Method of manufacturing an apparatus controlling light

• US 6,300,154 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mems Optical, Inc. (Jenoptik AG)
• Original Assignee: Mems Optical, Inc. (Jenoptik AG)
• Inventors: Clark, Rodney L., Karpinsky, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DUNG ANH
• Application Number:
  US09/734,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 438/48, 438/6, 438/157, 438/107, 438/411, 438/626, 438/667, 438/798
• US Class Current: 438/48
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/04 by periodically varying the intensity of light, e.g. using choppers shutters, diaphragms for cameras G03B9/00; devices for eliminating or reducing the effect of flicker in projection systems G03B21/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/72 Controlling or varying light intensity, spectral composition, or exposure time in photographic printing apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling light includes a non-transparent surface for blocking incident light, an array of first lenses for focusing the incident light upon the non-transparent surface, an array of shutters corresponding to the array of first lenses and positioned on the non-transparent surface for controlling passage of the incident light through the non-transparent surface, and an array of second lenses corresponding to the array of shutters for collimating the incident light passing through the shutters. The shutters are separated from the first lenses by a distance equal to a focal distance of the first lenses such that the incident light is focused by the first lenses onto the shutters. As such, the shutters may be opened and closed to control the intensity of the incident light passing therethrough. Electrostatic comb drives corresponding to the array of shutters may be used for actuating the shutters, where the electrostatic comb drives each include two stationary stators that are separated by a distance at least as great as the largest shutter openings, and where the shutter includes two sliders that move relative to the stationary stators based on a magnitude of a voltage applied thereto. Alternatively, return springs may be used for biasing the shutters in an opened or closed position, and micromachine actuators for controlling actuation of the shutters. In either case, the shutters may be Foucault shutters, or other known shutters.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a shutter, comprising:

providing a substrate with an aperture defined therein and at least two layers deposited thereon; and

lithographically etching a portion of a first layer and a portion of the substrate to isolate a freestanding portion of the second layer with respect to the substrate, the freestanding portion of the second layer forming a portion of the shutter which is moved with respect to the substrate to control incident light passing through the aperature of the substrate.

2. The method recited by claim 1, wherein lithographically etching the portion of one layer and the substrate comprises:

etching a portion of the first layer to expose at least two surface portions of the substrate; and

etching a portion of the substrate to isolate a freestanding portion of the second layer with respect to the substrate.

3. The method recited by claim 1, wherein the freestanding portion of the second substrate is a comb part that is moved relative to a comb part of the substrate to actuate the shutter.

4. The method recited by claim 1, further comprising:

lithographically etching a different region of the first layer and the substrate to isolate another freestanding portion of the second layer used to bias the shutter position.

5. A method of manufacturing an apparatus for controlling light, comprising:

assembling an array of shutters on a non-transparent surface for controlling passage of incident light through a non-transparent surface;

assembling an array of first lenses corresponding to the array of shutters for focussing incident light upon the non-transparent surface; and

positioning the array of first lenses relative to the non-transparent surface such that the incident light is focussed upon the shutters by the first lenses.

6. The method recited by claim 5, further comprising:

assembling an array of second lenses corresponding to the array of shutters for collimating the incident light passing through the shutters.

7. The method recited by claim 5, wherein the shutters are capable of being opened and closed to control the intensity of the incident light passing therethrough.

8. The method recited by claim 7, further comprising:

installing electrostatic comb drives corresponding to the array of shutters for actuating the shutters.

9. The method recited by claim 8, wherein:

the electrostatic comb drives each comprise two stationary stators that are separated by a distance at least as great as a largest possible opening in the shutters, and

the shutters each comprise two sliders that move relative to the stationary stators based on a magnitude of a voltage applied thereto.

10. The method recited by claim 7, further comprising:

installing return springs for biasing the shutters within the array of shutters in an open or closed position; and

installing micromachine actuators for controlling actuation of the shutters within the array of shutters.

11. The method of manufacturing recited by claim 5, wherein the array of shutters is an array of Foucault shutters, a method of manufacturing the Foucault shutters including:

etching a microcircuit to expose a mask layer and at least two surface portions of a substrate upon which the microcircuit is positioned; and

undercutting a portion of the microcircuit located between the two exposed surfaces of the substrate by etching the substrate at the exposed portions and under the undercut portion to produce a movable shutter element.