Pattern generator mirror configurations

A method of spatial intensity light modulation for use in optical projection systems comprising the steps of:

• providing a regular grid of separately addressable mirror elements, said mirror element having a pivot action, wherein mirror elements in the grid are arranged so that a vector sum of direction vectors for a group of equally actuated adjacent mirror elements is essentially zero;
• actuating the mirror elements to form a pattern;
• and
• projecting radiation from the mirror elements onto an image plane to reproduce the pattern.

A method of spatial intensity light modulation for use in optical projection systems including:

• providing a regular grid of separately addressable mirror elements, said mirror element having a pivot action, wherein mirror elements in the grid are arranged so that:
• a first mirror element has an adjacent second mirror element with a substantially different pivot action;
• and
• a vector sum of direction vectors for a group of equally actuated adjacent mirror elements is essentially zero;
• actuating the mirror elements to form a pattern;
• and
• projecting radiation from the mirror elements onto an image plane to reproduce the pattern.

A spatial intensity light modulator for use in an optical projection system that projects radiation from mirror elements onto an image plane to reproduce a pattern, including:

• a regular grid of separately addressable mirror elements, said mirror element having a pivot action, wherein mirror elements in the grid are arranged so that:
• a first mirror element has an adjacent second mirror element with a substantially different pivot action;
• and
• a vector sum of direction vectors for a group of equally actuated adjacent mirror elements is essentially zero.

An apparatus for creating a pattern on a workpiece sensitive to exposing radiation, such as a photomask, a display panel or a microoptical device, including:

• a source for exposing radiation;
• a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a multitude of modulating elements (pixels), adapted to be illuminated by said radiation;
• a projection system that projects said radiation from the modulator onto the workpiece;
• the modulating elements of the SLM being driven to induce a controlled phase difference between portions of the radiation modulated by adjacent modulating elements of the SLM.

An apparatus for creating a pattern on a workpiece sensitive to exposing radiation, such as a photomask, a display panel or a microoptical device, including:

• a source for exposing radiation;
• a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a multitude of modulating elements (pixels), adapted to be illuminated by said radiation,
• a projection system that projects said radiation from the modulator onto corresponding areas of the workpiece;
• the modulating elements of the SLM being driven to induce a controlled phase difference between radiation reaching adjacent areas of the workpiece corresponding to adjacent modulating elements of the SLM.