Light Blocking Electrical Interconnect

• US 20070206269A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Martin
• Original Assignee: Eric Martin
• Inventors: Martin, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/11 Anti-reflection coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26

Abstract

An electrical interconnect to block light for use with an array of micro electromechanical machines separated by the first breaks includes a layer of an electrically conductive and an electrically isolated portions separated by second breaks configured to cross the first breaks on multiple sides of one of the micro electromechanical machines.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a circuitry layer;

a movable member;

a conductive layer between the circuitry and the movable member;

a conductive plate between the movable member and the conductive layer;

a first charge transmitting flexure extending from the conductive layer to the movable member; and

a second charge transmitting flexure extending from the 11 conductive layer to the movable member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is electrically isolated from the conductive plate.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is part of a display.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the device is part of a spatial light modulator.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable member is semi-transparent and semi-reflective.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the conductive plate is reflective.

7. The device of claim 1 including a third charge transmitting flexure extending from the conductive layer to the movable member.

8. The device of claim 1 including a fourth charge transmitting flexure extending from the conductive layer to the movable member.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable member has a center point and wherein the conductive layer extends opposite the center point.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable member has a first face with a first surface area and wherein the electrical interconnect layer has a second face facing the first face and having a second surface area of at least 80% of the first surface area.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical interconnect area has a surface area of at least 70 square microns opposite the movable member.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical interconnect layer is non-rectangular.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable member has a first edge and a second opposite edge and wherein the electrical interconnect layer spans the first edge and the second edge.

14. A light modulator comprising:

a pixel plate;

a circuitry layer;

a conductive plate between the circuitry layer and the pixel plate; and

means spanning the pixel plate for transmitting electrical charge from the circuit layer to the pixel plate.

15. A method of actuating a light modulator, the method comprising:

charging a conductive plate spanning pixel plates on a first side of the conductive plate from a periphery of the conductive plate; and

charging the pixel plates to distinct voltages via distinct electrical isolated portions of a conductive electrical interconnect layer on a second side of the conductive plate.

16. A method of transmitting charge to micro electromechanical machine devices that are separated by first breaks and of blocking light passing through the first breaks to control circuitry, the method comprising:

transmitting electrical charge to the micro electromechanical machines via a layer of electrically conductive and electrically isolated portions extending between micro electromechanical machines and the circuitry layer, wherein the portions are separated by second breaks configured to cross the first breaks on multiple sides of the micro electromechanical machines.

17. A method of fabricating an electronic device having an array of micro electromechanical machines having boundaries, the method comprising:

forming a circuitry layer;

forming an electrically conductive electrical interconnect layer having electrically conductive and electrically isolated portions electrically connected to the circuitry layer and separated by breaks configured to cross the boundaries of one of the micro electromechanical machines on multiple sides of the micro electromechanical machine.

18. The method of claim 17 including forming a micro electromechanical machine by:

forming a conductive plate; and

forming electrically conductive movable members, each movable member being movably supported by electrically conductive flexures extending from one of the electrical interconnect layer portions.

19. An electrical interconnect to block light for use with an array of micro electromechanical machines separated by first breaks, the interconnect comprising:

a layer of electrically conductive and electrically isolated portions separated by second breaks configured to cross the first breaks on multiple sides of one of the micro electromechanical machines.

20. An electrical device, comprising:

a MEMs structure;

electrical circuitry disposed under the mems structure; and

a set of light blocking electrical interconnect layers disposed between the electrical circuitry and the MEMs structure, wherein the light blocking electrical interconnect layers have openings configured to cause incident light that passes from the MEMs structure to travel through indirect paths and be significantly attenuated before reaching the electrical circuitry.

21. The device of claim 20 further comprising at least one anti-reflective coating disposed on at least one light blocking electrical interconnect layer.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the light blocking electrical interconnect layers increase the capacitance connected to the electrical circuitry.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the light blocking electrical interconnect layers create a capacitance that can be decoupled from the electrical circuitry.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein each of the light blocking electrical interconnect layers have openings that are physically offset sufficiently to substantially prevent the direct propagation of light without reflection.