Electromechanical device with optical function separated from mechanical and electrical function

• US 7,944,599 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kogut, Lior, Chiang, Chih-Wei, Tung, Yeh-Jiun, Chui, Clarence, Cummings, William, Tung, Ming-Hau, Gally, Brian, Endisch, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester; Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US11/772,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 359/223, 359/224, 359290-292, 359/295, 359/298, 359/318, 345/85, 345/108
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/047 Optical MEMS not provided for in B81B2201/042 - B81B2201/045
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0051 For defining the movement, i.e. structures that guide or limit the movement of an element mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock H01H3/60
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/023 comprising movable attenuating elements, e.g. neutral density filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0128 based on electro-mechanical, magneto-mechanical, elasto-optic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133621 providing coloured light G02F1/133617, G02F1/133533 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3696 Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device includes a substrate, a movable element over the substrate, and an actuation electrode above the movable element. The movable element includes a deformable layer and a reflective element. The deformable layer is spaced from the reflective element.

Claims

1. An electromechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

an actuation electrode;

a movable element being between the substrate and the actuation electrode, the movable element comprising a deformable layer and a reflective element, the deformable layer spaced from the reflective element; and

an optical layer, wherein light incident on the reflective element is reflected from the reflective element, the incident light and the reflected light propagating through the optical layer and not propagating through the actuation electrode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises the optical layer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the substrate is in contact with the reflective element when no voltage is applied to the actuation electrode.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second actuation electrode between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the movable element is responsive to voltages applied to the actuation electrode by moving generally in a first direction and wherein the movable element is responsive to voltages applied to the second actuation electrode by moving generally in a second direction, the second direction substantially opposite the first direction.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a stationary element acts as a stop for movement of the movable element, the stationary element disposed between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a second actuation electrode.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the substrate is spaced from the reflective element when no voltage is applied to the actuation electrode.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

14. The device of claim 9, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

15. An electromechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

an actuation electrode; and

a movable element being between the substrate and the actuation electrode, the movable element comprising a deformable layer and a reflective element, the deformable layer spaced from the reflective element, wherein a top surface of the substrate is in contact with the reflective element when no voltage is applied to the actuation electrode.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a second actuation electrode between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the movable element is responsive to voltages applied to the actuation electrode by moving generally in a first direction and wherein the movable element is responsive to voltages applied to the second actuation electrode by moving generally in a second direction, the second direction substantially opposite the first direction.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein a stationary element acts as a stop for movement of the movable element, the stationary element disposed between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the substrate comprises a second actuation electrode.

20. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a display;

a processor configured to communicate with the display and configured to process image data; and

a memory device configured to communicate with the processor.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

23. The device of claim 20, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

25. The device of claim 20, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

26. An electromechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

an actuation electrode;

a movable element being between the substrate and the actuation electrode, the movable element comprising a deformable layer and a reflective element, the deformable layer spaced from the reflective element; and

a second actuation electrode between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the movable element is responsive to voltages applied to the actuation electrode by moving generally in a first direction and wherein the movable element is responsive to voltages applied to the second actuation electrode by moving generally in a second direction, the second direction substantially opposite the first direction.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein a stationary element acts as a stop for movement of the movable element, the stationary element disposed between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the substrate includes the actuation electrode.

30. The device of claim 26, further comprising:

a display;

a processor configured to communicate with the display and configured to process image data; and

a memory device configured to communicate with the processor.

31. The device of claim 30, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

32. The device of claim 31, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

33. The device of claim 30, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

35. The device of claim 30, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

36. An electromechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

an actuation electrode; and

a movable element being between the substrate and the actuation electrode, the movable element comprising a deformable layer and a reflective element, the deformable layer spaced from the reflective element, wherein a stationary element acts as a stop for movement of the movable element, the stationary element disposed between the deformable layer and the reflective element.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the substrate comprises a second actuation electrode.

38. The device of claim 36, further comprising:

a display;

a processor configured to communicate with the display and configured to process image data; and

a memory device configured to communicate with the processor.

39. The device of claim 38, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

40. The device of claim 39, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

41. The device of claim 38, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

43. The device of claim 38, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.