Structure body electrically connected via semiconductor material layer

• US 8,045,254 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2009
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Inventors: Maeda, Yoshihiro, Ichikawa, Hirotoshi, Ishii, Fusao
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US12/590,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 359/212.1, 359/223.1, 359/224.1, 359/224.2, 359/290, 359/295
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• 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 discloses an image display system implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a plurality of pixel elements wherein each of the pixel elements further comprises an electrode having a structural body comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; and a semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer and the semiconductor layer further comprises a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer.

Claims

1. An image display system implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a plurality of pixel elements wherein each of the pixel elements comprising:

an electrode having a structure body includes a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer;

the structure body further includes a semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer wherein the semiconductor layer further comprising a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer; and

at least one of the first and second conductive layer is a metal layer covered by the semiconductor layer.

2. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the doped conductive area of the semiconductor layer further having a dopant concentration equal to or greater than 10¹⁶/cm³.

3. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the doped conductive area of the semiconductor layer further having a resistance equal to or less than 1 giga-ohms.

4. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the semiconductor layer further comprises an annealed semiconductor layer annealed by applying an annealing temperature below an aluminum melting temperature.

5. The image display system according to claim 1 wherein:

the semiconductor layer further comprises an annealed semiconductor layer annealed by applying an annealing temperature between 400°

C. and 450°

C.

6. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the doped conductive area of the semiconductor layer further having a same or greater area than a contact area between said semiconductor layer and said first and second electrical conductive layers.

7. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first electric conductive layer further comprises a movable body and said first and second conductive layers are controlled by a voltage applied to the semiconductor layer.

8. The image display system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a drive electrode for applying a voltage for driving the movable body.

9. The image display system according to claim 7, wherein:

the movable body comprises a reflection surface for reflecting electromagnetic waves projected thereon.

10. The image display system according to claim 9, wherein:

the reflection surface comprises an optimized reflection surface for reflecting a visible light.

11. The image display system according to claim 1 wherein:

the plurality of pixel elements are configured as a pixel array.

12. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the pixel elements further comprising a deflectable mirror and the electrode further comprises a drive electrode for applying a voltage to control the micromirror.

13. An image display system implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a plurality of pixel elements wherein each of the pixel elements comprising:

an electrode having a structure body includes a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer;

the structure body further includes a semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer wherein the semiconductor layer further comprising a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer; and

at least one of the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer is composed with a material containing aluminum, and

the semiconductor layer further comprises an annealed semiconductor layer annealed by using a gas containing hydrogen.

14. An image display system implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a plurality of pixel elements wherein each of the pixel elements comprising:

an electrode having a structure body includes a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer;

the structure body further includes a semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer wherein the semiconductor layer further comprising a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer; and

the doped conductive area of the semiconductor layer further comprises multiple sub-doped conductive areas on said semiconductor layer.

15. An image display system implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a plurality of pixel elements wherein each of the pixel elements comprising:

an electrode having a structure body includes a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer;

the structure body further includes a semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer wherein the semiconductor layer further comprising a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer;

an electric conductive movable body, and

a second semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and the conductive movable body and the second semiconductor layer further comprises a second doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and the conductive movable body.

16. The image display system according to claim 15, wherein:

the semiconductor layer, the first electrically conductive layer and the second semiconductor layer are applied a voltage to control the movable body and the second electric conductive layer.

17. The image display system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a drive electrode for applying a voltage for driving the conductive movable body.

18. The image display system according to claim 15, wherein:

the conductive movable body comprises a reflection surface for reflecting electromagnetic waves projected thereon.

19. The image display system according to claim 18, wherein:

the reflection surface comprises an optimized reflection surface for reflecting a visible light.

20. The image display system according to claim 15, comprising:

the plurality of pixel elements are configured as a pixel array.

21. The image display system according to claim 15, wherein:

the second semiconductor layer and the semiconductor material layer are composed of a same semiconductor material.

22. An image display system implemented with a mirror device comprising:

a plurality of micromirrors each supported on a deflectable hinge electrically connected to the micromirror;

a hinge electrode for applying a voltage to the hinge and the micromirror electrically connected to the hinge;

a drive electrode for applying a second voltage independent from the voltage applied to of the hinge electrode;

a drive circuit for controlling the hinge electrode and the drive electrode; and

a semiconductor layer comprising a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the hinge and hinge electrode, hinge electrode and drive circuit, or the drive electrode and drive circuit.