Patent ID: 11958738
Assignee: SILICON LIGHT MACHINES CORPORATION
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 13:
14. An optical system comprising:
a light source; and
a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device operable to receive and modulate light from the light source, the MEMS device comprising:
a substrate having an upper surface;
a top modulating layer including a number of light modulating micro-ribbons, each light modulating micro-ribbon supported above and separated from the upper surface of the substrate by a number of spring structures in at least one lower actuating layer; and

a mechanism for moving one or more of the number of light modulating micro-ribbons relative to the upper surface of the,
wherein the number of spring structures are operable to enable the number of light modulating micro-ribbons to move continuously and vertically relative to the upper surface of the substrate while maintaining the number of light modulating micro-ribbons substantially parallel to one another and the upper surface of the substrate.