Optical: systems and elements – Optical modulator – Light wave temporal modulation
Reexamination Certificate
2011-04-19
2011-04-19
Thompson, Timothy J (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Optical modulator
Light wave temporal modulation
C359S290000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07929197
ABSTRACT:
Light in the visible spectrum is modulated using an array of modulation elements, and control circuitry connected to the array for controlling each of the modulation elements independently, each of the modulation elements having a surface which is caused to exhibit a predetermined impedance characteristic to particular frequencies of light. The amplitude of light delivered by each of the modulation elements is controlled independently by pulse code modulation. Each modulation element has a deformable portion held under tensile stress, and the control circuitry controls the deformation of the deformable portion. Each deformable element has a deformation mechanism and an optical portion, the deformation mechanism and the optical portion independently imparting to the element respectively a controlled deformation characteristic and a controlled modulation characteristic. The deformable modulation element may be a non-metal. The elements are made by forming a sandwich of two layers and a sacrificial layer between them, the sacrificial layer having a thickness related to the final cavity dimension, and using water or an oxygen based plasma to remove the sacrificial layer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3679313 (1972-07-01), Rosenberg
patent: 3701586 (1972-10-01), Goetz
patent: 3728030 (1973-04-01), Hawes
patent: 3955190 (1976-05-01), Teraishi
patent: 4190488 (1980-02-01), Winters
patent: 4299450 (1981-11-01), Funada et al.
patent: 4392711 (1983-07-01), Moraw et al.
patent: 4425572 (1984-01-01), Takafuji et al.
patent: 4441791 (1984-04-01), Hornbeck
patent: 4459182 (1984-07-01), te Velde
patent: 4498953 (1985-02-01), Cook et al.
patent: 4560435 (1985-12-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4566935 (1986-01-01), Hornbeck
patent: 4655554 (1987-04-01), Armitage
patent: 4672254 (1987-06-01), Dolat et al.
patent: 4786128 (1988-11-01), Birnbach
patent: 4857978 (1989-08-01), Goldburt et al.
patent: 4859060 (1989-08-01), Katagiri et al.
patent: 4880493 (1989-11-01), Ashby et al.
patent: 4896033 (1990-01-01), Gautier
patent: 4900136 (1990-02-01), Goldburt et al.
patent: 4900395 (1990-02-01), Syverson et al.
patent: 4925259 (1990-05-01), Emmett
patent: 4952034 (1990-08-01), Azusawa et al.
patent: 4954789 (1990-09-01), Sampsell
patent: 5018256 (1991-05-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5061049 (1991-10-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5075796 (1991-12-01), Schildkraut et al.
patent: 5091983 (1992-02-01), Lukosz
patent: 5114226 (1992-05-01), Goodwin et al.
patent: 5142414 (1992-08-01), Koehler
patent: 5170283 (1992-12-01), O'Brien et al.
patent: 5172262 (1992-12-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5198644 (1993-03-01), Pfeiffer et al.
patent: 5206632 (1993-04-01), Dupont et al.
patent: 5212582 (1993-05-01), Nelson
patent: 5216537 (1993-06-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5285196 (1994-02-01), Gale
patent: 5315370 (1994-05-01), Bulow
patent: 5326430 (1994-07-01), Cronin et al.
patent: 5337191 (1994-08-01), Austin
patent: 5355181 (1994-10-01), Ashizaki et al.
patent: 5381253 (1995-01-01), Sharp et al.
patent: 5401983 (1995-03-01), Jokerst et al.
patent: 5422310 (1995-06-01), Ito
patent: 5444566 (1995-08-01), Gale et al.
patent: 5452138 (1995-09-01), Mignardi et al.
patent: 5454904 (1995-10-01), Ghezzo et al.
patent: 5457900 (1995-10-01), Roy
patent: 5485304 (1996-01-01), Kaeriyama
patent: 5500761 (1996-03-01), Goossen et al.
patent: 5508841 (1996-04-01), Lin et al.
patent: 5526172 (1996-06-01), Kanack
patent: 5526951 (1996-06-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 5544268 (1996-08-01), Bischel et al.
patent: 5550373 (1996-08-01), Cole et al.
patent: 5559358 (1996-09-01), Burns et al.
patent: 5567334 (1996-10-01), Baker et al.
patent: 5597736 (1997-01-01), Sampsell
patent: 5598565 (1997-01-01), Reinhardt
patent: 5606441 (1997-02-01), Florence et al.
patent: 5619059 (1997-04-01), Li et al.
patent: 5636052 (1997-06-01), Arney et al.
patent: 5638084 (1997-06-01), Kalt
patent: 5646729 (1997-07-01), Koskinen et al.
patent: 5647036 (1997-07-01), Deacon et al.
patent: 5650881 (1997-07-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5673785 (1997-10-01), Schlaak et al.
patent: 5699181 (1997-12-01), Choi
patent: 5703710 (1997-12-01), Brinkman et al.
patent: 5719068 (1998-02-01), Suzawa et al.
patent: 5726480 (1998-03-01), Pister
patent: 5757536 (1998-05-01), Ricco et al.
patent: 5784189 (1998-07-01), Bozler et al.
patent: 5784190 (1998-07-01), Worley
patent: 5793504 (1998-08-01), Stoll
patent: 5795208 (1998-08-01), Hattori
patent: 5835255 (1998-11-01), Miles
patent: 5835256 (1998-11-01), Huibers
patent: 5914804 (1999-06-01), Goossen
patent: 5961848 (1999-10-01), Jacquet et al.
patent: 5963788 (1999-10-01), Barron et al.
patent: 5986796 (1999-11-01), Miles
patent: 6040937 (2000-03-01), Miles
patent: 6055090 (2000-04-01), Miles
patent: 6243149 (2001-06-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 6522794 (2003-02-01), Bischel et al.
patent: 6674562 (2004-01-01), Miles et al.
patent: 6680792 (2004-01-01), Miles
patent: 7012732 (2006-03-01), Miles
patent: 7123216 (2006-10-01), Miles
patent: 7605969 (2009-10-01), Miles
patent: 0 318 050 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 0 583 102 (1993-07-01), None
patent: 0 570 906 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 0 608 056 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 0 655 725 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 0 667 548 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 0 725 380 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 0 852 371 (1998-07-01), None
patent: 157313 (1991-05-01), None
patent: WO 96/10889 (1996-04-01), None
Aratani et al., Process and Design Considerations for Surface Micromachined Beams for a Tuneable Interferometer Array in Silicon, Proc. IEEE Microelectromechanical Workshop, Fort Lauderdale, FL, pp. 230-235 (Feb. 1993).
Aratani et al., Surface micromachined tuneable interferometer array, Sensors and Actuators, pp. 17-23 (1994).
Winters, et al. The etching of silicon with XeF2 vapor. Applied Physics Letters, 34(1):70-73, (Jan. 1979).
Office Action mailed Jun. 24, 2002 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/056,975.
Office Action mailed Oct. 24, 2000 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/056,975.
Office Action mailed Jun. 25, 1999 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/056,975.
Office Action mailed Jun. 6, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/076,224.
Office Action mailed Jun. 19, 2002 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/966,843.
Office Action mailed Aug. 1, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/056,571.
Office Action mailed Feb. 8, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/056,571.
Office Action mailed Aug. 9, 2006 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/056,571.
Office Action mailed Jun. 28, 2006 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/752,140.
Office Action mailed Jun. 21, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/752,140.
Office Action mailed Jan. 30, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/752,140.
Office Action dated Dec. 14, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/752,140.
Office Action dated May 15, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/752,140.
Office Action mailed Jan. 17, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/492,535.
Office Action mailed Jun. 25, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/492,535.
Office Action dated Jan. 2, 2008 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/492,535.
Office Action dated Jul. 23, 2008 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/267,819.
Office Action dated Jan. 26, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/267,819.
Office Action dated May 28, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/267,819.
Office Action dated Nov. 17, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/267,819.
Office Action mailed Jun. 27, 2006 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/192,436.
Office Action mailed Feb. 27, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/192,436.
Office Action dated Nov. 19, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/192,436.
Office Action dated Dec. 13, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/742,271.
Office Action dated Jul. 28, 2008 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/742,271.
Office Action dated Oct. 21, 2008 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/742,271.
Office Action mailed Mar. 26, 2008 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/150,683.
Office Action mailed Sep. 21, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/150,683.
Office Action mailed Mar. 15, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/150,683.
Office Action mailed Sep. 21, 2006 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/150,683.
Office Action mailed Apr. 13, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/432,724.
Office Action mailed Sep. 11, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/432,724.
Office Action dated Dec. 21, 2007 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/432,724.
Office Action dated Jul. 28, 2008 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/432,724.
Office Action dated Mar. 3, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/432,724.
Office Action dated Sep. 14, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No. 11/432,724.
Office Action dated Sep. 24, 2009 in U.S. Appl. No.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies Inc.
Thompson Timothy J
LandOfFree
System and method for a MEMS device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for a MEMS device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for a MEMS device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2729709