Optical: systems and elements – Optical modulator – Light wave temporal modulation
Patent
1997-08-07
1999-02-02
Ben, Loha
Optical: systems and elements
Optical modulator
Light wave temporal modulation
359295, 359224, 359230, 310328, 348770, G02B 2600
Patent
active
058673024
ABSTRACT:
A bistable microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator is formed on a substrate and includes a stressed membrane of generally rectangular shape that upon release assumes a curvilinear cross-sectional shape due to attachment at a midpoint to a resilient member and at opposing edges to a pair of elongate supports. The stressed membrane can be electrostatically switched between a pair of mechanical states having mirror-image symmetry, with the MEM actuator remaining in a quiescent state after a programming voltage is removed. The bistable MEM actuator according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used to form a nonvolatile memory element, an optical modulator (with a pair of mirrors supported above the membrane and moving in synchronism as the membrane is switched), a switchable mirror (with a single mirror supported above the membrane at the midpoint thereof) and a latching relay (with a pair of contacts that open and close as the membrane is switched). Arrays of bistable MEM actuators can be formed for applications including nonvolatile memories, optical displays and optical computing.
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Ben Loha
Hohimer John P.
Sandia Corporation
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