavity under each mirror plate, where the cavity has a height defined by the distance between a lower conductive portion of the mirror plate and the torsion hinge and the height of the cavity is at least one half of the width of the hinge support post multiplied by the sine of the greatest deflection angle through which said mirror plate can rotate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the mirrors includes forming the mirrors such that the hinge support post does not extend beyond the boundary of the mirror plate.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors comprises forming each mirror plate to have a leading edge, a trailing edge, and at least one side edge, wherein at least a portion of said leading edge or said trailing edge lies along a plurality of curves having radius r, wherein the at least one side edge has a side edge length of a and said radius r is less than a.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming the leading edge parallel to the trailing edge at every point along said plurality of curves.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming each mirror plate to have an edge length of about 10 microns.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming each mirror plate to have the radius r of 2.5 microns.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming a layer of reflective material on the mirrors.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors includes forming the mirrors of refractory material.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of mirrors forms a region of mirrors comprising reflective areas formed by the mirrors and gaps between the reflective areas, where the reflective areas comprise at least 96% of the region.