Mircromirror device having a vertical hinge

• US 8,199,394 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ignite USA (Ignite), Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Inventors: Ishii, Fusao, Maeda, Yoshihiro, Ichikawa, Hirotoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US12/804,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20100284057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 359/224.1, 359/290, 359/295
• US Class Current: 359/224.1
• 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

Abstract

A mirror device comprises: a plurality of electrodes disposed on a substrate; a hinge connected to at least one of the electrodes; a mirror connected to the hinge and corresponding to at least one of the electrodes, wherein a barrier layer is comprised between the hinge and mirror, and/or between the hinge and electrode. Also noted is a mirror device production method for producing such-configured mirror device. Further noted is a projection apparatus comprising such-configured mirror device.

Claims

1. A mirror device, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes disposed on a substrate;

a hinge connected to at least one of the electrodes and the hinge stands on said substrate extending along substantially a vertical direction from the substrate; and

said hinge supports a mirror disposed on top of said hinge along substantially a horizontal direction wherein a cross sectional area of said hinge near the electrode is less than a cross sectional area of said hinge near said mirror.

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

a length of the hinge is approximately 2 μ

m or smaller, and

the mirror is substantially a square mirror wherein each side of said square mirror having a length approximately 10 μ

m or smaller.

3. A projection apparatus comprising a mirror device including a plurality of mirror elements for reflecting an incident light projected from a light thereto wherein:

the mirror device further comprises a mirror disposed on top of and supported on a vertical hinge extending substantially along a vertical direction from a substrate; and

a hinge electrode disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the hinge, and

a control circuit including a capacitor placed inside the substrate, and

an electrode disposed inside said substrate under a top surface of said substrate and connected to the control circuit.

4. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

a length of the hinge is approximately 2 μ

m or smaller, and

the mirror is substantially a square mirror wherein each side of said square mirror having a length approximately 10 μ

m or smaller.

5. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the surface of the electrode and the surface of the hinge electrode having approximately a height from a top surface of said substrate.

6. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the surface of the electrode comprises a protective layer composed of silicon.

7. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the light source is a laser light source.

8. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a barrier layer disposed between the hinge and mirror, and/or between the hinge and the electrode.

9. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:

at least two electrodes disposed near said hinge and at least one of said two electrode is disposed on the substrate.

10. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

a top surface of the mirror comprising a surface structure with a step having a depth and height relative to said top surface of the mirror wherein said depth or height are substantially smaller than a wavelength of said incident light projected from the light source.

11. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

at least a part of the electrode is formed as a convex electrode relative to a top surface of the substrate, and

the deflection angle of the mirror is maintained constant by configuring an electrode as a stopper for contacting said mirror thus prevent said mirror from further deflections.

12. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said hinge supports a mirror disposed on top of said hinge along substantially a horizontal direction wherein a cross sectional area of said hinge near the electrode is less than or equal to a cross sectional area of said hinge near said mirror.

13. The projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said hinge supports a mirror disposed on top of said hinge along substantially a horizontal direction wherein a width of said hinge is greater than or equal to a length of said hinge and said length of said hinge is greater than a thickness of said hinge.