Patent ID: 6664706
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: B81B,H02N

Abstract:
An electrostatically-controllable diffraction grating comprising:a plurality of electrically isolated and stationary electrodes disposed on a substrate; at least one row of a plurality of interconnected actuation elements, each actuation element in a row suspended, by a corresponding mechanically constrained support region, over the substrate by a vertical actuation gap, and each actuation element including a conducting actuation region connected to the corresponding actuation support region and disposed in a selected correspondence with at least one substrate electrode; a mirror element provided for at least one actuation element in at least one row of actuation elements, each mirror element including an optically reflecting upper surface and being vertically suspended over a corresponding actuation element by a mechanically constrained mirror support region connected to the corresponding actuation element and defining a vertical mirror gap, each mirror element including a mirror deflection region connected to the mirror support region and free to be deflected through the mirror gap; and wherein the mirror gap of a mirror element is less than the actuation gap of a corresponding actuation element and is selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the actuation region of a corresponding actuation element through a displacement range to a specified point in the actuation gap when an actuation voltage is applied between an actuation region and a corresponding stationary electrode, for diffracting a beam of light incident on the grating as the light beam is reflected from the upper surfaces of the mirror elements.