Mirror device

• US 20100128335A1
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha
• Inventors: Maeda, Yoshihiro, Ichikawa, Hirotoshi, Ishii, Fusao
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/224.100
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A mirror device comprises: an electrode which is covered with a protective film made of a material containing a semiconductor material and is placed on a substrate; a mirror placed above the electrode; and an electrically conductive hinge placed between the mirror and the electrode, wherein an opening part is formed in a part of the protective film, and the hinge penetrates the protective film in the opening part thereof.

Claims

1. A mirror device comprising:

an electrode disposed on a substrate;

a protective film formed on the electrode;

a mirror disposed above the electrode;

an electrically conductive hinge disposed between the mirror and the electrode, wherein an opening part is formed in a part of the protective film, and the hinge penetrates the protective film in the opening part thereof; and

the hinge has a lower resistance than the protective film.

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

the hinge is composed of a poly-silicon, an amorphous silicon or a single crystal silicon and further containing an additive selected from among the materials belonging to the III group, V group.

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

the hinge is composed of a poly-silicon, an amorphous silicon or a single crystal silicon and further containing a diffused metallic material therein.

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

the protective film is composed of a poly-silicon or an amorphous silicon.

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

the protective film further comprises a plurality of layers.

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

the thickness of the protective film is between 500 angstroms and 3000 angstroms.

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

the height of the electrode extended from the substrate is the same as, or larger than, the height of a part of the hinge projected from the electrode.

9. The mirror device according to claim 7, wherein:

the hinge is composed of a poly-silicon, an amorphous silicon, or a single crystal silicon and further containing an additive selected from among the materials belonging to the III group or V group.

10. The mirror device according to claim 7, wherein:

the hinge is composed of a poly-silicon, an amorphous silicon or a single crystal silicon and further containing a diffused metallic material therein.

11. The mirror device according to claim 7, wherein:

The mirror connection part is composed of a same material as the hinge.

12. The mirror device according to claim 7, wherein:

the mirror connection part is made of a silicon material containing a boron;

an arsenic, a phosphorous or a diffusing a metallic material.

13. The mirror device according to claim 7, wherein:

the mirror connection part is disposed at a position offset from the center of the mirror.

15. The MEMS device according to claim 12, wherein:

the hinge is composed of any of a single crystal silicon (Si), a poly-silicon, and an amorphous silicon and further containing an additive selected from among the materials belonging to the III group, V group or a diffusing a metallic material.

16. The MEMS device according to claim 12, wherein:

the hinge is composed of silicon; and

the movable electrode or the fixed electrode is composed of an aluminum material containing silicon.

8. A mirror device, comprising:

an electrode disposed on a substrate;

a mirror disposed above the electrode;

a hinge connected to the mirror through a mirror connection part between the mirror and hinge, wherein the mirror connection part has a resistance approximately the same as that of the hinge.

14. A MEMS device, comprising:

a fixed electrode covered with a protective film disposed on a substrate;

a movable electrode disposed above the fixed electrode;

and a hinge composed of a semiconductor material and joined to the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, wherein the hinge has a resistance is higher than the movable electrode and the fixed electrode.