Mircromirror device having a vertical hinge

• US 20090161199A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ignite USA (Ignite)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Inventors: Maeda, Yoshihiro, Sugimoto, Naoya, Ichikawa, Hirotoshi, Ishii, Fusao
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/295
• 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

Abstract

A mirror device comprises: a plurality of electrodes disposed on a substrate; a hinge connected to at least one of the electrodes; a mirror connected to the hinge and corresponding to at least one of the electrodes. The mirror device further comprises a barrier layer is disposed between the hinge and mirror, and/or between the hinge and electrode. Also noted is a mirror device production method for producing such-configured mirror device. Furthermore, this invention discloses a projection apparatus implemented with a mirror device manufactured and assembled according to the configuration as described.

Claims

1. A mirror device, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes disposed on a substrate;

a hinge connected to at least one of the electrodes and the hinge stands on said substrate extending along substantially a vertical direction from the substrate; and

said hinge support a mirror disposed on top of said hinge along substantially a horizontal direction wherein a cross sectional area of said hinge near the electrode is less than or equal to a cross sectional area of said hinge near said mirror.

3. The mirror device according to claim 1, wherein:

a length of the hinge is approximately 2 μ

m or smaller, and

the mirror is substantially a square mirror wherein each side of said square mirror having a length approximately 10 μ

m or smaller.

2. A mirror device, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes disposed on a substrate;

a hinge electrically connected to at least one of the electrodes and the hinge stands on said substrate extending along substantially a vertical direction from said substrate; and

said hinge support a mirror disposed on top of said hinge along substantially a horizontal direction wherein a width of said hinge is greater than or equal to a length of said hinge and said length of said hinge is greater than a thickness of said hinge.

4. The mirror device according to claim 2, wherein:

a length of the hinge is approximately 2 μ

m or smaller, and

the mirror is substantially a square mirror wherein each side of said square mirror having a length approximately 10 μ

m or smaller.