Methods and configurations for manufacturing hinges for micro-mirror devices
First Claim
1. A micro-mirror device comprising:
- a vertical doped semiconductor hinge comprising a vertical post supported on and extended from a substrate having a cantilever formed as a thin-narrow-plate extended from said vertical post wherein said cantilever further having a mirror supporting platform as a separate segment for supporting a micromirror thereon wherein said doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors.
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Abstract
An image display system includes an improved hinge for a micro-mirror device composed of a conductive-doped semiconductor and immune to plastic deformation at typical to extreme temperatures. The hinge is directly connected to the micro-mirror device and facilitates the manufacturing of an optically flat micro-mirror. This eliminates Fraunhofer diffraction due to recesses on the reflective surface of the micro-mirror. In addition, the hinge is hidden from incoming light thus improving contrast and fill-factor. The image display system further includes signal transmission metal traces formed on areas between the doped semiconductor hinges. The signal transmission metal traces are formed either before or after a high temperature crystallization process is applied to the hinges.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A micro-mirror device comprising:
a vertical doped semiconductor hinge comprising a vertical post supported on and extended from a substrate having a cantilever formed as a thin-narrow-plate extended from said vertical post wherein said cantilever further having a mirror supporting platform as a separate segment for supporting a micromirror thereon wherein said doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors.
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2. A micro-mirror device comprising:
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a plurality of vertical doped semiconductor hinges each including a thin-narrow-plate attached at a top end of a vertical post extended from a substrate, wherein each of the doped semiconductor hinges is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors; a supporting platform coupled to each of the hinges for supporting a mirror plate thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material; and each of the vertical doped semiconductor hinges comprising at least a cantilever or a torsion structure or a cantilever combined with a torsion structure. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A micromirror device comprising:
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a doped semiconductor hinge including a thin-narrow-plate disposed on a substrate, wherein the doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors; and a supporting platform coupled to the hinge for supporting a mirror plate thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material and the supporting platform is a part of the mirror plate, wherein the mirror plate has a concave surface area or a convex surface area.
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18. A micromirror device comprising:
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a doped semiconductor hinge including a thin-narrow-plate disposed on a substrate, wherein the doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors; and a supporting platform coupled to the hinge for supporting a mirror plate thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material; and
wherein the supporting platform has a width substantially same as or narrower than a width of the semiconductor hinge.
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19. A micromirror device comprising:
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a doped semiconductor hinge including a thin-narrow-plate disposed on a substrate, wherein the doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors; a supporting platform coupled to the hinge for supporting a mirror plate thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material; and a hinge support connecting to the doped semiconductor hinge and substrate, having a first end disposed near the doped semiconductor hinge and a second end disposed near the substrate wherein the first end has a cross sectional area smaller than a cross sectional area of said second end.
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20. A micromirror device comprising:
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a doped semiconductor hinge including a thin-narrow-plate disposed on a substrate, wherein the doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors; a supporting platform coupled to the hinge for supporting a mirror plate thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material; and a hinge support, connecting to the doped semiconductor hinge and extended from said substrate wherein the doped semiconductor hinge further includes a cantilever having a length shorter than a distance between the substrate and the mirror plate. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A projection system comprising:
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an Illumination light source for projecting an illumination beam impinging to a mirror array disposed on a semiconductor substrate wherein mirrors of said mirror array deflecting the light beam for projecting an image; each of the mirrors further comprising; a vertical doped semiconductor hinge, supporting the mirror, wherein the doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of a single crystal silicon, poly silicon or amorphous silicon and doped with an doping impurity selected from a group doping impurities consisting of group III elements, group IV elements, group V elements, and group VII elements is introduced into the semiconductor hinge; a supporting platform coupled to the hinge for supporting a mirror thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material; each of the vertical doped semiconductor hinges comprising at least a cantilever or a torsion structure or a cantilever combined with a torsion structure; and a circuit including an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate for activating the mirror wherein the mirror is electrically connecting with the circuit through the doped semiconductor hinge.
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Specification