Side spring micro-mirror

A deflectable mirror element for an array of mirror elements, comprising:

• a generally rectangular planar mirror body having a light reflective surface, and side edges defining a width dimension and a length dimension, and additionally including a plurality of substantially equal length and equal width finger members formed in mutually parallel relationship along one of said width dimension side edges of said body above a substrate and having a length less than one-half of a length dimension side edge;
• and
• wherein a pair of said finger-like members are attached to a respective post adjacent said width dimension side edge, and the remaning finger-like members of said plurality of finger-like members are located on either side of said pair of finger-like members, said pair of finger-like members maintaining said mirror body in a first position substantially parallel to said substrate in an unactuated OFF state and for acting as springs so as to provide a restoring force to said mirror body back to said first position when tilted at a predetermined angle along said one width dimension side edge to a second position in an actuated ON state.