Light modulation element, GLV device, and laser display

• US 6,760,146 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Koichi, Fukui, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Jordan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STULTZ, JESSICA T
• Application Number:
  US10/189,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 359/298-99, 359/290-92
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements

Abstract

A light-modulation element is constituted as a light-modulation element for constituting a GLV device and has the same constitution as the conventional light-modulation element except for differing in the structure of the combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode of a membrane. The combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode is composed of a two-layer metallic film forming a TiN film of 10 nm to 70 nm in thickness provided as a lower layer and an Al film of 50 nm to 150 nm in thickness provided thereon. In the combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode, the Al film has a smooth reflective surface and a high light-reflectance, so that the light-utilization efficiency of the light-modulation element is high.

Claims

1. A light modulation element comprising a substrate-side electrode provided on an insulating substrate, and

a membrane comprising a bridge member extending above and spaced from said substrate-side electrode, said bridge member having at least the upper layer thereof comprised of an SiN film, and a combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode composed of a metallic film provided on said SiN film of said bridge member opposite of said substrate-side electrode, said membrane driving said light-reflective film by an electrostatic attracting force or an electrostatic repelling force acting between said combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode and said substrate-side electrode, wherein

a multilayer metallic film comprising an aluminum film constituted mainly of aluminum (Al) and at least any of a high-melting-point metal film, a high-melting-point metal-nitride film, and a high-melting-point metal-carbide film provided under said aluminum film as provided as said combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode.

2. A light-modulation element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said multilayer metallic film provided as said combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode comprises a high-melting-point metal film provided on said SiN film of said bridge member and a high-melting-point, metal-nitride film or a high-melting-point, metal-carbide film provided on said high-melting-point metal film.

3. A light modulation element as set forth in claim 2, wherein said high-melting-point metal film is any of a titanium (Ti) film, a tungsten (W) film, a molybdenum (Mo) film, and a tantalum (Ta) film, and said high-melting-point, metal-nitride film or said high-melting-point, metal-carbide film is a nitride film or a carbide film of said any of said titanium (Ti) film, said tungsten (W) film, said molybdenum (Mo) film, and said tantalum (Ta) film.

4. A GLV device comprising a plurality of light-modulation elements disposed in parallel to each other, wherein

each of said light modulation elements comprises a substrate-side electrode provided on an insulating substrate, and

a membrane comprising a bridge member extending above and spaced from said substrate-side electrode in the manner of crossing said substrate-side electrode, said bridge member having at least the upper layer thereof composed of an SiN film, and a combined light-reflective film and a membrane-side electrode composed of a metallic film provided on said SiN film of said bridge member oppositely to said substrate-side electrode, said membrane driving said light-reflective film by an electrostatic attracting force or an electrostatic repellingi force acting between said combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode and said substrate-side electrode, wherein

said combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode is a multiplayer metallic film comprising an aluminum film constituted mainly of aluminum (Al) and at least any of a high-melting-point metal film, a high-melting-point metal-nitride film, and a high-melting point metal-carbide film provided under said aluminum film, said combined light-reflective films and membrane-side electrodes are independent from each other and disposed in parallel to each other, and

said substrate-side electrode is provided as a common electrode.

5. A laser display comprising a laser and a GLV device disposed on the optical axis of laser light emitted from said laser to modulate the intensity of said laser light, wherein

said GLV device comprises a plurality of light-modulation elements disposed in parallel to each other:

each of said light-modulation elements comprises

a substrate-side electrode provided on an insulating substrate, and

a membrane comprising a bridge member extending above and spaced from said substrate-side electrode in the manner of crossing said substrate-side electrode, said bridge member having at least the upper layer thereof composed of an SiN film, and a combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode composed of a metallic film provided on said SiN film of said bridge member oppositely to said substrate-side electrode, said membrane driving said light-reflective film by an electrostatic attracting force or an electrostatic repelling force acting between said combined light reflective film and membrane-side electrode and said substrate-side electrode, wherein

said combined light-reflective film and membrane-side electrode is a multilayer metallic film comprising an aluminum film constituted mainly of aluminum (Al) and at least any of a high-melting-point metal film, a high-melting-point metal-nitride film, and a high-melting-point metal-carbide film provided under said aluminum film, said combined light-reflective films and membrane-side electrodes are independent from each other and disposed in parallel to each other, and

said substrate-side electrode is provided as a common electrode.