Actuatable diffractive optical processor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrostatically-actuated diffractive optical processor having a substrate, and an axis normal to at least a portion of a surface of the substrate comprising:
- a plurality of first mirror surfaces, each having two ends, at least a portion of each of the plurality of first mirror surfaces normal to the direction of the axis, and each suspended over the substrate and displaceable in the direction of the axis;
a plurality of supports each coupled to at least a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces at a point intermediate the ends of the corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces;
a plurality of actuation beams, each of the plurality of actuation beams suspended over the substrate to form a corresponding actuation gap, each of the plurality of actuation beams coupled to at least one of the plurality of supports to suspend a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces over the substrate, each of the plurality of actuation beams including an actuation region displaceable through the corresponding actuation gap;
a plurality of second mirror surfaces, at least a portion of each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces normal to the direction of the axis, each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces optically adjacent to at least a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces for light projected parallel to the axis, each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces separated from the corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces by a corresponding distance in the direction of the axis; and
a plurality of electrodes, each coupled to the substrate and corresponding to one of the plurality of actuation beams;
wherein when a voltage is applied between one of the plurality of actuation beams and the corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes, the actuation region is displaced through the corresponding actuation gap, the corresponding first mirror element is displaced, and the corresponding distance is changed.
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Abstract
A programmable MEMS diffractive optical processor having actuatable grating elements that are optically adjacent and supported at points intermediate the ends of the grating elements. The grating elements are maintained substantially flat during actuation of the grating elements.
92 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An electrostatically-actuated diffractive optical processor having a substrate, and an axis normal to at least a portion of a surface of the substrate comprising:
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a plurality of first mirror surfaces, each having two ends, at least a portion of each of the plurality of first mirror surfaces normal to the direction of the axis, and each suspended over the substrate and displaceable in the direction of the axis;
a plurality of supports each coupled to at least a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces at a point intermediate the ends of the corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces;
a plurality of actuation beams, each of the plurality of actuation beams suspended over the substrate to form a corresponding actuation gap, each of the plurality of actuation beams coupled to at least one of the plurality of supports to suspend a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces over the substrate, each of the plurality of actuation beams including an actuation region displaceable through the corresponding actuation gap;
a plurality of second mirror surfaces, at least a portion of each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces normal to the direction of the axis, each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces optically adjacent to at least a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces for light projected parallel to the axis, each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces separated from the corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces by a corresponding distance in the direction of the axis; and
a plurality of electrodes, each coupled to the substrate and corresponding to one of the plurality of actuation beams;
wherein when a voltage is applied between one of the plurality of actuation beams and the corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes, the actuation region is displaced through the corresponding actuation gap, the corresponding first mirror element is displaced, and the corresponding distance is changed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of processing light, comprising:
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providing an electrostatically-actuated diffractive optical processor having a substrate, and an axis normal to at least a portion of a surface of the substrate comprising (i.) a plurality of first mirror surfaces, each having two ends, at least a portion of each of the plurality first mirror surfaces normal to the direction of the axis, and each suspended over the substrate and displaceable in the direction of the axis, (ii) a plurality of supports each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces at a point intermediate the ends of the corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surfaces, and (iii) a plurality of second mirror surfaces, at least a portion of each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces being normal to the direction of the axis, each of the second mirror surfaces optically adjacent to at least a corresponding one of the plurality first mirror surfaces for light projected parallel to the axis, each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces separated from the corresponding one of the plurality of first mirror surface a corresponding distance in the direction of the axis; and
projecting light parallel to the axis onto the diffractive optical processor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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24. The method of 22, further comprising a step of suspending each of the plurality of second mirror surfaces above the substrate such that each forms a corresponding beam gap.
Specification