Photonic MEMS and structures
AssigneeIdc, LLC
InventorClarence Chui
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical device includes a non-transparent substrate. The optical device further includes a first optical layer which is at least partially transmissive and at least partially reflective to incident light. The optical device further includes a second optical layer which is at least partially reflective to incident light. The second optical layer is spaced from the first optical layer. At least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer is movable between a first position with a first distance between the first and second optical layers and a second position with a second distance between the first and second optical layers. Movement of the at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer between the first and second positions modulates the reflectivity of the device.
Claims40
An optical device, comprising:
- a non-transparent substrate;
- a first optical layer which is at least partially transmissive and at least partially reflective to incident light;
- and
- a second optical layer which is at least partially reflective to incident light, the second optical layer spaced from the first optical layer, wherein at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer is movable between a first position with a first distance between the first and second optical layers and a second position with a second distance between the first and second optical layers, wherein movement of the at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer between the first and second positions modulates the reflectivity of the device.
An optical device comprising:
- means for supporting an interferometric modulator, the supporting means being non-transparent;
- first means for reflecting light, the first reflecting means being at least partially transmissive and at least partially reflective to incident light;
- and
- second means for reflecting light, the second reflecting means being at least partially reflective to incident light, the second reflecting means spaced from the first reflecting means, wherein at least one of the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means is movable between a first position with a first distance between the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means and a second position with a second distance between the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means, wherein movement of the at least one of the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means between the first and second positions modulates the reflectivity of the device.
A method of manufacturing an optical device comprising:
- providing a non-transparent substrate;
- and
- forming one or more layers on the non-transparent substrate, the one or more layers including:
- a first optical layer which is at least partially transmissive and at least partially reflective to incident light;
- and
- a second optical layer which is at least partially reflective to incident light, the second optical layer spaced from the first optical layer, wherein at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer is movable between a first position with a first distance between the first and second optical layers and a second position with a second distance between the first and second optical layers, wherein movement of the at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer between the first and second positions modulates the reflectivity of the device.
A method of modulating light, the method comprising:
- providing an optical device comprising:
- a non-transparent substrate;
- a first optical layer which is at least partially transmissive and at least partially reflective to incident light;
- and
- a second optical layer which is at least partially reflective to incident light, the second optical layer spaced from the first optical layer, wherein at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer is movable between a first position with a first distance between the first and second optical layers and a second position with a second distance between the first and second optical layers;
- and
- moving the at least one of the first optical layer and the second optical layer while irradiating the device with light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.