Patent ID: 6288824
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An electrostatic optical shutter having a resilient electrode in the shape of a membrane made from optically transparent and electrically insulating film, wherein said membrane is parallel to and separated by an air gap from an optically transparent and electrically insulating substrate and supported by one flexible tether beam which is attached to said substrate through a conductive pillar; active areas of both said membrane and substrate contain electrically conductive and opaque film in the shape of a grating with periodically repeating opaque stripes, said stripes being connected at one or both ends to form continuous grating electrodes; the substrate continuous grating electrode constitutes first shutter electrode, while the grating electrode on said membrane is connected through the conductive film on said tether beam to said conductive pillar to provide second shutter electrode; said grating electrodes on said substrate and said membrane are shifted from each other by a half a period to block light transmission through the shutter when no voltage is applied between said electrodes and pass the light when appropriate voltage is applied between said grating electrodes, and said membrane is moved to said substrate both normally and laterally, which results in a spatial alignment of said stripes on both said membrane and substrate and formation of openings for light transmission and reflection thereby providing ""on""-state of the shutter.