Patent ID: 6335831
Filing Date: 2002-01-01
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A mechanical grating device comprising:a base having a surface; a spacer layer, having an upper surface, is provided above the base, and a longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer, said channel having a first and second opposing side walls and a bottom; a plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements disposed parallel to each other and spanning the channel, said deformable ribbon elements defining a top and a bottom surface and are fixed to the upper surface of the spacer layer on each side of the channel, said deformable elements are organized in groups of N elements wherein N is greater than 2; at least N-2 standoffs provided for each group according to the longitudinal direction of the device, wherein said N-2 standoffs present a periodic sequence of standoff heights forming discrete steps; each of said groups forms a pattern of discrete levels in an actuated state wherein the pattern has N levels so as to present a periodic sequence of ribbon heights that resembles a blazed grating; and at least N-1 deformable ribbon elements of said groups, in said actuated state, being in mechanical contact with an underlying structure to form said pattern of discrete levels.