# US 2014/0192398 A1 · Asymmetrical deformable diffractive grating modulator

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- Number: US 2014/0192398 A1
- Document ID: US20140192398A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/737,979
- Filed: 2013-01-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10
- Assignees: Eastman Kodak Company
- Inventors: Nissim Pilossof
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192398A1

## CPC

- G02B 26/00: Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements (control of light by modification of the optical properties of the media of the elements involved therein G02F1/00)
- G02B 5/1828: {having means for producing variable diffraction (controlling the direction of light by means of one or more diffracting elements G02B26/0808; acousto-optical elements G02F1/11, G02F1/33; electro- or magneto-optical diffraction G02F1/292, G02F1/2955)}
- G02B 26/0808: {by means of one or more diffracting elements}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A method for modulating light using a micro-electro-mechanical structure includes providing a plurality of deformable mirror elements (30) having an L-shaped cross section. Each of the deformable mirror elements are comprised of a pedestal (32) and an elongated ribbon (33). Each of the ribbons has a reflective surface (35). A beam of light is directed on the deformable mirror elements. The deformable mirror elements is flexed about an axis parallel to a long dimension of the ribbons to vary a curvature of at least one of the reflective ribbons.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for modulating light using a micro-electro-mechanical structure comprising:
providing a plurality of deformable mirror elements having an L-shaped cross section;
wherein each of said deformable mirror elements is comprised of a pedestal and an elongated ribbon attached to the pedestal on a long axis of the ribbon;
wherein each of said ribbons has a reflective surface;
directing a beam of light on said deformable mirror elements; and
flexing said deformable mirror elements about an axis parallel to a long dimension of the ribbons to vary a curvature of at least one of the reflective ribbons.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said reflective surface has one or more reflective segments.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein each of said deformable mirror elements flexes independently.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein each of the pedestals is anchored to a substrate parallel to each adjacent pedestal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing an activation device on each of said ribbons.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising:
activating said activation device to induce curvature in a pixel group of said ribbons.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising:
providing complimentary activation devices on a substrate that anchors the pedestal on each of said deformable mirror elements to induce curvature in said ribbons.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein said activation device is selected from a group comprising electrical, magnetic, or heating elements.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is conductive.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein reflective surface is matched to a wavelength of the light.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is aluminum and the wavelength of the light is in the visible range.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is gold and the wavelength of the light is in the infrared range.