Hidden hinge MEMS device

• US 7,567,375 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micronic Laser Systems AB (Mycronic AB)
• Original Assignee: Micronic Laser Systems AB (Mycronic AB)
• Inventors: Bring, Martin, Enoksson, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Hung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tra; Tuyen Q
• Application Number:
  US12/078,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/295, 359/220, 359/222, 359/223, 359/224, 359/320, 359/298
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0035 Constitution or structural means for controlling the movement of the flexible or deformable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a MEMS device, including the actions of: providing a substrate having a back and front surface essentially in parallel with each other, defining in said substrate at least one hidden support by removing material from said substrate, connecting said at least one hidden support onto a wafer with at least one actuation electrode capable to actuate at least a part of said substrate, wherein a rotational axis of said reflective surface is essentially perpendicular to said hidden support. The invention also relates to the MEMS as such.

Claims

1. A MEMS device comprising:

a first substrate having at least one reflective surface, at least one hidden support, and at least one leg, the at least one reflective surface, the at least one hidden support and the at least one leg being an integral portion of the first substrate;

wherein

said hidden support is hidden underneath said reflective surface, and

said at least one leg has a first surface essentially perpendicular to said reflective surface and a second electrostatically attractable surface essentially in parallel with said reflective surface, said electrostatically attractable surface being operable to rotate the reflective surface around a rotational axis.

2. The MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said hidden hinge is essentially perpendicular to said reflective surface.

3. The MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said MEMS device is an SLM.

4. The MEMS device according to claim 3, wherein said SLM comprises:

at least one mirror element;

wherein the at least one reflective surface serves as the at least one mirror element.

5. The MEMS device according to claim 4, wherein said at least one mirror element is deflectable by bending said hidden support while said at least one mirror element is kept essentially rigid when deflected.

6. The MEMS device according to claim 3, wherein said SLM comprises:

at least one mirror element with a surface having diffractive properties.

7. The MEMS device according to claim 6, wherein said at least one mirror element is deflectable by bending said hidden support while said at least one mirror element is kept essentially rigid when deflected.

8. The MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said first substrate is doped.

9. The MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said reflective surface is rotatable in a first and a second direction from a non actuated state.

10. The MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein an actuation electrode is configured to actuate said reflective surface electrostatically, magnetically, piezoelectrically or thermally.

11. The MEMS device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one actuation electrode provided on a second substrate, said second substrate being operable for actuating said reflective surface;

wherein

said second substrate is connected to said first substrate and said rotational axis of said reflective surface is essentially perpendicular to said hidden support.

12. The MEMS device according to claim 11, wherein said second substrate is a wafer.