A method for manufacturing an array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors for use in an optical projection system, wherein M and N are integers, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a base made of an insulating material, the base having a top and a bottom surfaces;
- (b) forming a separation layer made of a water soluble material on the top surface of the base;
- (c) depositing a first thin film layer made of an electrically conducting and light reflecting material on top of the separation layer;
- (d) forming a thin film electrodisplacive layer made of an electrodisplacive material on top of the first thin film layer;
- (e) providing a second thin film layer made of an electrically conducting material on top of the thin film electrodisplacive layer;
- (f) depositing a thin film elastic layer made of a first insulating material on top of the second thin film layer;
- (g) depositing a sacrificial layer on top of the thin film elastic layer to thereby form a semifinished multilayered structure;
- (h) forming an array of M.times.N supporting members on the semifinished multilayered structure by removing portions of the sacrificial layer and filling therein with a second insulating material, wherein each of the supporting members extends from top of the thin film elastic layer to top of the sacrificial layer;
- (i) forming a conduit in each of the supporting members by removing a part of each of the supporting members and parts of the thin film elastic layer and filling therein with a metal to thereby forms multilayered structure including the first thin film layer, the thin film electrodisplacive layer, the second thin film layer, the thin film elastic layer and the sacrificial layer, the conduit extending from top of each of the supporting members to top of the second thin film layer;
- (j) patterning the multilayered structure into an array of M.times.N multilayered actuated mirror structures, wherein each of the multilayered actuated mirror structures includes a bias electrode layer, a motion-inducing layer, a signal electrode layer, an elastic member, a sacrificial member and the supporting member, the bias electrode layer, the motion-inducing layer, the signal electrode layer, the elastic member and the sacrificial member being a part of the first the film layer, the thin film electrodisplacive layer, the second thin film layer, the thin film elastic layer and the sacrificial layer, respectively;
- (k) providing an active matrix including a substrate, an array of M.times.N connecting terminals;
- (l) attaching the active matrix on top of the array of M.times.N multilayered actuated mirror structures in such a way that each of the conduits in each of the supporting members is in an electrical contact with each of the connecting terminals to thereby form an array of M.times.N semifinished actuated mirrors;
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- (m) separating the base from the array of M.times.N semifinished actuated mirrors by dissolving the separation layer and removing the sacrificial member in each of the semifinished actuated mirrors to thereby form said array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors.