U.S. patent application number 11/726895 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-26 for reflective spatial light modulator.
This patent application is currently assigned to Miradia, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dongmin Chen, Shaoher X. Pan, Xiao Yang, Shoucheng Zhang.
Application Number | 20070171509 11/726895 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29739756 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070171509 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pan; Shaoher X. ; et
al. |
July 26, 2007 |
Reflective spatial light modulator
Abstract
A micro-mirror array that is useful, for example, in a
reflective spatial light modulator. In one embodiment, the micro
mirror array includes spacer support walls, a vertical torsion
hinge, and a mirror plate, all being fabricated from a single
wafer. The micro-mirror array has a large fill ratio.
Inventors: |
Pan; Shaoher X.; (San Jose,
CA) ; Yang; Xiao; (Sunnyvale, CA) ; Chen;
Dongmin; (Belmont, CA) ; Zhang; Shoucheng;
(Stanford, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TOWNSEND AND TOWNSEND AND CREW, LLP
TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER
EIGHTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94111-3834
US
|
Assignee: |
Miradia, Inc.
Sunnyvale
CA
|
Family ID: |
29739756 |
Appl. No.: |
11/726895 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11147420 |
Jun 6, 2005 |
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11726895 |
Mar 23, 2007 |
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10756936 |
Jan 13, 2004 |
7118234 |
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11147420 |
Jun 6, 2005 |
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10378056 |
Feb 27, 2003 |
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10756936 |
Jan 13, 2004 |
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60390389 |
Jun 19, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
359/291 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 359/904 20130101;
G02B 26/0841 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/291 |
International
Class: |
G02B 26/00 20060101
G02B026/00 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. An array of a plurality of micro mirrors, comprising: a frame
with walls defining a plurality of cavities, each cavity
corresponding to one of the plurality of micro mirrors; a plurality
of mirror plates defining an upper side of the plurality of
cavities; a plurality of hinges, each hinge connected to at least
one wall of the frame and connected to a mirror plate of the
plurality of mirror plates for allowing that mirror plate to rotate
relative to the frame about an axis defined by the hinge; and
wherein the frame, the plurality of mirror plates, and the
plurality of hinges are fabricated from a single continuous piece
of material.
9. The array of claim 8, wherein the mirror plates each have an
upper surface.
10. The array of claim 9, wherein the upper surfaces of the mirror
plates are polished to reflect light.
11. The array of claim 9, wherein a reflective layer is deposited
on each upper surface of the mirror plates for reflecting
light.
12. The array of claim 8, further comprising a control substrate
connected to the spacer support frame and having at least one
electrode corresponding to each of the plurality of mirror plates
for receiving a voltage to controllably deflect the mirror plate of
the micro mirror.
13. The array of claim 12, wherein the hinge divides the mirror
plate into a first part and a second part, such that when the first
part of the mirror plate moves toward the control substrate as the
mirror plate rotates about the axis defined by the hinge, the
second part of the mirror plate moves away from the control
substrate.
14. The array of claim 12, wherein the control substrate further
comprises addressing and control circuitry for selectively applying
voltages to a plurality of electrodes to selectively controllably
deflect the mirror plates in the array.
15. The array of claim 8, wherein the surfaces of the plates in the
mirror array make up at least 85% of the surface area of the
array.
16. The array of claim 8, wherein the surfaces of the plates in the
mirror array make up at least 90% of the surface area of the
array.
17-20. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 10/756,936, filed Jan. 13, 2004, entitled "Reflective Spatial
Light Modulator;" which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/378,056, filed Feb. 27, 2003, entitled
"Reflective Spatial Light Modulator;" which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/390,389, filed Jun. 19, 2002,
entitled "Reflective Spatial Light Modulator." The disclosures of
10/756,936, 10/378,056 and 60/390,389 are herein incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to spatial light modulators (SLMs),
and more particularly to a micro-mirror array with electronically
addressable control circuitry for display applications.
[0003] Spatial light modulators (SLMs) have numerous applications
in the areas of optical information processing, projection
displays, video and graphics monitors, televisions, and
electrophotographic printing. Reflective SLMs are devices that
modulate incident light in a spatial pattern to reflect an image
corresponding to an electrical or optical input. The incident light
may be modulated in phase, intensity, polarization, or deflection
direction. A reflective SLM is typically comprised of an area or
two-dimensional array of addressable picture elements (pixels)
capable of reflecting incident lights. Source pixel data is first
processed by an associated control circuit, then loaded into the
pixel array, one frame at a time.
[0004] Prior art SLMs have various drawbacks. These drawbacks
include: a lower than optimal optically active area (measured as
what fraction of the device's surface area that is reflective, also
called the "fill ratio") that reduces optical efficiency, rough
reflective surfaces that reduce the reflectivity of the mirrors,
diffraction that lowers the contrast ratio of the display, use of
materials that have long-term reliability problems, and complex
manufacturing processes that increase the expense of the
product.
[0005] Many prior art devices include substantial non-reflective
areas on their surfaces. This provides low fill ratios, and
provides lower than optimum reflective efficiency. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,732 discloses MOSFET devices that are formed on
the surface of a device in addition to mirrors. These MOSFET
devices take up surface area, reducing the fraction of the device
area that is optically active and reducing reflective efficiency.
The MOSFET devices on the surface of the device also diffract
incident light, which lowers the contrast ratio of the display.
Further, intense light striking exposed MOSFET devices interfere
with the proper operation of the devices, both by charging the
MOSFET devices and overheating the circuitry.
[0006] Some SLM designs have rough surfaces, which also reduce
reflective efficiency. For example, in some SLM designs the
reflective surface is an aluminum film deposited on an LPCVD
silicon nitride layer. It is difficult to control the smoothness of
these reflective mirror surfaces as they are deposited thin films.
Thus, the final product has rough surfaces, which reduce the
reflective efficiency.
[0007] Another problem that reduces reflective efficiency with some
SLM designs, particularly in some top hanging mirror designs, is
large exposed hinge surface areas. These large exposed hinge
surface areas have to be blocked by a slab, typically made of
tungsten, on top of the hinge to prevent the scattering of incident
light. These slabs significantly reduce the optically active area
and lower the reflective efficiency.
[0008] Many conventional SLMs, such as the SLM disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,566,935, have hinges made of aluminum alloy. Aluminum,
as well as other metals, is susceptible to fatigue and plastic
deformation, which can lead to long-term reliability problems.
Also, aluminum is susceptible to cell "memory", where the rest
position begins to tilt towards its most frequently occupied
position. Further, the mirrors disclosed in the 4,566,935 patent
are released by undercutting the mirror surface. This technique
often results in breakage of the delicate micro-mirror structures
during release. It also requires large gaps between mirrors, which
reduce the fraction of the device area that is optically
active.
[0009] What is desired is an SLM with improved reflective
efficiency, SLM device long-term reliability, and simplified
manufacturing processes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention is a spatial light modulator (SLM). In
one embodiment, the SLM has a reflective selectively deflectable
micro mirror array fabricated from a first substrate bonded to a
second substrate having individually addressable electrodes. The
second substrate may also have addressing and control circuitry for
the micro mirror array. Alternatively, portions of the addressing
and control circuitry are on a separate substrate and connected to
the circuitry and electrodes on the second substrate.
[0011] The micro mirror array includes a controllably deflectable
mirror plate with a reflective surface to reflect incident light.
The mirror plate is connected to a vertical hinge by a connector,
and the hinge is in turn connected to spacer walls by support
posts. Each of the mirror plate, the connector, the vertical hinge,
the support posts, and the spacer walls is fabricated from a first
substrate. This first substrate is a wafer of a single material,
single crystal silicon in one embodiment. The spacer walls provide
separation between the mirror plate and an electrode associated
with that mirror plate that controls the deflection of the mirror
plate, and is located on the second substrate bonded to the micro
mirror array. The close spacing of the mirror plates and the
vertical orientation of the hinge allow the reflective surfaces to
have a very high fill ratio for the micro mirror array. Very little
light gets past the micro mirror array to strike the circuitry on
the second substrate.
[0012] The spatial light modulator is fabricated with few steps,
which keeps the fabrication cost and complexity low. Cavities are
formed in a first side of the first substrate. This is done in a
single anisotropic etch in one embodiment. In parallel, the
electrodes and addressing and control circuitry are fabricated on a
first side of the second substrate. The first side of the first
substrate is bonded to the first side of the second substrate. The
sides are aligned so the electrodes on the second substrate are in
proper relation with the mirror plates which the electrodes will
control. The second side of the first substrate is thinned to the
desired thickness. Optionally, a layer of reflective material may
be deposited on a second side of the first substrate. A second
anisotropic etch defines the support posts, the vertical hinges,
and the connectors, and releases the mirror plates from the second
side of the first substrate. Thus, the spatial light modulator may
be fabricated by only two main etch steps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates the general
architecture of a spatial light modulator according to one
embodiment of the invention.
[0014] FIGS. 2a and 2b are perspective views of a single micro
mirror.
[0015] FIGS. 3a and 3b are perspective views showing the top and
sides of a micro mirror array.
[0016] FIGS. 4a and 4b are perspective views showing the bottom and
sides of the micro mirror array.
[0017] FIGS. 5a and 5b are top views of the micro mirror array.
[0018] FIGS. 6a and 6b are bottom views of the micro mirror
array.
[0019] FIGS. 7a-7d are perspective views showing the top, bottom,
and sides of a single mirror of an alternate embodiment of the
micro mirror array.
[0020] FIGS. 8a-8d are perspective views showing the top and bottom
of the alternate micro mirror array.
[0021] FIG. 9a is a flowchart illustrating a preferred embodiment
of how the spatial light modulator is fabricated.
[0022] FIGS. 9b through 9j are block diagrams illustrating the
fabrication of the spatial light modulator in more detail.
[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates the generation of the mask and the
etching that forms the cavities in the first substrate in more
detail.
[0024] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
electrodes formed on the second substrate.
[0025] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the micro mirror array
on the first substrate positioned over the electrodes and other
circuitry on the second substrate.
[0026] FIG. 13 illustrates a simplified embodiment of a mask that
is used in etching the upper surface of the first substrate.
[0027] FIG. 14 is a cross-section of a portion of the two
substrates bonded together.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The reflective spatial light modulator ("SLM") 100 has an
array 103 of deflectable mirrors 202. Individual mirrors 202 can be
selectively deflected by applying a voltage bias between that
mirror and a corresponding electrode 126. The deflection of each
mirror 202 controls light reflected from a light source to a video
display. Thus, controlling the deflection of a mirror 202 allows
light striking that minor 202 to be reflected in a selected
direction, and thereby allows control of the appearance of a pixel
in the video display.
Spatial Light Modulator Overview:
[0029] FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates the general
architecture of an SLM 100 according to one embodiment of the
invention. The illustrated embodiment has three layers. The first
layer is a mirror array 103 that has a plurality of deflectable
micro mirrors 202. In one preferred embodiment, the micro-mirror
array 103 is fabricated from a first substrate 105 that is a single
material, such as single crystal silicon.
[0030] The second layer is an electrode array 104 with a plurality
of electrodes 126 for controlling the micro-mirrors 202. Each
electrode 126 is associated with a micro-mirror 202 and controls
the deflection of that micro-mirror 202. Addressing circuitry
allows selection of a single electrode 126 for control of the
particular micro-mirror 202 associated with that electrode 126.
[0031] The third layer is a layer of control circuitry 106. This
control circuitry 106 has addressing circuitry, which allows the
control circuitry 106 to control a voltage applied to selected
electrodes 126. This allows the control circuitry 106 to control
the deflections of the mirrors 202 in the mirror array 103 via the
electrodes 126. Typically, the control circuitry 106 also includes
a display control 108, line memory buffers 110, a pulse width
modulation array 112, and inputs for video signals 120 and graphics
signals 122. A microcontroller 114, optics control circuitry 116,
and a flash memory 118 may be external components connected to the
control circuitry 106, or may be included in the control circuitry
106 in some embodiments. In various embodiments, some of the above
listed parts of the control circuitry 106 may be absent, may be on
a separate substrate and connected to the control circuitry 106, or
other additional components may be present as part of the control
circuitry 106 or connected to the control circuitry 106.
[0032] In one embodiment, both the second layer 104 and the third
layer 106 are fabricated using semiconductor fabrication technology
on a single second substrate 107. That is, the second layer 104 is
not necessarily separate and above the third layer 106. Rather, the
term "layer" is an aid for conceptualizing different parts of the
spatial light modulator 100. For example, in one embodiment, both
the second layer 104 of electrodes is fabricated on top of the
third layer of control circuitry 106, both fabricated on a single
second substrate 107. That is, the electrodes 126, as well as the
display control 108, line memory buffers 110, and the pulse width
modulation array 112 are all fabricated on a single substrate in
one embodiment. Integration of several functional components of the
control circuitry 106 on the same substrate provides an advantage
of improved data transfer rate over conventional spatial light
modulators, which have the display control 108, line memory buffers
110, and the pulse width modulation array 112 fabricated on a
separate substrate. Further, fabricating the second layer of the
electrode array 104 and the third layer of the control circuitry
106 on a single substrate 107 provides the advantage of simple and
cheap fabrication, and a compact final product.
[0033] After the layers 103, 104, and 106 are fabricated, they are
bonded together to form the SLM 100. The first layer with the
mirror array 103 covers the second and third layers 104, 106. The
area under the mirrors 202 in the mirror array 103 determines how
much room there is beneath the first layer 103 for the electrodes
126, and addressing and control circuitry 106. There is limited
room beneath the micro mirrors 202 in the mirror array 103 to fit
the electrodes 126 and the electronic components that form the
display control 108, line memory buffers 110, and the pulse width
modulation array 112. The present invention uses fabrication
techniques (described more fully below) that allow the creation of
small feature sizes, such as processes that allow fabrication of
features of 0.18 microns, and processes that allow the fabrication
of features of 0.13 microns or smaller. Conventional spatial light
modulators are made through fabrication processes that do not allow
such small features. Typically, conventional spatial light
modulators are made through fabrication processes that limit
feature size to approximately 1 micron or larger. Thus, the present
invention allows the fabrication of many more circuit devices, such
as transistors, in the limited area beneath the micro mirrors of
the mirror array 103. This allows integration of items such as the
display control 108, line memory buffers 110, and the pulse width
modulation array 112 on the same substrate as the electrodes 126.
Including such control circuitry 106 on the same substrate 107 as
the electrodes 126 improves the performance of the SLM 100.
[0034] In other embodiments, various combinations of the electrodes
126 and components of the control circuitry may be fabricated on
different substrates and electrically connected.
The Mirror:
[0035] FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a single micro mirror 202.
In one preferred embodiment, the micro mirror 202 is fabricated
from a wafer of a single material, such as single crystal silicon.
Thus, the first substrate 105 in such an embodiment is a wafer of
single crystal silicon. Fabricating the micro mirror 202 out of a
single material wafer greatly simplifies the fabrication of the
mirror 202. Further, single crystal silicon can be polished to
create smooth mirror surfaces that have an order of magnitude
smoother surface roughness than those of deposited films. Mirrors
202 fabricated from single crystal silicon are mechanically rigid,
which prevents undesired bending or warping of the mirror surface,
and hinges fabricated from single crystal silicon are durable,
flexible, and reliable. In other embodiments, other materials may
be used instead of single crystal silicon. One possibility is the
use of another type of silicon (e.g. polysilicon, or amorphous
silicon) for the micro mirror 202, or even making the mirror 202
completely out of a metal (e.g. an aluminum alloy, or tungsten
alloy).
[0036] The micro mirror 202 has a top mirror plate 204. This mirror
plate 204 is the portion of the micro mirror 202 that is
selectively deflected by applying a voltage bias between the mirror
202 and a corresponding electrode 126. In one embodiment this
reflective mirror plate 204 is substantially square in shape, and
approximately fifteen microns by fifteen microns, for an
approximate area of 225 square microns, although other shapes and
sizes are also possible. In one preferred embodiment, a large
proportion of the surface area of the micro mirror array 103 is
made up of the areas of the mirror plates 204 of the micro mirrors
202.
[0037] The mirror plate 204 has a reflective surface that reflects
light from a light source at an angle determined by the deflection
of the mirror plate 204. This reflective surface may be the same
material from which the micro mirror 202 is fabricated, in which
case the surface of the mirror plate 204 is polished to a
smoothness that provides the desired level of reflectivity.
Alternatively, after fabrication of the micro-mirrors 202, a layer
of reflective material, such as aluminum, may be added to the
surface of the mirror plate 204. Since in a preferred embodiment a
large proportion of the surface area of the micro mirror array 103
is made up of the areas of the mirror plates 204 of the micro
mirrors, and the mirror plates 204 have reflective surfaces, a
large proportion of the surface area of the micro mirror array 103
is reflective and capable of reflecting light at a selected angle.
Thus, the SLM 100 has a large fill ratio, and efficiently reflects
incident light.
[0038] The mirror plate 204 is connected to a torsion spring hinge
206 by a connector 216. The torsion spring hinge 206 is connected
to a spacer support frame 210, which holds the torsion spring 206
in place. Note that other springs and connection schemes between
the mirror plate 204, the hinge 206, and spacer support frame 210
could also be used. The torsion spring hinge 206 allows the mirror
plate 204 to rotate relative to the spacer support frame 210 about
an axis between the walls of the spacer support frame 210 when a
force such as an electrostatic force is applied to the mirror plate
204 by applying a voltage between the mirror 202 and the
corresponding electrode 126. This rotation produces the angular
deflection for reflecting light in a selected direction. In one
embodiment, this rotation occurs about an axis that is
substantially collinear with the long axis of the hinge. In one
preferred embodiment, the torsion spring hinge 206 has a "vertical"
alignment. That is, the hinge 206 has a width 222 that is smaller
than the depth of the hinge (perpendicular to the mirror plate 204
surface). The width of the hinge is typically between 0.1 microns
to 0.5 microns, and is approximately 0.2 microns in one embodiment.
This "vertical" alignment of the hinge functions to help minimize
non-reflective surfaces on the surface of the mirror array 103, and
keep the fill ratio high. Also in one preferred embodiment, the
[0039] The spacer support frame 210 separates the mirror plate 204
from the electrodes and addressing circuitry so that the mirror
plate 204 may deflect downward without contacting the electrodes
and other circuitry below. The spacer support frame 210 includes
spacer walls in one embodiment, which are typically not separate
components from the rest of the spacer support frame 210. These
walls help define the height of the spacer support frame 210. The
height of the spacers 210 is chosen based on the desired separation
between the mirror plates 204 and the electrodes 126, and the
topographic design of the electrodes. A larger height allows more
deflection of the mirror plate 204, and a higher maximum deflection
angle. A larger deflection angle provides a better contrast ratio.
In one embodiment, the maximum deflection angle of the mirror plate
204 is 20 degrees. The spacer support frame 210 also provides
support for the hinge 206 and spaces the mirror plate 204 from
other mirror plates 204 in the mirror array 103. The spacer support
frame 210 has a spacer wall width 212, which, when added to a gap
between the mirror plate 204 and the support frame 210, is
substantially equal to the distance between adjacent mirror plates
204 of adjacent micro mirrors 202. In one embodiment, the spacer
wall width 212 is 1 micron or less. In one preferred embodiment,
the spacer wall width 212 is 0.5 microns or less. This places the
mirror plates 204 closely together to increase the fill ratio of
the mirror array 103.
[0040] In some embodiments, the micro mirror 202 includes elements
that stop the deflection of the mirror plate 204 when the plate 204
has deflected downward to a predetermined angle. Typically, these
elements include a motion stop and a landing tip. When the mirror
surface 204 deflects, the motion stop on the mirror plate 204
contacts the landing tip. When this occurs, the mirror plate 204
can deflect no further. There are several possible configurations
for the motion stop and landing tip. In one embodiment, a landing
tip is fabricated on the spacer frames 210 opposite to the hinge
side. The maximum tilt angle of mirror plate 204 will be limited by
the landing tip on the spacer frames 210 which stops the downward
mechanical motion of the mirror plate 204. Having a fixed maximum
tilt angle simplifies controlling the spatial light modulator 100
to reflect incident light in a known direction.
[0041] In another embodiment, landing tips are fabricated along
with the electrodes 126 on the second substrate 107. The landing
tips of this embodiment may be fabricated from an insulator, such
as silicon dioxide, to prevent a short circuit between the mirror
plate 204 and the electrode 126. The maximum tilt angle of the
mirror plate 204 is limited in this embodiment by the angle at
which the mirror plate 204 contacts the landing tip on the second
substrate 107. The height of the spacers 210 affects this angle;
higher spacers 210 allow larger angles than lower ones. The landing
tip on the second substrate 107 can be a protruding bump, which
reduces the total surface area actually in contact. The bumps can
be held at the same electrical potential as the mirror plate 204 to
avoid welding on contact.
[0042] In yet another embodiment, the gap between the mirror plate
204 and the hinge 206 is accurately fabricated so when the mirror
plate 204 tilts to a predetermined angle, the corners of the plate
204 near the hinge 206 will contact the ends of the hinge 206,
which act as mechanical stops. This occurs because the section of
the hinge 206 connected to the mirror plate 204 deflects along with
the mirror plate 204, but the sections of the hinge 206 near the
support wall 210 remain relatively undeflected. For example, with a
height of the torsion hinge 206 being 1 micron, a gap of 0.13
microns between the support wall and the hinge 206 will result in a
maximum tilting angle of the mirror plate 204 of 15 degrees.
[0043] In one preferred embodiment, the motion stop and landing tip
are both made out of the same material as the rest of the mirror
202, and are both fabricated out of the first substrate 105. In
embodiments where the material is single crystal silicon, the
motion stop and landing tip are therefore made out of a hard
material that has a long functional lifetime, which allows the
mirror array 103 to last a long time. Further, because single
crystal silicon is a hard material, the motion stop and landing tip
can be fabricated with a small area where the motion stop contacts
the landing tip, which greatly reduces sticking forces and allows
the mirror plate 204 to deflect freely. Also, this means that the
motion stop and landing tip remain at the same electrical
potential, which prevents sticking that would occur via welding and
charge injection processes were the motion stop and landing tip at
different electrical potentials.
[0044] FIG. 2b is a perspective view illustrating the underside of
a single micro mirror 202, including the support walls 210, the
mirror plate 204, the hinge 206, and the connector 216.
[0045] FIG. 3a is a perspective view showing the top and sides of a
micro mirror array 103 having nine micro mirrors 202-1 through
202-9. While FIG. 3a shows the micro mirror array 103 with three
rows and three columns, for a total of nine micro mirrors 202,
micro mirror arrays 103 of other sizes are also possible.
Typically, each micro mirror 202 corresponds to a pixel on a video
display. Thus, larger arrays 103 with more micro mirrors 202
provide a video display with more pixels. Since the hinges 206 in
the mirror array 103 all face in parallel along one direction,
light sources are directed at the mirrors 202 in the array 103
along a single direction to be reflected to form a projected image
on the video display.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 3a, the surface of the micro mirror array
103 has a large fill ratio. That is, most of the surface of the
micro mirror array 103 is made up of the reflective surfaces of the
mirror plates 204 of the micro mirrors 202. Very little of the
surface of the micro mirror array 103 is nonreflective. As
illustrated in FIG. 3a, the nonreflective portions of the micro
mirror array 103 surface are the areas between the reflective
surfaces of the micro mirrors 202. For example, the width of the
area between mirror 202-1 and 202-2 is determined by the spacer
wall width 212 and the sum of the width of the gaps between the
mirror plates 204 of mirrors 202-1 and 202-2 and the support wall
210. The gaps and the spacer wall width 212 can be made as small as
the feature size supported by the fabrication technique. Thus, in
one embodiment, the gaps are 0.2 micron, and in another embodiment
the gaps are 0.13 micron. As semiconductor fabrication techniques
allow smaller features, the size of the spacer wall 210 and the
gaps can decrease to allow higher fill ratios. FIG. 3b is a
perspective view detailing one mirror 202 of the mirror array 103
of FIG. 3a. Embodiments of the present invention allow fill ratios
of 85%; 90%, or even higher.
[0047] FIG. 4a is a perspective view showing the bottom and sides
of the micro mirror array 103 shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4a,
the spacer support frames 210 of the micro mirrors 202 define
cavities beneath the mirror plates 204. These cavities provide room
for the mirror plates 204 to deflect downwards, and also allow
large areas beneath the mirror plates 204 for placement of the
second layer 104 with the electrodes 126, and/or the third layer
with the control circuitry 106. FIG. 4b is a perspective view
detailing one mirror 202 of the mirror array 103 of FIG. 4a.
[0048] FIG. 5a is a top view of the micro mirror array 103 having
nine micro mirrors 202-1 through 202-9 shown in FIGS. 3a and 4a.
For example, for micro mirror 202-1, FIG. 5a illustrates the mirror
plate 204, the spacer support frame 210, the torsion spring 206,
and the connector 216 connecting the mirror plate 204 to the
torsion spring 206. FIG. 5a also clearly illustrates, as described
above with respect to FIG. 3a, that the micro mirror array 103 has
a large fill ratio. Most of the surface of the micro mirror array
103 is made up of the reflective surfaces of the micro mirrors
202-1 through 202-9. FIG. 5a clearly illustrates how fill ratio is
determined by the areas of the reflective mirror plates 204 and the
areas between the reflective surfaces of the mirror plates 204. The
size of the areas between the reflective surfaces of the mirror
plates 204 in one embodiment is limited by the feature size limit
of the fabrication process. This determines how small the gaps
between the mirror plate 204 and the spacer wall 210 can be made,
and how thick the spacer wall 210 is. Note that, while the single
mirror 202 as shown in FIG. 2 has been described as having its own
spacer support frame 210, there are not typically two separate
abutting spacer walls 210 between mirrors such as mirrors 202-1 and
202-2. Rather, there is typically one physical spacer wall of the
support frame 210 between mirrors 202-1 and 202-2.
[0049] FIG. 5b is a perspective view detailing one mirror 202 of
the mirror array 103 of FIG. 5a.
[0050] FIG. 6a is a bottom view of the micro mirror array 103
having nine micro mirrors 202-1 through 202-9, as shown in FIGS. 3
through 5. FIG. 6a shows the bottom of the mirror plates 204, as
well as the bottoms of the spacer support frames 210, the torsion
springs 206, and the connectors 216. The area beneath the mirror
plates 204 is large enough in many embodiments to allow the optimum
design and placement of electrodes 126 and control circuitry 106,
and space for accommodating a possible mirror landing tip. FIG. 6b
is a perspective view detailing one mirror 202 of the mirror array
103 of FIG. 6a.
[0051] As seen in FIGS. 5a and 6a, very little light that is normal
to the mirror plate 204 can pass beyond the micro mirror array 103
to reach any the electrodes 126 or control circuitry 106 beneath
the micro mirror array 103. This is because the spacer support
frame 210, the torsion spring 206, the connector 216, and the
mirror plate 204 provide near complete coverage for the circuitry
beneath the micro mirror array 103.
[0052] Also, since the spacer support frame 210 separates the
mirror plate 204 from the circuitry beneath the micro mirror array
103, light traveling at a non perpendicular angle to the mirror
plate 204 and passing beyond the mirror plate 204 is likely to
strike a wall of the spacer support frame 210 and not reach the
circuitry beneath the micro mirror array 103. Since little intense
light incident on the mirror array 103 reaches the circuitry, the
SLM 100 avoids problems associated with intense light striking the
circuitry. These problems include the incident light heating up the
circuitry, and the incident light photons charging circuitry
elements, both of which can cause the circuitry to malfunction.
[0053] In FIGS. 3-6 each micro mirror 202 in the micro mirror array
103 has its torsion spring 206 on the same side. In one alternate
embodiment, different micro mirrors 202 in the micro mirror array
103 have torsion springs 206 on different sides. For example,
returning to FIG. 3a, mirrors 202-1 and 202-3 would have springs
206 on the same side as illustrated. Mirror 202-2, in contrast,
would have a spring 206 on a different side so that the spring 206
of mirror 202-2 is perpendicular to the springs 206 of mirrors
202-1 and 202-3. This allows the mirror plates 204 of the different
micro mirrors 202-1 and 202-2 to deflect in different directions,
which gives the mirror array 103 as a whole more than one
controllable degree of freedom. In this alternate embodiment, two
different light sources (for example, light sources with
differently colored light) can be directed toward the micro mirror
array 103 and separately selectively redirected by the micro
mirrors 202 in the micro mirror array 103 form an image on a video
display. In such an embodiment, multiple micro mirrors 202 can be
used to reflect light from the multiple light sources to the same
pixel in the video display. For example, two different color light
sources can be directed toward the mirror array 103 along different
directions, and reflected by the array 103 to form a multicolor
image on a video display. The micro mirrors 202-1 and 202-3 with
torsion springs 206 on a first side control the reflection of a
first light source to the video display. The micro mirrors such as
micro mirror 202-2 with torsion springs 206 on a different second
side control the reflection of a second light source to the video
display.
[0054] FIG. 7a is a perspective view of a micro mirror 702
according to an alternate embodiment of the invention. The torsion
hinge 206 in this embodiment is diagonally oriented with respect to
the spacer support wall 210, and divides the mirror plate 204 into
two parts, or sides: a first side 704 and a second side 706. Two
electrodes 126 are associated with the mirror 702, one electrode
126 for a first side 704 and one electrode 126 for a second side
706. This allows either side 704, 706 to be attracted to one of the
electrodes 126 beneath and pivot downward, and provides more total
range of angular motion for the same support wall 210 height as
compared to the mirror illustrated in FIGS. 2-6. FIG. 7b is a more
detailed view of the mirror 702 and illustrates the mirror plate
204, hinge 206, and support wall 210. FIGS. 7c and 7d illustrate
the underside of a single mirror 702 and a more detailed view of
the interior corner of the mirror 702. In other embodiments, the
hinge 206 may be substantially parallel to one of the sides of the
mirror plate 204, rather than diagonal, and still be positioned to
divide the mirror plate 204 into two parts 704, 706.
[0055] FIGS. 8a through 8d are various perspective views of mirror
arrays composed of multiple micro mirrors 702 as described in FIGS.
7a through 7d. FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate the top of a mirror 702
array and a more detailed view of one mirror 702 in the array.
FIGS. 8c and 8d illustrate the underside of a mirror 702 array and
a more detailed view of one mirror 702 in the array.
Fabrication of the Spatial Light Modulator:
[0056] FIG. 9a is a flowchart illustrating one preferred embodiment
of how the spatial light modulator 100 is fabricated. FIGS. 9b
through 9g are block diagrams illustrating the fabrication of the
spatial light modulator 100 in more detail. In summary, the micro
mirrors 202 are partially fabricated on the first substrate 105.
Separately, some or all of the electrodes, addressing circuitry,
and control circuitry are fabricated on the second substrate 107.
The first and second substrates 105 and 107 are then bonded
together. The first substrate 105 is thinned, then lithography and
etch steps follow. Then the fabrication of the micro mirrors 202 is
completed. Final steps, including packaging, complete the spatial
light modulator 100. In one embodiment, the mirror array 103 is
fabricated from a wafer of single crystal silicon using only
anisotropic dry etch methods, only two etches are done to fabricate
the mirror array 103, and the circuitry is fabricated using
standard CMOS techniques. This provides an easy and inexpensive way
to fabricate the SLM 100.
[0057] Conventional spatial light modulators are fabricated with
surface micro machining techniques that include etching, deposition
of structural layers, deposition and removal of sacrificial layers.
These conventional MEMS fabrication techniques result in poor
yield, poor uniformity, and result feature sizes of approximately 1
micron or larger. In contrast, one embodiment of the present
invention uses semiconductor fabrication techniques, which do not
include sacrificial layers, have much higher yields, and allow
creation of features of 0.13 microns or smaller.
[0058] Referring to FIG. 9a, a first mask is generated 902 to
initially partially fabricate the micro mirrors 202. This mask
defines what will be etched from one side of the first substrate
105 to form the cavities on the underside of the micro mirror array
103 that define the spacer support frames 210 and support posts
208. Standard techniques, such as photolithography, can be used to
generate the mask on the first substrate. As mentioned previously,
in one preferred embodiment the micro mirrors 202 are formed from a
single material, such as single crystal silicon. Thus, in one
preferred embodiment, the first substrate 105 is a wafer of single
crystal silicon. Note that typically multiple micro mirror arrays
103, to be used in multiple SLMs 100, are fabricated on a single
wafer, to be separated later. The structures fabricated to create
the micro mirror array 103 are typically larger than the features
used in CMOS circuitry, so it is relatively easy to form the micro
mirror array 103 structures using known techniques for fabricating
CMOS circuitry. FIG. 9b is a side view that illustrates the first
substrate 105 prior to fabrication. The substrate 105 initially
includes a device layer 938, which is the material from which the
mirror array 103 will be fabricated, an insulating oxide layer 936,
and a handling substrate 934. FIG. 9c is a side view that
illustrates the first substrate 105 with the mask upon it.
[0059] After the mask is generated 902, in a preferred embodiment,
the first substrate 105 is anisotropically ion etched 904 to form
the cavities beneath the mirror plates 204. Put in another way, a
"well" is formed in the first substrate for every micro mirror 202.
Other methods besides an anisotropic ion etch may also be used to
form the cavities or "wells," such as a wet etch or a plasma etch.
FIG. 9d is a block diagram that shows the first substrate 105 with
the cavities etched.
[0060] Separately from the fabrication of the cavities beneath the
mirror plates 204, the electrodes 126 and control circuitry 106 are
fabricated 906 on the second substrate 107. The second substrate
107 may be a transparent material, such as quartz, or another
material. If the second substrate is quartz, transistors may be
made from polysilicon, as compared to crystalline silicon. The
circuitry can be fabricated 906 using standard CMOS fabrication
technology. For example, in one embodiment, the control circuitry
106 fabricated 906 on the second substrate 107 includes an array of
memory cells, row address circuitry, and column data loading
circuitry. There are many different methods to make electrical
circuitry that performs the addressing function. The DRAM, SRAM,
and latch devices commonly known may all perform the addressing
function. Since the mirror plate 204 area may be relatively large
on semiconductor scales (for example, the mirror plate 204 may have
an area of 225 square microns), complex circuitry can be
manufactured beneath micro mirror 202. Possible circuitry includes,
but is not limited to, storage buffers to store time sequential
pixel information, circuitry to compensate for possible
non-uniformity of mirror plate 204 to electrode 126 separation
distances by driving the electrodes 126 at varying voltage levels,
and circuitry to perform pulse width modulation conversions.
[0061] This control circuitry 106 is covered with a passivation
layer such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride. Next, a
metallization layer is deposited. This metallization layer is
patterned and etched to define electrodes 126, as well as a
bias/reset bus in one embodiment. The electrodes 126 are placed
during fabrication so that one or more of the electrodes 126
corresponds to each micro mirror 202. As with the first substrate
105, typically multiple sets of circuitry to be used in multiple
SLMs 100 are fabricated 906 on the second substrate 107 to be
separated later.
[0062] Next, the first and second substrates are bonded 910
together. The side of the first substrate 105 that has the cavities
is bonded to the side of the second substrate 107 that has the
electrodes. The substrates 105 and 107 are aligned so that the
electrodes on the second substrate 107 are in the proper position
to control the deflection of the micro mirrors 202 in the micro
mirror array 103. In one embodiment, the two substrates 105 and 107
are optically aligned using double focusing microscopes by aligning
a pattern on the first substrate 105 with a pattern on the second
substrate 107, and the two substrates 105 and 107 are bonded
together by low temperature bonding methods such as anodic or
eutectic bonding. There are many possible alternate embodiments to
the fabrication 906. For example, thermoplastics or dielectric spin
glass bonding materials can be used, so that the substrates 105 and
107 are bonded thermal-mechanically. FIG. 9e is a side view that
shows the first and second substrates 105, 107 bonded together.
[0063] After bonding the first and second substrates 105 and 107
together, the surface of the first substrate 105 that has not been
etched is thinned 912 to a desired thickness. First, the handling
substrate 934 is removed, as shown in FIG. 9f, typically by
grinding or etching. Then the oxide 936 is removed. Then, the
device layer 938 is thinned or polished, if necessary. This
thinning is done in one embodiment by mechanical grinding the
substrate 105 to a thickness between the bottom of the fabricated
"well" and the opposing surface of the first substrate 105 that is
near the desired thickness of the micro mirror 202. In one
embodiment, this thickness achieved by mechanical grinding is
approximately 5 microns. The substrate 105 is then polished by
mechanical fine polishing or chemical mechanical polishing to
thickness desired between the bottom of the "well" and the opposing
surface of the first substrate 105. This thickness defines the
thickness of the mirror plates 204. In one embodiment, this desired
thickness is less than approximately 1 micron or less. FIG. 9g is a
side view showing the bonded first and second substrates 105, 107
after the first substrate 105 has been thinned.
[0064] Next, the reflective surface of the micro mirror 202 is
created. This can be done through polishing 913 the first substrate
105 so that the surface of the first substrate 105 is reflective.
It is also possible to deposit 914 a layer of a reflective material
on the first substrate 105 to create a reflective surface. Other
methods to create a reflective surface may also be used.
[0065] In one embodiment, a reflective layer of aluminum is
deposited 914. The thinned surface of the first substrate 105 is
coated with approximately 10 nm of titanium seed thin film. Then an
approximately 30 nm thick layer of aluminum is deposited to form a
reflective layer with a reflectivity above 95% over much of the
visible optical spectrum. FIG. 9h is a side view that shows a
deposited reflective layer 932.
[0066] The reflective surface of the first substrate 105 is then
masked and, in a preferred embodiment, high-aspect-ratio
anisotropically ion etched 916 to finish forming the micro mirror
array 103 and release the mirror plates 204. This second etch
defines the mirror plate 204, the torsion spring hinge 206, and the
connector 216. Thus, it only takes two etchings of the first
substrate 105 to fabricate the micro mirrors 202. This
significantly decreases the cost of fabricating the micro mirrors
202. FIG. 9i is a block diagram showing the surface of the first
substrate 105 covered with the mask 933, and FIG. 9j is a block
diagram showing the spatial light modulator 100 after the second
etching, including the mirror plate 204, the hinge 206, the spacer
support frame 210, and the electrode 126.
[0067] In some embodiments, the hinges 206 are partially etched to
be recessed from the surface of the mirror plates 204. Also, in
some embodiments a reflective surface is deposited 914 after the
second etch that defines the mirror plate 204, the torsion spring
hinge 206, and the connector 216. Such a reflective layer may be
deposited by, for example, evaporating aluminum downwardly at an
angle such that the horizontal vector of the angle is from mirror
plate 204 to hinges 206. With this angle, and if the hinges 206
were etched so that they are recessed from the surface of the
mirror plates 204, it is possible to deposit substantially no
reflective coating on the surfaces of recessed hinges 206 to
minimize the optical scattering of incident light by the surfaces
of the torsion hinges 206. The evaporation may occur, for example,
in the reaction chamber of an e-gun thermal evaporator at a
deposition rate of one nanometer per second.
[0068] In some embodiments, the micro-mirror array 103 is protected
by a piece of glass or other transparent material. In one
embodiment, during fabrication of the micro mirror array 103, a rim
is left around the perimeter of each micro mirror array 103
fabricated on the first substrate 105. To protect the micro mirrors
202 in the micro mirror array 103, a piece of glass or other
transparent material is bonded 918 to the rim. This transparent
material protects the micro mirrors 202 from physical harm. In one
alternative embodiment, lithography is used to produce an array of
rims in a layer of photosensitive resin on a glass plate. Then
epoxy is applied to the upper edge of the rims, and the glass plate
is aligned and attached to the completed reflective SLM 100.
[0069] As discussed above, multiple spatial light modulators 100
may be fabricated from the two substrates 105 and 107; multiple
micro mirror arrays 103 may be fabricated in the first substrate
105 and multiple sets of circuitry may be fabricated in the second
substrate 107. Fabricating multiple SLMs 100 increases the
efficiency of the spatial light modulator 100 fabrication process.
However, if multiple SLMs 100 are fabricated at once, they must be
separated into the individual SLMs 100. There are many ways to
separate each spatial light modulator 100 and ready it for use. In
a first method, each spatial light modulator 100 is simply die
separated 920 from the rest of the SLMs 100 on the combined
substrates 105 and 107. Each separated spatial light modulator 100
is then packaged 922 using standard packaging techniques.
[0070] In a second method, a wafer-level-chip-scale packaging is
carried out to encapsulate each SLM 100 into separate cavities and
form electrical leads before the SLMs 100 are separated. This
further protects the reflective deflectable elements and reduces
the packaging cost. In one embodiment of this method, the backside
of the second substrate 107 is bonded 924 with solder bumps. The
backside of the second substrate 107 is then etched 926 to expose
metal connectors that were formed during fabrication of the
circuitry on the second substrate 107. Next, conductive lines are
deposited 928 between the metal connectors and the solder bumps to
electrically connect the two. Finally, the multiple SLMs are die
separated 930.
[0071] FIG. 10 illustrates the generation 902 of the mask 1000 and
the etching 904 that forms the cavities in the first substrate in
more detail. In a preferred embodiment, the first substrate is a
wafer of single crystal silicon. Oxide is deposited and patterned
on the first substrate. This results in the pattern shown in FIG.
10, where area 1004 is oxide that will prevent the substrate
beneath from being etched, and areas 1002 are areas of exposed
substrate. The areas of exposed substrate 1002 will be etched to
form the cavities. The areas 1004 that are not etched remain, and
form the spacer support posts 208 and the spacer support frame
210.
[0072] In one embodiment, the substrate is etched in a reactive ion
etch chamber flowing with SF6, HBr, and oxygen gases at flow rates
of 100 sccm, 50 sccm, and 10 sccm respectively. The operating
pressure is in the range of 10 to 50 mTorr, the bias power is 60 W,
and the source power is 300 W. In another embodiment, the substrate
is etched in a reactive ion etch chamber flowing with C12, HBr, and
oxygen gases at flow rates of 100 sccm, 50 sccm, and 10 sccm
respectively. In these embodiments, the etch processes stop when
the cavities are about 3-4 microns deep. This depth is measured
using in-situ etch depth monitoring, such as in-situ optical
interferometer techniques, or by timing the etch rate.
[0073] In another embodiment, the cavities are formed in the wafer
by an anisotropic reactive ion etch process. The wafer is placed in
a reaction chamber. SF6, HBr, and oxygen gases are introduced into
the reaction chamber at a total flow rate of 100 sccm, 50 sccm, and
20 sccm respectively. A bias power setting of 50 W and a source
power of 150 W are used at a pressure of 50 mTorr for approximately
5 minutes. The wafers are then cooled with a backside helium gas
flow of 20 sccm at a pressure of 1 mTorr. In one preferred
embodiment, the etch processes stop when the cavities are about 3-4
microns deep. This depth is measured using in-situ etch depth
monitoring, such as in-situ optical interferometer techniques, or
by timing the etch rate.
[0074] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
electrodes 126 formed on the second substrate 107. In this
embodiment, each micro mirror 202 has a corresponding electrode
126. The electrodes 126 in this illustrated embodiment are
fabricated to be higher than the rest of the circuitry on the
second substrate 107. As shown in FIG. 11, material on the sides of
the electrodes 126 slopes down from the electrodes' top surface in
a somewhat pyramid shape. In other embodiments, the electrodes 126
are located on the same level as the rest of the circuitry on the
second substrate 107, rather than extending above the circuitry. In
one embodiment of the invention, the electrodes 126 are individual
aluminum pads of approximately 10.times.10 microns in size. These
electrodes 126 are fabricated on the surface of the second
substrate 107. The large surface area of the electrodes 126 in this
embodiment results in relatively low addressing voltages required
to pull the mirror plate 204 down onto the mechanical stops, to
cause the full predetermined angular deflection of the mirror
plates 204.
[0075] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the micro mirror array
103 on the first substrate 105 positioned over the electrodes 126
and other circuitry on the second substrate 107. This illustrates
the relative positions of the micro mirrors 202 in the micro mirror
array 103 and the electrodes prior to bonding 910 the first and
second substrates 105 and 107 together. Note that, for illustrative
purposes, the micro mirrors 202 in the micro mirror array 103 are
shown as completed micro mirrors 202. However, in a preferred
embodiment, as described with respect to FIG. 9a, only the cavities
beneath the mirror plates 204 in the first substrate 105 would have
been etched prior to bonding the first substrate 105 to the second
substrate 107. The mirror plate 204, hinges 206, and connectors 216
would not be fabricated yet. In embodiments where the electrodes
126 are located above the level of the rest of the circuitry and
material on the side of the electrodes 126 slopes down, the sloping
material helps correctly position the first substrate 105 on the
second substrate 107.
[0076] FIG. 13 illustrates a simplified embodiment of a mask that
is used in etching 916 the upper surface of the first substrate
105. In the etching 916 step, areas 1302 are left exposed and are
etched to release the mirror plates 204 and form the torsion
springs 206, the connectors 216, and the support posts 208. Other
areas 1304 are covered with photoresist material and are not
etched. These areas include the mirror plates 204 themselves and
the material that will form the hinges 206. As shown in FIG. 13,
most of the surface of the mirror array 103 is reflective. The
fabrication process only creates small nonreflective gaps that
separate the mirror plates 204 from the support walls 210 and
hinges 206.
[0077] The upper surface of the first substrate 105 is etched to
release the mirror plates 204 and form the hinges 206 after the
upper surface of the first substrate 105 is masked. In one
embodiment, it is etched in a reactive ion etch chamber flowing
with SF6, HBr, and oxygen gases at a flow rate of 100 sccm, 50
sccm, and 10 sccm respectively. The operating pressure is in the
range of 10 to 50 mTorr, and the bias power of 60 W and a source
power 300 W. Since the etch depth is typically less than 1 micron,
there are several other fabrication processes can achieve the same
goal. Another embodiment uses C12 and oxygen gases at an operating
pressure of 10 mTorr to 50 mTorr with bias and source power
settings of the etching reaction chamber of 50 W and 300 W,
respectively, to achieve tight dimension control. The etch process
is stopped at the desired depth (in one embodiment, about 5 microns
deep) using in-situ etch depth monitoring or by timing the etch
rate.
Operation:
[0078] In operation, individual reflective elements are selectively
deflected and serve to spatially modulate light that is incident to
and reflected by the mirrors.
[0079] FIG. 14 is a cross-section that shows the micro mirror 202
above an electrode 126. In operation, a voltage is applied to an
electrode 126 to control the deflection of the-corresponding mirror
plate 204 above the electrode 126. As shown in FIG. 14, when a
voltage is applied to the electrode 126, the mirror plate 204 is
attracted to the electrode. This causes the mirror plate 204 to
rotate about the torsion spring 206. When the voltage is removed
from the electrode 126, the hinge 206 causes the mirror plate 204
to spring back upward. Thus, light striking the mirror plate 204 is
reflected in a direction that can be controlled by the application
of voltage to the electrode.
[0080] One embodiment is operated as follows. Initially the mirror
plate is undeflected. In this unbiased state, an incoming light
beam, from a light source, obliquely incident to SLM 100 is
reflected by the flat mirror plates 204. The outgoing, reflected
light beam may be received by, for example, an optical dump. The
light reflected from the undeflected mirror plate 204 is not
reflected to a video display.
[0081] When a voltage bias applied between the mirror plate 204 and
the bottom electrode 126, the mirror plate 204 is deflected due to
electrostatic attraction. Because of the design of the hinge 206,
the free end of the mirror plate 204 is deflected towards the
second substrate 107. Note that in one preferred embodiment
substantially all the bending occurs in the hinge 206 rather than
the mirror plate 204. This may be accomplished in one embodiment by
making the hinge width 222 thin, and connecting the hinge 206 to
the support posts 208 only on both ends. The deflection of the
mirror plate 204 is limited by motion stops, as described above.
The full deflection of the mirror plate 204 deflects the outgoing
reflected light beam into the imaging optics and to the video
display.
[0082] When the mirror plate 204 deflects past the "snapping" or
"pulling" voltage (approximately 12 volts in one embodiment), the
restoring mechanical force or torque of the hinge 206 can no longer
balance the electrostatic force or torque and the mirror plate 204
"snaps" down toward the electrode 126 to achieve full deflection,
limited only by the motion stops. To release the mirror plate 204
from its fully deflected position, the voltage must be lowered
substantially below the snapping voltage to a releasing voltage
(e.g., approximately 3.3 volts, in the embodiment where the
snapping voltage is 5.0 volts). Thus, the micro mirror 202 is an
electromechanically bistable device. Given a specific voltage
between the releasing voltage and the snapping voltage, there are
two possible deflection angles at which the mirror plate 204 may
be, depending on the history of mirror plate 204 deflection.
Therefore, the mirror plate 204 deflection acts as a latch. These
bistability and latching properties exist since the mechanical
force required for deflection of the mirror plate 204 is roughly
linear with respect to deflection angle, whereas the opposing
electrostatic force is inversely proportional to the distance
between the mirror plate 204 and the electrode 126.
[0083] Since the electrostatic force between the mirror plate 204
and the electrode 126 depends on the total voltage between the
mirror plate 204 and the electrode 126, a negative voltage applied
to a mirror plate 204 reduces the positive voltage needed to be
applied to the electrode 126 to achieve a given deflection amount.
Thus, applying a voltage to a mirror array 103 can reduce the
voltage magnitude requirement of the electrodes 126. This can be
useful, for example, because in some applications it is desirable
to keep the maximum voltage that must be applied to the electrodes
126 below 12V because a 5V switching capability is more common in
the semiconductor industry. In addition, the amount of charge
needed to bias each electrode 126 where a voltage is applied to a
mirror array 103 is smaller than the charge needed in an embodiment
in which the mirror array 103 is held at a ground potential. Thus
the time required to correctly apply the proper voltage to the
electrode 126 and deflect the mirror plate 204 is relatively
fast.
[0084] Since the maximum deflection of the mirror plate 204 is
fixed, the SLM 100 can be operated in a digital manner if it is
operated at voltages past the snapping voltage. The operation is
essentially digital because the mirror plate 204 is either fully
deflected downward by application of a voltage to the associated
electrode 126 or is allowed to spring upward, with no voltage
applied to the associated electrode 1.26. A voltage that causes the
mirror plate 204 to fully deflect downward until stopped by the
physical elements that stop the deflection of the mirror plate 204
is known as a, "snapping" or "pulling" voltage. Thus, to deflect
the mirror plate 204 fully downward, a voltage equal or greater to
the snapping voltage is applied to the corresponding electrode 126.
In video display applications, when the mirror plate 204 is fully
deflected downward, the incident light on that mirror plate 204 is
reflected to a corresponding pixel on a video display. When the
mirror plate 204 is allowed to spring upward, the light is
reflected in such a direction so that it does not strike the video
display.
[0085] During such digital operation, it is not necessary to keep
the full snapping voltage on an electrode 126 after an associated
mirror plate 204 has been fully deflected. During an "addressing
stage," voltages for selected electrodes 126 that correspond to the
mirror plates 204 which should be fully deflected are set to levels
required to deflect the mirror plates 204. After the mirror plates
204 in question have deflected due to the voltages on electrodes
126, the voltage required to hold the mirror plates 204 in the
deflected position is less than that required for the actual
deflection. This is because the gap between the deflected mirror
plate 204 and the addressing electrode 126 is smaller than when the
mirror plate 204 is in the process of being deflected. Therefore,
in the "hold stage" after the addressing stage the voltage applied
to the selected electrodes 126 can be reduced from its original
required level without substantially affecting the state of
deflection of the mirror plates 204. One advantage of having a
lower hold stage voltage is that nearby undeflected mirror plates
204 are subject to a smaller electrostatic attractive force, and
they therefore remain closer to a zero-deflected position. This
improves the optical contrast ratio between the deflected mirror
plates 204 and the undeflected mirror plates 204.
[0086] With the appropriate choice of dimensions (in one
embodiment, spacer 210 separation between the mirror plate 204 and
the electrode 126 of 1 to 5 microns and hinge 206 thickness of 0.05
to 0.45 microns) and materials (such as single crystal silicon
(100)), a reflective SLM 100 can be made to have an operating
voltage of only a few volts. The torsion modulus of the hinge 206
made of single crystal silicon may be, for example,
5.times.10'.degree. Newton per meter-squared per radium. The
voltage at which the electrode 126 operates to fully deflect the
associated mirror plate 204 can be made even lower by maintaining
the mirror plate 204 at an appropriate voltage (a "negative bias"),
rather than ground. This results in a larger deflection angle for a
given voltage applied to an electrode 126. The maximum negative
bias voltage is the releasing voltage, so when the addressing
voltage reduced to zero the mirror plate 204 can snap back to the
undeflected position.
[0087] It is also possible to control the mirror plate 204
deflections in a more "analog" manner. Voltages less than the
"snapping voltage" are applied to deflect the mirror plate 204 and
control the direction in which the incident light is reflected.
Alternate Applications:
[0088] Aside from video displays, the spatial light modulator 100
is also useful in other applications. One such application is in
maskless photolithography, where the spatial light modulator 100
directs light to develop deposited photoresist. This removes the
need for a mask to correctly develop the photoresist in the desired
pattern.
[0089] Although the invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to multiple embodiments, it will be
understood by persons skilled in the relevant art that various
changes in form and details can be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the mirror
plates 204 may be deflected through methods other than
electrostatic attraction as well. The mirror plates 204 may be
deflected using magnetic, thermal, or piezo-electric actuation
instead.
* * * * *