Blocked stepped address voltage for micromechanical devices

A spatial light modulator comprising an array of individually addressable elements on one substrate divided into blocks, comprising:

• reset lines for each block, such that each of the reset lines is independent of other reset lines;
• address voltage supplies for each block, such that each of the address voltage supplies is independent of other address voltage supplies;
• and
• logic circuitry for determining which of the blocks is being reset and for stepping the address voltage supply for the blocks being reset.

A method of addressing an array of spatial light modulator elements, comprising the steps of:

• dividing the array into blocks of elements;
• providing reset lines to each of the blocks of elements, separate from the other blocks of elements;
• providing address voltage supplies to each of the blocks of elements, separate from the other blocks of elements, said address voltage supplies having an address voltage line shared by each pair of adjacent row of the array;
• sending address data to each of the blocks independent of sending address data to the other blocks;
• resetting each of the blocks to respond to the address data independent of the other blocks;
• and
• stepping an address voltage to each of the blocks of elements, such that only the blocks of elements that are being reset receive the stepped address voltage.