Imager method and apparatus employing photonic crystals
First Claim
1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) element for an optoelectronic device, the element comprising:
- a substrate;
a support structure over the substrate;
an insulating layer supported by the support structure;
a plurality of pillars forming a photonic crystal structure on the insulating layer, the pillars being spaced apart from each other; and
a metal layer in contact with at least a portion of the pillars, the support structure configured to be controllable by applied voltages to displace the photonic crystal structure with respect to a surface of the substrate to selectively permit electromagnetic wavelengths to reach a photo-conversion device based upon voltage applied to the metal layer.
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Abstract
An image sensor and a method of forming an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate. Each pixel cell has a photo-conversion device. At least one a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) element including a photonic crystal structure is provided over at least one of the pixel cells. The MEMS-based photonic crystal element is supported by a support structure and configured to selectively permit electromagnetic wavelengths to reach the photo-conversion device upon application of a voltage. As such, the MEMS-based photonic crystal element of the invention can replace or compliment conventional filters, e.g., color filter arrays.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) element for an optoelectronic device, the element comprising:
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a substrate; a support structure over the substrate; an insulating layer supported by the support structure; a plurality of pillars forming a photonic crystal structure on the insulating layer, the pillars being spaced apart from each other; and a metal layer in contact with at least a portion of the pillars, the support structure configured to be controllable by applied voltages to displace the photonic crystal structure with respect to a surface of the substrate to selectively permit electromagnetic wavelengths to reach a photo-conversion device based upon voltage applied to the metal layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of forming a micro-electro-mechanical system element for an optoelectronic device, the method comprising the acts of:
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providing a substrate; providing a support structure over the substrate; forming an insulating layer supported by the support structure; forming a layer of a photonic crystal material over the insulating layer; patterning the photonic crystal material layer to form a plurality of pillars forming a photonic crystal structure, the pillars formed spaced apart from each other and each having a height and a horizontal cross-sectional shape; and forming a metal layer in contact with at least a portion of the pillars, the support structure configured to be controllable to displace the photonic crystal structure with respect to a surface of the substrate to selectively permit electromagnetic wavelengths to reach a photo-conversion device based upon a voltage applied to the metal layer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification