Micro mirror device

• US 7,760,415 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ignite USA (Ignite), Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Inventors: Maeda, Yoshihiro, Sugimoto, Naoya, Ichikawa, Hirotoshi, Ishii, Fusao
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; William C
• Application Number:
  US12/378,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 359/198.1, 359/199.2, 359/199.3, 359/199.4, 359/200.6, 359/200.7, 359/200.8, 359/212.1, 359/224.1, 359/290, 359/291, 359/295, 359/298
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20

Abstract

The present invention provides a mirror device, comprising: a mirror; an elastic hinge for supporting the mirror and the elastic hinge has a specific electric resistance. The mirror device further includes an electrode for controlling the mirror, wherein a voltage is applied to the elastic hinge for a predetermined period in synchronous with a change of an electric voltage applied to the electrode.

Claims

1. A mirror device, comprising:

a mirror comprises an elastic hinge for supporting the mirror and the hinge having a specific electric resistance; and

an electrode disposed near the mirror for controlling the mirror, wherein a voltage is applied to the elastic hinge for a predetermined period in synchronous with a change of an electric voltage applied to the electrode.

2. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller to control a voltage applied to the electrode to retain the mirror at a fixed position and another voltage applied to the hinge ; and

the controller applies a positive voltage change to the elastic hinge when the controller applies a negative potential change to the electrode and the controller applies a negative voltage change to the elastic hinge when the controller applies a positive potential change to the electrode.

3. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for controlling the mirror to have a smaller absolute value of an electric potential than the absolute value of the electric potential of the electrode before a voltage is applied to the elastic hinge for a predetermined time period causing a potential change in the elastic hinge.

4. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for controlling a time sequence for applying a voltage to the elastic hinge for generating a plurality of peaks of electric potentials of the mirror.

5. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for controlling a time sequence for applying a voltage to the mirror for a predetermined period for generating a smaller electric potential in the mirror than a retained electric potential of the mirror.

6. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for controlling a voltage applying to the elastic hinge to generate a smaller Coulomb force between the mirror and the electrode.

7. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for applying a voltage to the elastic hinge for a predetermined period for stopping a free oscillation of the mirror within a time period equal to or smaller than a time period of one mirror oscillation cycle.

8. The mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for applying a voltage to the elastic hinge for a predetermined period for generating a Coulomb force between the mirror and the electrode for moving the mirror in a direction away from the electrode when the Coulomb force is decreasing and for obstructing the mirror from shifting when the Coulomb force is increasing.

9. The mirror device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a controller for terminating a voltage applied to said electrode for withdrawing the Coulomb force to operate the mirror with a free oscillation.

10. The mirror device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a controller for terminating a voltage applied to said electrode for withdrawing the Coulomb force to position the mirror at an angular position away from the electrode.