Method for manufacturing an array of interferometric modulators
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing an array of interferometric modulators, each interferometric modulator comprising first and second optical layers which when the interferometric modulator is in an undriven state are spaced by a gap of one size, and when the interferometric modulator is in a driven state are spaced by a gap of another size, the size of the gap determining an optical response of the interferometric modulator, the method comprising:
- fabricating an interferometric modulator of a first type characterized by a first gap size between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state;
fabricating an interferometric modulator of a second type characterized by a second gap size between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state;
fabricating an interferometric modulator of a third type characterized by a third gap size between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state,wherein fabricating the interferometric modulators of the first, second, and third types comprises;
depositing a first sacrificial layer, the first sacrificial layer having a first thickness;
depositing a second sacrificial layer over the first sacrificial layer, the second sacrificial layer having a second thickness;
depositing a third sacrificial layer over the second sacrificial layer, the third sacrificial layer having a third thickness;
patterning at least two of the first, second, and third sacrificial layers;
wherein the first gap size is equal to or greater than a sum of the first, second, and third thicknesses;
wherein the second gap size is equal to or greater than a sum of two of the first, second, and third thicknesses; and
wherein the third gap size is equal to or greater than one of the first, second, and third thicknesses.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for manufacturing an array of interferometric modulators. Each interferometric modulator comprises first and second optical layers which when the interferometric modulator is in an undriven state are spaced by a gap of one size, and when the interferometric modulator is in a driven state are spaced by a gap of another size, the size of the gap determining an optical response of the interferometric modulator. The method comprises fabricating interferometric modulators of a first type characterized by the size of the gap between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state; fabricating interferometric modulators of a second type characterized by the size of the gap between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state; and fabricating interferometric modulators of a third type characterized by the size of the gap between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state, wherein fabricating the interferometric modulators of the first, second, and third types comprises using a sequence of deposition and patterning steps of not more than 9 masking steps to deposit and pattern layers of material on a substrate.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing an array of interferometric modulators, each interferometric modulator comprising first and second optical layers which when the interferometric modulator is in an undriven state are spaced by a gap of one size, and when the interferometric modulator is in a driven state are spaced by a gap of another size, the size of the gap determining an optical response of the interferometric modulator, the method comprising:
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fabricating an interferometric modulator of a first type characterized by a first gap size between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state; fabricating an interferometric modulator of a second type characterized by a second gap size between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state; fabricating an interferometric modulator of a third type characterized by a third gap size between its first and second optical layers when in the undriven state, wherein fabricating the interferometric modulators of the first, second, and third types comprises; depositing a first sacrificial layer, the first sacrificial layer having a first thickness; depositing a second sacrificial layer over the first sacrificial layer, the second sacrificial layer having a second thickness; depositing a third sacrificial layer over the second sacrificial layer, the third sacrificial layer having a third thickness; patterning at least two of the first, second, and third sacrificial layers; wherein the first gap size is equal to or greater than a sum of the first, second, and third thicknesses; wherein the second gap size is equal to or greater than a sum of two of the first, second, and third thicknesses; and wherein the third gap size is equal to or greater than one of the first, second, and third thicknesses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification