Pre-deflected bias ribbons
First Claim
1. A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light comprising:
- a. a plurality of active elements, each active element including a first end, a second end, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane wherein the plurality of active elements are parallel to each other;
b. a plurality of bias elements, each bias element including a first end and a second end, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of bias elements are parallel to each other and further wherein the plurality of bias elements are deflected with respect to the plurality of active elements; and
c. a support structure coupled to each end of the plurality of active elements and to each end of the plurality of bias elements to maintain a position of each active and bias element relative to each other and to enable movement of selective ones of the plurality of active elements and the plurality of bias elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modulator for and a method of modulating an incident beam of light including means for supporting a plurality of active elements and a plurality of bias elements, each active and bias element including a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane and the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of active and bias elements are parallel to each other and further wherein the plurality of bias elements are mechanically or electrically deflected with respect to the plurality of active elements. Each of the plurality of bias elements is deflected an odd multiple of the wavelength of an incident light wave divided by four and the plurality of light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements move between the first parallel plane to the second parallel plane. The deflection of bias elements is optimized to minimize optical attenuation error due to voltage error.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light comprising:
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a. a plurality of active elements, each active element including a first end, a second end, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane wherein the plurality of active elements are parallel to each other;
b. a plurality of bias elements, each bias element including a first end and a second end, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of bias elements are parallel to each other and further wherein the plurality of bias elements are deflected with respect to the plurality of active elements; and
c. a support structure coupled to each end of the plurality of active elements and to each end of the plurality of bias elements to maintain a position of each active and bias element relative to each other and to enable movement of selective ones of the plurality of active elements and the plurality of bias elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of modulating an incident beam of light comprising:
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a. configuring a plurality of active elements, each active element including a first end, a second end, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane wherein the plurality of active elements are parallel to each other;
b. deflecting a plurality of bias elements with respect to the plurality of active elements, each bias element including a first end and a second end, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of bias elements are parallel to each other; and
c. supporting each end of the plurality of active elements and each end of the plurality of bias elements to maintain a position of each active and bias element relative to each other and to enable movement of selective ones of the plurality of active elements and the plurality of bias elements. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light comprising:
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a. means for supporting a plurality of active elements and a plurality of bias elements, each active and bias element including a first end and a second end, the supporting means being coupled to each end of the plurality of active and bias elements to maintain a position of each active and bias element relative to each other, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane and the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of active and bias elements are parallel to each other and further wherein the plurality of bias elements are deflected with respect to the plurality of active elements; and
b. means for moving selective ones of the plurality of active elements and the plurality of bias elements in a direction normal to the one or more parallel planes of the plurality of active and bias elements, and between a first modulator configuration wherein the plurality of active elements and the plurality of bias elements act to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein the plurality of active elements and the plurality of bias elements act to diffract the incident beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification