Optical microshutter array
First Claim
1. An optical shutter apparatus comprising:
- a source of illumination;
a first aperture plate positioned in a path of light from said source of illumination and including plural apertures;
a cantilever shutter positioned at each of said apertures, each cantilever shutter comprising;
at least two bonded layers including a first, electrically resistive layer exhibiting a first thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) and a second layer exhibiting a second TCE that is different from said first TCE;
a proximal end attached to said aperture plate adjacent an aperture and a distal portion sized to cover said aperture when in position thereover; and
control means for applying a signal to said first electrically resistive layer to cause a heating of said layers and a resultant unequal expansion thereof to cause a flexure therein which moves said distal portion to either cover or uncover said aperture, when uncovered, allowing transmission of said illumination therethrough.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical shutter apparatus includes a source of illumination and a first aperture plate positioned in a path of light from the source of illumination. A cantilever shutter is positioned at each aperture in the aperture plate and includes at least two bonded layers, one being an electrically resistive layer which exhibits a first thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) and the second layer exhibiting a second TCE that is different from the first TCE. A proximal end of the bonded layers is attached to the aperture plate at each aperture and a distal portion thereof covers the respective aperture when in position thereover. A controller applies signals to the first electrically resistive layer to cause a heating of the first and second layers and a resultant unequal expansion thereof. The expansion causes a flexure of the cantilever shutter and moves the distal portion thereof to either cover or uncover the aperture, which, when uncovered, allows transmission of the illumination therethrough.
222 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical shutter apparatus comprising:
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a source of illumination; a first aperture plate positioned in a path of light from said source of illumination and including plural apertures; a cantilever shutter positioned at each of said apertures, each cantilever shutter comprising; at least two bonded layers including a first, electrically resistive layer exhibiting a first thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) and a second layer exhibiting a second TCE that is different from said first TCE; a proximal end attached to said aperture plate adjacent an aperture and a distal portion sized to cover said aperture when in position thereover; and control means for applying a signal to said first electrically resistive layer to cause a heating of said layers and a resultant unequal expansion thereof to cause a flexure therein which moves said distal portion to either cover or uncover said aperture, when uncovered, allowing transmission of said illumination therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical shutter apparatus comprising:
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a source of illumination; a first aperture plate positioned in a path of light from said source of illumination and including plural apertures; a cantilever shutter positioned at each of said apertures, each cantilever shutter comprising; plural bonded layers including a first layer, and second and third piezoelectric layers arranged about said first layer in a sandwich fashion; a proximal end attached to said aperture plate adjacent an aperture and a distal portion sized to cover said aperture when in position thereover; and control means for applying signals to said second and third piezoelectric layers to cause relative movement between said second and third layers and said first layer, resulting in a flexure of said cantilever shutter which moves said distal portion to either cover or uncover said aperture, said aperture, when uncovered, allowing transmission of said illumination therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification