Methods and configurations for manufacturing hinges for micro-mirror devices
First Claim
1. A micro-mirror device comprising:
- a doped semiconductor hinge comprising a post supported on and extended from a substrate having a cantilever formed as a thin-narrow-plate extended from said post wherein said cantilever further having a mirror supporting platform as a separate cantilever segment for supporting a micromirror thereon wherein said doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image display system includes 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. The image display system further includes signal transmission metal traces formed on areas between the doped semiconductor hinges. The signal transmission metal traces are formed either before or after a high temperature crystallization process is applied to the hinges.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A micro-mirror device comprising:
a doped semiconductor hinge comprising a post supported on and extended from a substrate having a cantilever formed as a thin-narrow-plate extended from said post wherein said cantilever further having a mirror supporting platform as a separate cantilever segment for supporting a micromirror thereon wherein said doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors.
-
2. A micro-mirror device comprising:
-
a doped semiconductor hinge includes a thin-narrow-plate disposed on a substrate, wherein the doped semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of semiconductors consisting of elemental semiconductors, III-V compound semiconductors, II-VI compound semiconductors, IV compound semiconductors, and alloy semiconductors; and a supporting platform coupled to the hinge for supporting a mirror plate thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. The micromirror device of claim 22 wherein:
a plurality of the doped semiconductor hinges are connected to and interconnected via the circuit. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
23-1. A projection system comprising:
-
an Illumination light source for projecting an illumination beam impinging to a mirror array disposed on a semiconductor substrate wherein mirrors of said mirror array deflecting the light beam for projecting an image; each of the mirrors further comprising; a semiconductor hinge supporting the mirror, wherein the semiconductor hinge is composed of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of a single crystal silicon, poly silicon or amorphous silicon and doped with an doping impurity selected from a group doping impurities consisting of group III elements, group IV elements, group V elements, and group VII elements is introduced into the semiconductor hinge; a supporting platform couple to the hinge for supporting a mirror thereon, wherein the mirror supporting platform is composed of an electrically conductive material having a electric conduction; a circuit including an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate for activating the mirror wherein the mirror is electrically connecting with the circuit through the semiconductor hinge.
-
Specification