High contrast spatial light modulator

• US 7,538,932 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pan, Shaoher X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Hung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tra; Tuyen Q
• Application Number:
  US11/776,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/293, 359/295, 359/298, 359/223, 359/224, 359/320, 359/332
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A high contrast spatial light modulator for display and printing is fabricated by coupling a high active reflection area fill-ratio and non-diffractive micro mirror array with a high electrostatic efficiency and low surface adhesion control substrate.

Claims

1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of electrodes;

a mirror plate suspended over the plurality of electrodes, the mirror plate having an upper reflective surface and a lower surface, the mirror plate having an upper layer and a lower layer, the upper layer formed of a highly reflective material and the lower layer having a different composition from the upper layer;

a support post on the substrate; and

a torsion hinge connecting the support post to the mirror plate, the torsion hinge positioned in the recess of the mirror plate and permitting the mirror plate to rotate about an axis of the torsion hinge;

wherein the lower layer includes doped silicon and an aluminum alloy.

2. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the support post is formed of doped silicon.

3. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the torsion hinge is formed of doped silicon.

4. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the doped silicon is conductive.

5. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the reflective material includes aluminum or gold.

6. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the lower surface is a surface of the lower layer.

7. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the torsion hinge is part of a lower portion of the mirror plate and is kept a minimum distance under the reflective surface to allow only a gap for a pre-determined angular rotation.

8. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the torsion hinge is along an axis perpendicular to a side edge of said mirror plate.

9. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the torsion hinge is along an axis at an acute angle to a side edge of said mirror plate.

10. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor control substrate.

11. The spatial light modulator of claim 10, wherein an electrode of the plurality of electrodes on the control substrate is electrically connected to the lower layer through the torsion hinge and the support post.

12. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein an electrode of the plurality of electrodes is a step electrode raised above the surface of the substrate.

13. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises at least one landing tip oriented perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and on one side of the hinge to stop mirror plate rotation.

14. The spatial light modulator of claim 13, wherein the lower surface of the mirror plate is electrically connected to the landing tip on the substrate through the torsion hinge and the support post.

15. An array of spatial light modulators of claim 1, wherein the array has a 96% active reflection area fill-ratio.

16. The array of claim 15, wherein the mirror plates are each 10 microns by 10 microns.