Micro-electro-mechanical systems micromirrors and micromirror arrays

• US 9,036,231 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alberta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tiansheng Zhou
• Inventors: Zhou, Tiansheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, Jennifer L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCGEE, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US13/267,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 3591981-1994, 3592006-2008, 359/202.1, 359/221.2, 3592231-2251, 359/226.2, 359/904, 359290-295, 359/838, 359/846, 359/871, 359/872, 250/204, 250/559.06, 250/559.29, 250/230, 250/234, 347255-260, 353/39, 353 98- 99, 385 15- 18, 385/22, 398/12, 398/19, 398/45
• US Class Current: 359/200.6
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129

Abstract

A micromirror and micromirror array may have a first stationary structure, and a mirror structure connected to a first pivoting structure that pivots the mirror structure relative to the first stationary structure about a first axis of rotation. A first comb drive pivots the mirror structure about the first axis of rotation. The first comb drive has a first portion attached to the stationary structure and a second portion attached to the mirror structure, the first portion being electrically isolated from the second portion. The micromirror or micromirror array may be mounted to a Through Silicon Via (TSV) wafer having electrical connections that extend between a first side and a second side of the TSV wafer such that the first and second portions of each comb drive are electrically connected to the electrical connections.

Claims

1. A micromirror comprising:

a mirror structure comprising a mirror surface, and the mirror structure being rotatably mounted to a substrate by a first pivoting structure having a first pivot axis and a second pivoting structure having a second pivot axis;

a first comb drive for rotating the mirror structure about the first pivot axis and a second comb drive that is parallel to the first comb drive for rotating the mirror structure about the second pivot axis, each of the first and second comb drives comprising a fixed portion and a movable portion, the fixed portion of each comb drive being fixed and non-pivotable relative to the substrate; and

with the mirror structure in a non-actuated position, at least the mirror structure, the first pivoting structure and the moveable portions of each comb drive being in a common plane and the moveable portions of each comb drive being spaced outward in the common plane relative to the mirror surface.

2. The micromirror of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a Through Silicon Via (TSV) substrate comprising electrical connections, at least one electrical connection connecting directly to the fixed portions of the first and second comb drives.

3. The micromirror of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pivoting structures are connected between the mirror structure and anchor points, the anchor points being stationary relative to the substrate.

4. The micromirror of claim 3, wherein each anchor point is an electrical connection.

5. The micromirror of claim 3, wherein at least one anchor point is electrically connected to the fixed portion of the second comb drive.

6. The micromirror of claim 1, wherein each of the fixed portion and the second portion of the moveable comb drive comprise comb fingers that extend in a direction, the direction having a component that is parallel to the second pivot axis.

7. The micromirror of claim 1, wherein the first comb drive, the second comb drive and the mirror structure being disposed along the first pivot axis.

8. The micromirror of claim 1, wherein the second comb drive is at least one of opposite the mirror structure relative to the first comb drive or between the first comb drive and the mirror structure.

9. A micromirror comprising:

a first support structure, a second support structure, and a mirror structure comprising a frame and a mirror, the frame circumscribing the mirror, the second support structure being fixed and non-pivotable relative to the first support structure;

a first pivoting structure having a first axis of rotation and connecting the first support structure and the mirror structure;

a first comb drive having a first portion attached to the first support structure and a second portion attached to the frame of the mirror structure, the first comb drive rotating the frame about the first axis of rotation;

a second pivoting structure having a second axis of rotation and connecting the frame to the mirror;

a second comb drive parallel to the first comb drive and positioned within the frame, the second comb drive having a first portion attached to the second support structure and a second portion attached to the mirror;

with the mirror structure in a non-actuated position, at least the mirror structure, the first and the second pivoting structures, and the second portions of the first and second comb drives being in a common plane, the second portions of the first and the second comb drives being spaced outward in the common plane relative to the mirror.

10. The micromirror of claim 9, comprising a Through Silicon Via (TSV) substrate having electrical connections, each of the first and second portions of the first and second comb drives being mounted above a separate electrical connection.

11. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the electrical connections are posts that suspend the micromirror above the TSV substrate.

12. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the TSV substrate comprises a cavity that accommodates rotation of the micromirror about the first and second axes of rotation.

13. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the micromirror is formed from a single layer of material.

14. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the micromirror is formed from a plurality of layers of material.

15. The micromirror of claim 14, wherein the first portions of the first and second comb drives are formed from a first layer of material and the second portions of the first and second comb drives are formed from a second layer of material.

16. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the first comb drive is outside the frame relative to the mirror.

17. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the first comb drive comprises a plurality of first portions and a plurality of second portions, the first portions being connected to at least two different electrical connections.

18. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the second comb drive comprises a plurality of first portions and a plurality of second portions, the first portions being connected to at least two different electrical connections.

19. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein each of the first portion and the second portion of the second comb drive comprise comb fingers that extend in a direction, the direction having a component that is parallel to the second axis of rotation.

20. The micromirror of claim 9, wherein the first portion of the first comb drive and the first portion of the second comb drive are stationary relative to each other.

21. A micromirror array, comprising:

an array of micromirrors, each micromirror comprising;

a first stationary structure;

a mirror structure comprising a mirror surface, and the mirror structure being connected to a first pivoting structure that pivots the mirror structure relative to the first stationary structure about a first axis of rotation;

a first comb drive pivoting the mirror structure about the first axis of rotation, the first comb drive having a first portion attached to the first stationary structure and a second portion attached to the mirror structure, the first portion being electrically isolated from the second portion;

a second pivoting structure having a second axis of rotation connecting the mirror structure to the second portion of the first comb drive, the first axis of rotation being non-parallel to the second axis of rotation;

a second comb drive pivoting the mirror structure about the second axis of rotation, the second comb drive being parallel to the first comb drive, the second comb drive having a first portion carried by a second stationary structure and a second portion carried by the mirror structure, the first portion being electrically isolated from the second portion and the first stationary structure being fixed and non-pivotable relative to the second stationary structure;

with the mirror structure in a non-actuated position, at least the mirror structure, the first and the second pivoting structures, and the second portions of the first and the second comb drives being in a common plane and the first and second comb drives being spaced outward in the common plane relative to the mirror surface;

a Through Silicon Via (TSV) wafer having electrical connections that extend between a first side and a second side of the TSV wafer, the array of micromirrors being mounted above the TSV wafer such that the first and second portions of each of the first and second comb drives are electrically connected to the electrical connections.

22. The micromirror of claim 21, wherein the electrical connections comprise posts that suspend the micromirror above the TSV wafer.

23. The micromirror array of claim 21, wherein the TSV wafer comprises a cavity below the mirror structure.

24. The micromirror array of claim 21, wherein the mirror structure comprises a mirror and a structural frame, the second portion of the first comb drive being connected to the frame.

25. The micromirror array of claim 21, wherein the first comb drive comprises a plurality of first and second portions.

26. The micromirror array of claim 24, wherein the second comb drive is positioned within the structural frame.

27. The micrornirror array of claim 21, wherein each of the first portion and the second portion of the second comb drive comprise comb fingers that extend in a direction, the direction having a component that is parallel to the second axis of rotation.

28. The micromirror array of claim 21, wherein the first and second portions of at least one comb drive are formed from a single wafer.

29. The micromirror array of claim 28, wherein the first and second portions of at least one comb drive are electrically isolated by an isolation trench.

30. The micromirror array of claim 21, wherein the first and second portions of at least one comb drive are formed from separate wafers.