Hinge for micro-mirror devices

• US 20060034006A1
• Filed: 08/14/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ignite USA (Ignite)
• Original Assignee: Fusao Ishii
• Inventors: Ishii, Fusao
• Granted Patent: US 7,183,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/904 Micromirror

Abstract

An improved hinge for a micro-mirror device composed of a conductive doped semiconductor and immune to plastic deformation at typical to extreme temperatures. The hinge is directly connected to the micro-mirror device and facilitates the manufacturing of an optically flat micro-mirror. This eliminates Fraunhofer diffraction due to recesses on the reflective surface of the micro-mirror. In addition, the hinge is hidden from incoming light thus improving contrast and fill-factor

Claims

1. A hinge for a micro-mirror device comprising a doped semiconductor wherein said hinge is hidden from incident light and is of a type selected from the group consisting of cantilever hinge, vertical cantilever hinge, torsion hinge, and compound torsion vertical cantilever hinge.

2. The hinge of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors.

3. The hinge of claim 2 wherein the source of said semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of deposition by solid-phase epitaxy, deposition by vapor-phase epitaxy, deposition by liquid-phase epitaxy, deposition by molecular-beam epitaxy, thin film deposition by physical evaporation, thin film deposition by electron-beam evaporation, thin film deposition by filament evaporation, thin film deposition by flash evaporation, thin film deposition by sputtering, thin film deposition by CVD, bulk substrate wafer slice from single crystal ingot, SOS substrate, and SOI substrate.

4. The hinge of claim 3 wherein an impurity selected from the group consisting of group III elements, group IV elements, group V elements, and group VII elements is introduced into said semiconductor.

5. The hinge of claim 4 wherein said impurity is introduced by a process selected from the group consisting of ion-implantation, constant-source diffusion, limited-source diffusion, two-step diffusion, substrate autodoping, substrate out-diffusion, in situ deposition, and in situ crystallization.

6. The hinge of claim 5 wherein the source type of said impurity is selected from the group consisting of solid, liquid, vapor, and gas.

7. The hinge of claim 6 wherein the source of said impurity is selected from the group consisting of PSG, BSG, BPSG, AsSG, SbSG, Arsine, diborane, phosphine, boron trioxide, trimethylborate, boron nitride, boron tribromide, phosphorus pentoxide, ammonium monophosphate, ammonium diphosphate, phosphorus oxychloride, arsenic trioxide, antimony trioxide, antimony pentachloride, silane, dichlorosilane, and stabine.

8. The hinge of claim 7 wherein said semiconductor is annealed by a process selected from the group consisting of furnace annealing, laser annealing, rapid thermal annealing, lamp annealing, and electrical conduction heating.

9. The hinge of claim 8 wherein said micro-mirror is assembled by a process selected from the group consisting of self-assembly, adhesive bonding, silicon fusion bonding, anodic bonding, and monolithic fabrication.

10. The hinge of claim 9 wherein said micro-mirror is used for projection displays.

11. The hinge of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and single crystal silicon.

12. The hinge of claim 11 wherein the source of said semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of deposition by solid-phase epitaxy, deposition by vapor-phase epitaxy, deposition by liquid-phase epitaxy, deposition by molecular-beam epitaxy, thin film deposition by physical evaporation, thin film deposition by electron-beam evaporation, thin film deposition by filament evaporation, thin film deposition by flash evaporation, thin film deposition by sputtering, thin film deposition by CVD, bulk substrate wafer slice from a single crystal ingot, SOS substrate, and SOI substrate.

13. The hinge of claim 12 wherein an impurity selected from the group consisting of group III elements, group IV elements, group V elements and group VII elements is introduced into said semiconductor.

14. The hinge of claim 13 wherein said impurity is introduced by a process selected from the group consisting of ion-implantation, constant-source diffusion, limited-source diffusion, two-step diffusion, substrate autodoping, substrate out-diffusion, in situ deposition, and in situ crystallization.

15. The hinge of claim 14 wherein the source type of said impurity is selected from the group consisting of solid, liquid, vapor, and gas.

16. The hinge of claims 15 wherein the source of said impurity is selected from the group consisting of PSG, BSG, BPSG, AsSG, SbSG, Arsine, diborane, phosphine, boron trioxide, trimethylborate, boron nitride, boron tribromide, phosphorus pentoxide, ammonium monophosphate, ammonium diphosphate, phosphorus oxychloride, arsenic trioxide, antimony trioxide, antimony pentachloride, silane, dichlorosilane, and stabine.

17. The hinge of claim 16 wherein said semiconductor is annealed by a process selected from the group consisting of furnace annealing, laser annealing, rapid thermal annealing, lamp annealing, and electrical conduction heating.

18. The hinge of claim 17 wherein said micro-mirror is assembled by a process selected from the group consisting of self-assembly, adhesive bonding, silicon fusion bonding, anodic bonding, and monolithic fabrication.

19. The hinge of claim 18 wherein said micro-mirror is used for projection displays.