Patent ID: 7443076
Filing Date: 2008-10-28
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A diffractive thin-film piezoelectric light modulator, comprising: a substrate having a depressed portion at a central portion of the substrate to form an air space; a lower support which is attached at both ends of a bottom surface thereof to the substrate on both sides of the depressed portion of the substrate so that a central portion of the lower support is spaced a predetermined interval apart from the depressed portion of the substrate, in which the central portion of the lower support spaced apart from the depressed portion of the substrate is vertically movable; a pair residual of lower protective layers positioned on both sides of the lower support remaining from a lower protective layer that nominally covered the lower support to prevent the portion of the lower support corresponding to the depressed portion of the substrate from being over-etched; a pair of lower electrode layers disposed on the lower protective layers to apply a piezoelectric voltage; a pair of piezoelectric material layers disposed on the lower electrode layers to contract and expand due to the applied piezoelectric voltage so as to cause a moving force; a pair of upper electrode layers disposed on the piezoelectric material layers to apply the piezoelectric voltage to the piezoelectric material layer along with the lower electrode layers; and a micro-mirror positioned at the central portion of the lower support to reflect an external incident beam of light.