MEMS device and methods for manufacturing thereof, light modulation device, GLV device and methods for manufacturing thereof, and laser display

• US 7,102,808 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2003
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kasai, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US10/474,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/295, 359/223, 359/224, 359/320, 359/566, 359/572, 359/573
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0109 Bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0083 Optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements

Abstract

The present invention provides a MEMS device and methods for manufacturing thereof, in which planarizing the surface of a beam and improving performance of the MEMS device are aimed. In addition, the present invention provides a light modulation device and a GLV device in which this MEMS device is used, and methods for manufacturing thereof; and further, a laser display using this GLV device. According to the present invention, a MEMS device includes a substrate side electrode and a beam that is disposed so as to oppose the substrate side electrode and is driven by electrostatic attraction force or electrostatic repulsion force that acts between the substrate side electrode and the driving side electrode, with the substrate side electrode being formed of a single-crystalline semiconductor layer.

Claims

1. A GLV device comprising:

a first substrate;

a common substrate side electrode; and

a plurality of beams that are independently disposed in parallel to each other and that each have light reflective film cum driving side electrodes driven by electrostatic attraction force or electrostatic repulsion force that acts between the substrate side electrode and said driving side electrode, said substrate side electrode being formed of a single-crystalline semiconductor layer,

wherein said substrate side electrode is formed on an insulated surface of the first substrate,

wherein said plurality of beams are formed on the insulated surface of the first substrate, such that each beam straddles and is spaced apart from a top surface of said substrate side electrode, and

wherein said substrate side electrode is an epitaxial growth layer that grows on the insulated surface of the first substrate.

2. The GLV device according to claim 1, wherein the common substrate side electrode is formed of a single crystalline semiconductor layer formed on the insulated surface of the first substrate.

3. The GLV device according to claim 1, wherein using an SOI substrate having a single-crystalline semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate through an insulation film, said common substrate side electrode is formed of said single-crystalline semiconductor layer.

4. A method for manufacturing a GLV device, comprising the steps of:

forming a common substrate side electrode made of a single-crystalline semiconductor layer on an insulated surface of a first substrate;

forming, selectively, a sacrificial layer including the upper part of said substrate side electrode through or not through an insulation film;

forming a plurality of beams having light reflection cum driving side electrodes disposed independently in parallel to each other on said sacrificial layer, such that each beam straddles and is spaced apart from a top surface of said substrate side electrode; and

removing said sacrificial layer,

wherein forming said common substrate side electrode includes growing an epitaxial growth layer on the insulated surface of said first substrate.

5. The method for manufacturing a GLV device according to claim 4, wherein using an SOI substrate having a single-crystalline semiconductor layer I on a semiconductor substrate through an insulation layer, said common substrate side electrode is formed of said single-crystalline semiconductor layer.

6. A laser display including a laser light beam source and a GLV device that is disposed on the optical axis of the laser light beam emitted from said laser light beam source and that modulates the strength of the laser light beam, wherein said GLV device comprises:

a first substrate;

a common substrate side electrode; and

a plurality of beams that are independently disposed in parallel to each other to oppose said common substrate side electrode,

wherein said common substrate side electrode has a light reflective film cum driving side electrode driven by electrostatic attraction force or electrostatic repulsion force that acts between the substrate side electrode and said driving side electrode,

wherein said common substrate side electrode is formed of a single-crystalline semiconductor layer and is formed on an insulated surface of the first substrate,

wherein said plurality of beams are formed on the insulated surface of the first substrate, such that each beam straddles and is spaced apart from a top surface of said substrate side electrode, and

wherein said substrate side electrode is an epitaxial growth layer that grows on the insulated surface of the first substrate.