Vertical mechanical stops to prevent large out-of-plane displacements of a micro-mirror and methods of manufacture

A mirror array, comprising:

• a movable mirror, the movable mirror including:
• a stationary frame including a cavity;
• a movable frame in the cavity, the movable frame suspended from the stationary frame by a first stationary frame flexure and a second stationary frame flexure;
• a central stage in the cavity;
• and
• a lid wafer covering the movable mirror;
• a first protrusion on the lid wafer, the first protrusion extended towards the movable mirror.

A fabrication method of mirror array, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of movable mirrors that are spaced apart from each other, the plurality of movable mirrors including a first movable mirror, the first movable mirror including:
• a stationary frame including a cavity;
• a movable frame in the cavity, the movable frame suspended from the stationary frame by a first stationary frame flexure and a second stationary frame flexure;
• and
• a central stage in the cavity;
• forming a lid, the lid having a plurality of protrusions, the plurality of protrusions including a first protrusion and a second protrusion;
• covering the plurality of movable mirrors with the lid so that the first protrusion overlaps with the first stationary frame flexure in a first direction, and the second protrusion overlaps with the second stationary frame flexure in the first direction;
• forming a base, the base having a plurality of base protrusions, the plurality of base protrusions including a first base protrusion,
• supporting the plurality of movable mirrors with the base so that the first base protrusion overlaps with the central stage in the first direction.