Mirror device

• US 8,134,767 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• 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:
  US12/657,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20100128335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 359/198.1, 359/199.2, 359/200.6, 359/224.1, 359/290, 359/295, 359/298
• US Class Current: 359/224.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A mirror device comprises: an electrode which is covered with a protective film made of a material containing a semiconductor material and is placed on a substrate; a mirror placed above the electrode; and an electrically conductive hinge placed between the mirror and the electrode, wherein an opening part is formed in a part of the protective film, and the hinge penetrates the protective film in the opening part thereof.

Claims

1. A MEMS device, comprising:

a fixed electrode covered with a protective film disposed on a substrate;

a movable electrode disposed above the fixed electrode; and

a hinge composed of a semiconductor material selected from a group of materials consisted of a single crystal silicon, a polysilicon, and an amorphous silicon and joined to the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, wherein the hinge has a resistance is higher than the movable electrode and the fixed electrode.

2. The MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein:

the hinge further having a horizontal upper part and horizontal lower part joined to the movable electrode and the fixed electrode respectively and the width (W) of the horizontal upper part is greater than a distance between the horizontal lower part and the horizontal upper part.