Spring-ring micromechanical device

Details Spring-ring micromechanical device Spring-ring micromechanical device

1999-05-13

2000-11-14

Ben, Loha

Optical: systems and elements

Optical modulator

Light wave temporal modulation

359295, 359846, 347239, 7351435, G02B 2600

Patent

active

061477907

ABSTRACT:
An improved micromechanical device comprising a substrate (104), a rigid deflectable member (302, 314, 326) suspended over the substrate, and at least one spring (328) supported above the substrate and spaced apart from the rigid deflectable member. The spring resists deflection of the rigid deflectable member when the rigid deflectable member deflects to contact the spring. The improved micromechanical device is constructed by fabricating at least one support structure (116) on a substrate, fabricating at least one spring spaced apart from the substrate and supported by at least one of the support structures, and fabricating a deflectable member spaced apart from both the substrate and spring, and supported by at least one of the support structures. The improved micromechanical device is useful in a projection display system in which a micromirror device selectively reflects incident light, as directed by a controller electrically connected to the micromirror device, and the selectively reflected light is focused onto an image plane. The micromirror device is comprised an array of micromirror elements, each comprised of: a substrate, a spring supported by the substrate, and a deflectable rigid member supported by the substrate and spaced apart from the spring. The deflectable rigid member including a mirror to deflect toward the spring, which resists the deflection of the deflectable rigid member.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5061049 (1991-10-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5111693 (1992-05-01), Greiff
patent: 5583688 (1996-12-01), Hornbeck
patent: 5600383 (1997-02-01), Hoenbeck
patent: 5661591 (1997-08-01), Lin et al.
patent: 5703728 (1997-12-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5867202 (1999-02-01), Knipe et al.
patent: 5886811 (1999-03-01), Min

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