Micromirror array device with a small pitch size
First Claim
1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
- an array of mirror devices formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting light incident on the mirror devices, wherein each mirror device comprises;
a mirror plate for reflecting light;
a hinge attached to the mirror plate such that the mirror plate can rotate relative to the substrate, wherein the hinge and the mirror plate are spaced apart from 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers; and
a hinge support on the substrate for holding the hinge on the substrate; and
wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.3 to 10.16 micrometers.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spatial light modulator is disclosed, along with a method for making such a modulator that comprises an array of micromirror devices. The center-to-center distance and the gap between adjacent micromirror devices are determined corresponding to the light source being used so as to optimize optical efficiency and performance quality. The micromirror device comprises a hinge support formed on a substrate and a hinge that is held by the hinge support. A mirror plate is connected to the hinge via a contact, and the distance between the mirror plate and the hinge is determined according to desired maximum rotation angle of the mirror plate, the optimum gap and pitch between the adjacent micromirrors. In a method of fabricating such spatial light modulator, one sacrificial layer is deposited on a substrate followed by forming the mirror plates, and another sacrificial layer is deposited on the mirror plates followed by forming the hinge supports. The two sacrificial layers are removed via the small gap between adjacent mirror devices with spontaneous vapor phase chemical etchant. Also disclosed is a projection system that comprises such a spatial light modulator, as well as a light source, condensing optics, wherein light from the light source is focused onto the array of micromirrors, projection optics for projecting light selectively reflected from the array of micromirrors onto a target, and a controller for selectively actuating the micromirrors in the array.
87 Citations
141 Claims
-
1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
an array of mirror devices formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting light incident on the mirror devices, wherein each mirror device comprises; a mirror plate for reflecting light; a hinge attached to the mirror plate such that the mirror plate can rotate relative to the substrate, wherein the hinge and the mirror plate are spaced apart from 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers; and a hinge support on the substrate for holding the hinge on the substrate; and wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.3 to 10.16 micrometers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
37. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
-
an array of movable mirror plates formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting a light beam incident on the mirror plates, wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.38 to 10.16 micrometers; and an array of hinges each being attached to one of the array of mirror plates such that the mirror plates can rotate relative to the substrate, wherein the hinge and the mirror plate are spaced apart from 0.1 to 0.45 micrometers.
-
-
38. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
-
an array of movable mirror plates formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting a light beam incident on the mirror plates, wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.38 to 10.16 micrometers; and an array of hinges each being attached to one of the array of mirror plates, wherein the hinge and the mirror plate is are spaced apart from 0.2 to 0.3 micrometers.
-
-
39. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
-
an array of movable mirror plates formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting a light beam incident on the mirror plates, wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.38 to 10.16 micrometers; and wherein an illumination efficiency of the mirror plate array is 90 percent or more.
-
-
40. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
-
an array of movable mirror plates formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting a light beam incident on the mirror plates, wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.38 to 10.16 microns; and wherein the mirror plate is attached to a hinge such that the mirror plate is capable of rotating in a first direction to an angle from 15°
degrees to 27°
degrees relative to the substrate.
-
-
41. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
-
an array of movable mirror plates formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting a light beam incident on the mirror plates, wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.38 to 10.16 micrometers; a first electrode that drives the mirror plate rotate in a first rotation direction relative to the substrate; and a second electrode that drives the mirror plate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction relative to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
-
-
89. A projection system, comprising:
-
a light source; a spatial light modulator that further comprises; an array of mirror devices formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting light incident on the mirror devices, wherein each mirror device comprises; mirror plate for reflecting light; hinge attached to the mirror plate such that the mirror plate can rotate relative to the substrate, wherein the hinge and the mirror plate are spaced apart from 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers; and a hinge support on the substrate for holding the hinge on the substrate; and wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.3 to 10.16 micrometers; a condensing optic element for directing light from the light source onto the spatial light modulator; and a projecting optic element for collecting and directing light reflected from the spatial light modulator onto a display target. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129)
-
-
130. A projector comprising:
-
a light source; and a spatial light modulator that further comprises; an array of movable mirror plates formed on a substrate for selectively reflecting a light beam incident on the mirror plates, wherein adjacent mirror plates have a center-to-center distance from 4.38 to 10.16 micrometers; and a first electrode that drives the mirror plate to rotate in a first rotation direction relative to the substrate; and a second electrode that drives the mirror plate to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction relative to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136)
-
-
137. A projector, comprising:
-
an arc lamp having an arc length of 1.0 mm or less; a spatial light modulator having a diagonal from 0.55 to 0.8 inch, wherein the spatial light modulator further comprises an array of micromirror devices for selectively reflecting light from the arc lamp, the array of micromirror devices further comprising; a center-to-center distance between adjacent micromirror devices from 4.38 to 10.16 micrometers; a gap between the adjacent micromirror devices from 0.1 to 0.5 micrometers; and a plurality of micromirror devices, each micromirror device further comprising; a mirror plate attached to a hinge and a hinge support on a substrate such that the mirror plate can rotate relative to the substrate, wherein the mirror plate and the hinge is spaced apart from 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers; and a plurality of optical elements for condensing light from the arc lamp onto the spatial light modulator and projecting light reflected from the spatial light modulator onto a display target. - View Dependent Claims (138, 139, 140, 141)
-
Specification