Light valve target comprising electrostatically-repelled micro-mirrors
AssigneeMEMSolutions, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Little
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high intensity light modulator includes a micro-mirror light valve target with electrostatically-repelled micro-mirror elements. Each micro-mirror of the target array comprises a base electrode and an overlying micro-mirror element. In operation, charge is deposited upon the micro-mirrors to produce repulsive electrostatic forces that outwardly deflect the micro-mirror elements by an amount proportional to the deposited charge. In one embodiment, an array of micro-mirror light valves is formed directly upon the face plate of a vidicon tube and is addressed using a scanning electron gun.
Claims10
A light modulator, comprising:
- a) a light valve target having a plurality of electrostatically-actuable micro-mirrors, each said micro-mirror including a flexible micro-mirror element that is spaced-apart from an underlying base electrode;
- and
- b) a charge distributor for distributing electrical charge in a predetermined pattern over said target so that predetermined amounts of charge are deposited upon selected micro-mirrors to produce electrostatic repulsive forces that outwardly deflect said micro-mirror elements away from said electrodes in accordance with the amount of charge.
An electro-optical modulator for reflective image projection comprising, in combination:
- a) a plurality of electrostatically-actuable micro-mirrors;
- b) each of said micro-mirrors including a micro-mirror element and a base electrode;
- c) an electrically conductive path that joins the micro-mirror element to said base electrode such that charge migrates between said micro-mirror element and said base electrode to produce an electrostatically-repulsive force;
- and
- d) said micro-mirror element and said base electrode each comprising electrically-conductive material whereby said micro-mirror element will be outwardly deflected in response to the accumulation of a quantity of charge on both said micro-mirror element and said base electrode that produces said electrostatically-repulsive force.
A projection system, comprising:
- a) a vidicon tube;
- b) a target that is formed upon the face plate of said vidicon tube, said target having a plurality of electrostatically-actuable micro-mirrors that are arranged to receive a beam of light that is directed onto said face plate, each said micro-mirror including a micro-mirror element that is spaced-apart from an underlying base electrode;
- and
- c) a scanning electron gun in said vidicon tube for distributing electrical charge in a predetermined pattern over said target so that predetermined amounts of charge are deposited upon selected micro-mirrors to produce electrostatic repulsive forces that outwardly deflect and pivot said micro-mirror elements away from said electrodes thereby modulating the light beam in accordance with the amount of charge and directing the modulated light beam back through said face plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.