Patent ID: 7760412
Filing Date: 2010-07-20
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. Modulator for modulating an optical signal comprising: a substrate; a support mounted to said substrate; a membrane attached to said support and defining an airgap between said substrate and said membrane, said membrane having a central layer of a first thickness and said airgap having a second thickness, wherein said first and second thicknesses are optimized to allow reflection of light incident on said membrane at a non-normal angle of incidence to said membrane when said membrane is unbiased; wherein said airgap has a thickness of approximately (3λ/4)/cos(θ) when said modulator is unbiased, wherein λ is the basis wavelength of light incident on said membrane, and wherein θ is an angle of incidence of said light relative to the normal to the plane of the substrate; and means for applying a bias voltage between said membrane and said substrate, wherein said bias voltage deforms said membrane from a first position to a second position, and reduces said second thickness so as to allow said light to pass through said membrane.