Spatial light modulator with hidden comb actuator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An actuator comprising:
- a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb movable with respect to the fixed comb and including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb along a fulcrum axis; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and the hinge;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the actuated member; and
g. wherein the actuated member is adapted to tilt along the fulcrum axis when the movable comb moves with respect to the fixed comb.
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Abstract
Described are Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) actuators with hidden combs and hinges. The ability to hide the combs renders the actuators useful in digital micro-mirror devices. Comb actuators provide increased torque, which facilitates the use of stiffer, less fragile hinge structures. Also important, comb actuators do not require mechanical stops to define stable states, and thus avoid problems associated with physical contact. The actuators are infinitely variable through a range of angles.
111 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb movable with respect to the fixed comb and including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb along a fulcrum axis; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and the hinge;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the actuated member; and
g. wherein the actuated member is adapted to tilt along the fulcrum axis when the movable comb moves with respect to the fixed comb. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein the first and second planes are coplanar.
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13. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein the substrate includes an insulating surface, a first electrode connected to the movable comb, and a second electrode connected to the fixed comb.
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14. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein at least a portion of the movable comb is disposed between the actuated member and the fixed comb.
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15. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein the actuated member obscures at least a portion of the fixed and movable combs from a perspective normal to the first plane.
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16. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein an applied voltage potential between the fixed comb and the movable comb moves the movable comb relative to the fixed comb to tilt the actuated member along a fulcrum axis by a fixed deflection angle, and wherein the applied voltage potential defines the fixed deflection angle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein at least two of the fixed teeth are of different lengths.
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20. An actuator comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth extending in a first plane;
c. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth extending in a second plane;
d. a hinge connected between the substrate and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
e. an actuated member connected to the movable comb and extending in a third plane;
f. wherein the first and second planes extend between the substrate and the third plane; and
g. wherein at least two of the movable teeth are of different lengths.
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21. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a. a plurality of separately actuated adjacent movable mirror surfaces disposed over a substrate and separated by interstitial spaces, wherein the adjacent movable mirror surfaces are arranged in an array extending over an array area, each movable mirror surface having an active-surface area; and
b. a plurality of comb actuators, at least one comb actuator disposed between each movable mirror surface and the substrate;
c. wherein adding the active-surface areas produces a combined active-surface area at least 90 percent of the array area. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a. a plurality of adjacent movable mirror surfaces arranged in an array extending over an array area, each movable mirror surface having an active-surface area, wherein adding the active-surface areas produces a combined active-surface area at least 90 percent of the array area;
b. for each mirror surface, at least one movable comb connected to the mirror surface and a fixed comb interdigitated with the movable comb; and
c. a plurality of hinges, each hinge connected to a respective one of the plurality of movable combs;
d. wherein each of the hinges is a torsional hinge.
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27. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a. a plurality of adjacent movable mirror surfaces arranged in an array extending over an array area, each movable mirror surface having an active-surface area, wherein adding the active-surface areas produces a combined active-surface area at least 90 percent of the array area;
b. for each mirror surface, at least one movable comb connected to the mirror surface and a fixed comb interdigitated with the movable comb; and
c. an integrated circuit having a first plurality of contact pads electrically connected to the movable combs and a second collection of contact pads electrically connected to the fixed combs.
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28. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a. a plurality of adjacent movable mirror surfaces arranged in an array extending over an array area, each movable mirror surface having an active-surface area, wherein adding the active-surface areas produces a combined active-surface area at least 90 percent of the array area; and
b. for each mirror surface, at least one movable comb connected to the mirror surface and a fixed comb interdigitated with the movable comb;
c. wherein at least one of the fixed and movable combs has teeth of different lengths.
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29. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a. a plurality of adjacent movable mirror surfaces arranged in an array extending over an array area, each movable mirror surface having an active-surface area;
b. wherein adding the active-surface areas produces a combined active-surface area at least 90 percent of the array area; and
c. wherein at least two of the movable teeth are of different lengths.
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30. A projection system comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a plurality of actuators disposed on the substrate, each actuator including;
i. a fixed comb connected to the substrate and including a plurality of fixed teeth;
ii. a movable comb, including a plurality of movable teeth; and
iii. a hinge connected between the fixed comb and the movable comb, the hinge facilitating movement of the movable comb with respect to the fixed comb; and
c. an array of individually actuated members separated by interstitial spaces, each actuated member including a light-modulating surface connected to at least one of the movable combs;
d. wherein the fixed and movable combs are disposed between the actuated members and the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A spatial light modulator disposed over a substrate and adapted to modulate light directed to the modulator, the spatial light modulator comprising:
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a. a plurality of comb actuators, each actuator including;
i. a first comb including a first plurality of teeth; and
ii. a second comb including a second plurality of teeth; and
iii. wherein the first comb moves with respect to the second comb; and
b. an actuated member disposed over the substrate and at least a portion of the first and second combs, the actuated member receiving a portion of the light;
c. wherein the actuated members are separated from one another by interstitial spaces and arranged in an array extending over a total array area. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification