Optical: systems and elements – Optical modulator – Light wave temporal modulation
Patent
1998-02-17
2000-07-25
Burke, Margaret
Optical: systems and elements
Optical modulator
Light wave temporal modulation
359291, 359292, 359295, 359298, 353 30, 353 31, 353 97, G02B 2600, G02B 2608, G03B 2100, G03B 2128
Patent
active
060942940
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical modulator device that modulates illuminating light rays to present an image by controlling mirror elements reflecting the illuminating light rays.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical modulator devices present an image by modulating an illuminating light ray with mirror elements. One of such optical modulator devices is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 4-230723 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,388.
This optical modulator device tilts mirrors constructed of thin films corresponding to pixels by applying a voltage to their electrodes. Thus, the direction of reflection of the illuminating light ray reflected from the mirrors is controlled. When the mirror is tilted, the direction of reflection of the illuminating light ray changes, and the illuminating light ray is not reflected back in the same direction as its incident angle. When the mirror is not tilted, the illuminating light ray is reflected back in the same direction as its incident angle. By controlling the voltage applied to the mirror, the tilt of the mirror is controlled, and the lighting or non-lighting of the pixel is thus controlled.
In such a prior art optical modulator device, each mirror is separated from the structure that surrounds the mirror, and thus, there are many places such as end faces of the mirror from which light is scattered. For this reason, light is scattered even when the mirror remains inactive, and the contrast of an image displayed is degraded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention resolves the above problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical modulator device, a display unit and an Electronic apparatus, each capable of displaying a high-contrast and bright image.
The present invention in aspect 1 relates to an optical modulator device comprising a substrate and, on the substrate, an optical modulator structure in which a piezoelectric thin film layer having piezoelectric property is interposed between thin film electrode layers having electrically conductive property with at least one of the thin film electrode layers having light reflective property, wherein the optical modulator structure is driven on a mirror element by mirror element basis, with one mirror element being handled as a unit working independently to modulate a light ray.
The present invention in aspect 2 relates to an optical modulator device according to aspect 1, wherein the mirror elements are arranged in a matrix, including a one-dimensional array configuration, on the substrate.
The present invention in aspect 3 relates to an optical modulator device according to one of aspects 1 and 2, wherein a first thin film electrode layer of the thin film electrode layers constituting the optical modulator structure is electrically commonly connected to a plurality of mirror elements arranged in each of the columns constituting the matrix, on a column by column basis, and a second thin film electrode layer of the thin film electrode layers constituting the optical modulator structure is electrically commonly connected to a plurality mirror elements arranged in each of the rows constituting the matrix, on a row by row basis.
The present invention in aspect 4 relates to an optical modulator device according to one of aspects 1 and 2, wherein a first thin film electrode layer of the thin film electrode layers constituting the optical modulator structure is electrically commonly connected to all mirror elements and functions as a common electrode for all mirror elements, and a second thin film electrode layer of the thin film electrode layers constituting the optical modulator structure is arranged in an electrically isolated form for each of the mirror elements on a mirror element by mirror element basis.
The present invention in aspect 5 relates to an optical modulator device according to one of the aspects 3 and 4, wherein a substrate cutout area working as a optical path is formed in the substrate next to the f
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Aoyama Taku
Atobe Mitsuro
Fujimori Yuji
Funamoto Tatsuaki
Miyashita Satoru
Burke Margaret
Seiko Epson Corporation
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