OPTICAL MEMS SCANNING MICRO-MIRROR WITH SPECKLE REDUCTION

• US 20130242275A1
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lemoptix Sa (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Kilcher, Lucio, Abele, Nicolas, Khechana, Faouzi
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/98
• 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 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0215 the surface having a regular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0231 the surface having microprismatic or micropyramidal shape macroscopic prism arrays G02B5/045
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066

Abstract

Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror comprising:—a movable scanning micro-mirror (101) pivotally connected to a MEMS body (102) substantially surrounding the lateral sides of the micro-mirror;—an transparent prism (500, 600) substantially covering the reflection side of the micro-mirror;—wherein said prism has its outer face non-parallel to the micro-mirror neutral plane N-N, thereby providing a dual anti-speckle and anti-reflection effect, namely against parasitic light. The invention also provides the corresponding micro-projection system and method for reducing speckle.

Claims

1. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror comprising:

a movable scanning micro-mirror, being pivotally connected to a MEMS body substantially surrounding the lateral sides of the micro-mirror, and provided with neutral axis N-N corresponding to a non pivoted position of said micro-mirror,

a transparent prism substantially covering the reflection side of the micro-mirror; and

wherein said prism has an outer face and an inner face, wherein said outer face is not parallel to said inner face, and wherein the prism is arranged such that, light incident on the movable scanning micro-mirror can pass through the prism so as to provide an anti-reflection effect and light reflected by the movable scanning micro-mirror can pass through the prism to provide an anti-speckle effect.

2. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1, wherein said outer face is non-parallel to the micro-mirror neutral plane N-N.

3. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 2, wherein the anti-speckle prism has its inner face also non-parallel to the micro-mirror neutral plane N-N.

4. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1, wherein the anti-speckle prism is provided with a transparent cover having a substantially flat outer face.

5. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the cover inner face is substantially parallel with the prism outer face.

6. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the prism outer face and the cover inner face are in direct contact.

7. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 4, wherein the cover inner face is substantially parallel with the micro-mirror neutral plane N-N.

8. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1, wherein the scanning mirror pivoting angle and dimensions and the prism dimensions are linked together and determined so that the light emitted from the scanning mirror is oriented to pass through the prism.

9. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1, wherein the prism is provided with an absorbent surface (405) to absorb parasitic light.

10. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1, wherein the prism is advantageously provided with a triangular profile.

11. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1, wherein the prism is manufactured using a transparent portion provided with a plurality of successive structures made of discontinuous rectilinear segments and aligned on the outer face thereof.

12. Optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 11, wherein the successive structures are substantially triangular.

13. A micro-projection system for projecting light on a projection surface comprising:

at least one coherent light source;

optical elements, in the optical path between said coherent light source and said projection surface, and

an optical MEMS scanning micro-mirror according to claim 1.

14. A micro-projection system according to claim 13, comprising a transparent cover or a prism made of quarter-wave plate material.

15. A method for reducing speckle in a micro-projection system adapted for projecting light on a projection surface, comprising:

providing a light with at least one coherent light source;

directing light from the light source to the projection surface;

providing a scanning micro-mirror for deviating light from said light source so as to scan a projected image onto said projecting surface said micro-mirror being provided with neutral axis N-N corresponding to a non pivoted position of said micro-mirror; and

covering the reflection side of the micro-mirror with a transparent prism, wherein said prism has an outer face and an inner face, wherein said outer face is not parallel to said inner face, and arranging the prism such that, light incident on the movable scanning micro-mirror can pass through the prism so as to provide an anti-reflection effect and light reflected by the movable scanning micro-mirror can pass through the prism to provide an anti-speckle effect.