Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of making a spatial light modulator, comprising:
- forming a plurality of deflectable elements by chemical vapor deposition on a light transmissive substrate;
forming a silicon substrate with addressing circuitry thereon using VLSI technology; and
joining the light transmissive substrate and the silicon substrate together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spatial light modulator includes an upper optically transmissive substrate held above a lower substrate containing addressing circuitry. One or more electrostatically deflectable elements are suspended by hinges from the upper substrate. In operation, individual mirrors are selectively deflected and serve to spatially modulate light that is incident to, and then reflected back through, the upper substrate. Motion stops may be attached to the reflective deflectable elements so that the mirror does not snap to the bottom substrate. Instead, the motion stop rests against the upper substrate thus limiting the deflection angle of the reflective deflectable elements.
75 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of making a spatial light modulator, comprising:
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forming a plurality of deflectable elements by chemical vapor deposition on a light transmissive substrate;
forming a silicon substrate with addressing circuitry thereon using VLSI technology; and
joining the light transmissive substrate and the silicon substrate together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of making a spatial light modulator, comprising:
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forming a plurality of deflectable elements by chemical vapor deposition on a light transmissive substrate;
forming a silicon substrate with addressing circuitry thereon using CMOS technology; and
joining the light transmissive substrate and the silicon substrate together. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
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a first substrate bonded to a second substrate with a gap therebetween;
the first substrate being a light transmissive substrate having a plurality of deflectable elements thereon;
the second substrate having CMOS circuitry and electrodes thereon for causing deflection of the deflectable elements on the first substrate. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
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a first substrate bonded to a second substrate with a gap therebetween;
the first substrate being a light transmissive substrate having a plurality of deflectable elements thereon;
the second substrate having circuitry and aluminum electrodes for causing deflection of the deflectable elements on the first substrate.
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Specification