Piezoelectrically-activated cantilevered spatial light modulator

• Main Authors: AMANO JUN, MACHIDA AKIHIRO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.11.2006
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COLORIMETRY; ELECTROGRAPHY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HOLOGRAPHY; MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT,POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRA-RED,VISIBLE OR ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; RADIATION PYROMETRY; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TESTING

A piezoelectric spatial light modulator including a substrate having an array of cavities and piezoelectric cantilevers is arranged on the substrate. Each of the piezoelectric cantilevers includes a base portion on the substrate and a beam portion extending over a respective one of the cavities. Each of the piezoelectric cantilevers further includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a piezoelectric element between the electrodes. A flexible layer covers the cavities and the piezoelectric cantilevers and reflective elements are each located on the flexible layer over a respective one of the beam portions.