Patent ID: 7446922
Filing Date: 2008-11-04
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An interdigitation-type diffractive light modulator, comprising: a substrate; a pair of ribbons each having a bar shape, each of the ribbons being suspended at an intermediate portion thereof above the substrate to define a gap between said intermediate portion and the substrate and comprising: a plurality of diffractive branches arranged along the intermediate portion of each of the ribbons in a comb shape such that the diffractive branches of the pair of ribbons forming the comb shapes interdigitate with each other, with a reflective surface provided on an upper surface of each of the diffractive branches; and an actuating unit to move the intermediate portion of either of the pair of ribbons located above the gap upwards and downwards, so that the diffractive branches of the ribbon, which interdigitate with the diffractive branches of a remaining ribbon, move in unison between a first position to reflect incident light and a second position to diffract incident light.