Source: http://www.google.es/patents/US7046422?hl=es&dq=flatulence
Timestamp: 2013-05-24 18:58:05
Document Index: 129026458

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 59', 'art 57', 'art 57', 'art 67', 'art 57', 'art 57']

Patente US7046422 - Reflection-type light modulating array element and exposure apparatus - Google PatentesB�squeda Im�genes Maps Play YouTube Noticias Gmail Drive M�s » B�squeda avanzada de patentes | Historial web | Iniciar sesi�n B�squeda avanzada de patentesPatentesA reflection-type light modulating array element has: a substrate; a movable member provided with a beam body provided on the substrate through a first gap, a light reflector capable of rotational displacement by twisting of the beam body, and an electrically conducting part formed at least in a partial...http://www.google.es/patents/US7046422?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatente US7046422 - Reflection-type light modulating array element and exposure apparatus N�mero de publicaci�nUS7046422 B2Tipo de publicaci�nConcesi�n N�mero de solicitud10/965,043 Fecha de publicaci�n16 May 2006 Fecha de presentaci�n15 Oct 2004 Fecha de prioridad16 Oct 2003Tambi�n publicado comoUS20050099670 InventoresKoichi KimuraKatsuto Sumi Cesionario originalFuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Clasificaci�n de EE.UU.359/295359/224.1359/298359/292359/291359/318 Clasificaci�n internacionalG02B26/00G02B26/08 Clasificaci�n cooperativaG02B26/0841 Clasificaci�n europeaG02B26/08M4EReferenciasCitas de patentes (12)Otras citas (1) Citada por (22)Enlaces externosUSPTO Cesi�n de USPTO EspacenetReflection-type light modulating array element and exposure apparatusUS 7046422 B2 Resumen A reflection-type light modulating array element has: a substrate; a movable member provided with a beam body provided on the substrate through a first gap, a light reflector capable of rotational displacement by twisting of the beam body, and an electrically conducting part formed at least in a partial portion of the movable member; a lower electrode provided on a substrate side to face the movable member through the first gap, and an upper electrode provided on a side opposite to the lower electrode to face the movable member through a second gap, and thereby the movable member is between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, wherein a voltage is applied to the upper electrode, the lower electrode and the electrically conducting part to cause an rocking displacement of the light reflector and thereby deflect a reflection direction of a light.
The spatial light modulator 1 disclosed in JP-A-8-334709 (the term �JP-A� as used herein means an �unexamined published Japanese patent application�) has, as shown in FIG. 25A, a square mirror 7 entirely supported on and elevated above a yoke 5 by a support post 3. The support post 3 extending downward from the center of the mirror 7 is, as shown in the Figure, fixed along its torsion axis to the center of the yoke 5 and balances the center of mass of the mirror 7 on the yoke 5. When the yoke 5 and the mirror 7 are in the undeflected (flat) state, the yoke 7 is entirely coplanar with the elevated address electrodes 9 and 11 at a distance of about 1 μm above the metal layer including address electrodes 13 and 15 and reset/bias 17. The mirror 7 is elevated above the pair of elevated address electrodes 9 and 11 about 2 μm which is approximately double the distance separating the yoke 5 from the substrate 19.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made under these circumstances and a first object of the present invention is to obtain a reflection-type light modulating array element and an exposure apparatus, which can realize low-voltage and high-speed driving and sufficiently high durability. A second object of the present invention is to obtain a reflection-type light modulating array element and an exposure apparatus, which can realize miniaturization, high resolution and high utility efficiency of light.
In this reflection-type light modulating array element, out of three members of first driving electrode, second driving electrode and movable body electrode of each reflection-type light modulating element, the movable body electrode is connected by common wiring and each reflection-type light modulating element is independently driven and controlled by other two members of first driving electrode and second driving electrode. Accordingly, in a reflection-type light modulating array element having n reflection-type light modulating elements, a wiring pattern can be formed to give a number of wiring lines as small as 2�n+1 instead of the original number 3�n of wiring lines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the reflection-type light modulating element constituting the reflection-type light modulating array element according to the present invention.
FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D are cross-sectional views in the sections IIA�IIA, IIB�IIB, IIC�IIC and IID�IID of FIG. 1, respectively.
FIGS. 7A to 7F are explanatory views showing an example of the production process of the reflection-type light modulating element shown in FIG. 1, where FIGS. 7A to 7F show the process in respective cross sections IIA�IIA and IIC�IIC.
FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C are cross-sectional views in the sections IXA�IXA, IXB�IXB and IXC�IXC of FIG. 8, respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the reflection-type light modulating array element and exposure apparatus of the present invention are described in detail below by referring to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the reflection-type light modulating element constituting the reflection-type light modulating array element of the present invention, FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D are cross-sectional views in the sections 2A�2A, 2B�2B, 2C�2C and 2D�2D of FIG. 1, respectively, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an electrode wiring diagram of the reflection-type light modulating element shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2D, the reflection-type light modulating element 100 constituting the reflection-type light modulating array element according to this embodiment comprises, as fundamental constituent elements, a substrate 51, a movable member 61 comprising a beam body (hereinafter also referred to as a �hinge�) 55 provided on the substrate 51 through a gap 53 and having a light reflector (hereinafter also referred to as a �mirror part�) 57 capable of rotational displacement upon twisting of the hinge 55 and an electrically conducting part 59 formed at least in a partial portion, a lower electrode 63 provided on the substrate 51 side opposite to the movable member 61 through the gap 53, and an upper electrode 67 provided on the side opposite to the lower electrode 63 to sandwich the movable member 61 and face the movable member 61 through a gap 65.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an example of the production process of the reflection-type light modulating element shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 7A to 7F show the process in respective cross sections IIA�IIA and IIC�IIC.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the reflection-type light modulating element according to the second embodiment where the toughness of the beam body is enhanced, and FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C are cross-sectional views in the sections IXA�IXA, IXB�IXB and IXC�IXC of FIG. 8, respectively. In this embodiment, the same member as the member shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 is denoted by the same reference numeral and redundant description is omitted.
According to the reflection-type light modulating array element having such a wiring structure, out of three members of first driving electrode 85, second driving electrode 87 and movable body electrode 89 of the reflection-type light modulating element 100, the movable body electrode 89 is connected by common wiring and therefore, each reflection-type light modulating element 100 can be independently driven and controlled by other two members of first driving electrode 85 and second driving electrode 87. Accordingly, in a reflection-type light modulating array element having n reflection-type light modulating elements 100, a wiring pattern can be formed to give a number of wiring lines as small as 2�n+1 instead of the original number 3�n of wiring lines.
As shown in FIG. 12, the subscanning unit 127 comprises a light source�SLM unit 129 and an imaging lens system 131. The rotation position of the drum 123 is detected by a main scanning position detector 133 and the movement position of the subscanning unit 127 is detected by a subscanning position detector 135. The position signals detected by these main scanning position detector 133 and subscanning position detector 135 are input into a signal generator 137. Based on these position signals, the signal generator 137 outputs modulation signals and light source signals to the light source�SLM unit according to image signals sent from a host control section. The imaging lens system 131 is constituted by combined zoom lenses 131 a and 131 b for changing the magnification of laser light modulated and ejected from the light source�SLM unit 129 and forming an image on the surface of the exposure object 121.
In the reflection-type light modulating array element 300 of the light source�SLM unit 129, a plurality of reflection-type light modulating elements 100 are arrayed in the subscanning direction. Accordingly, when the exposure object 121 and the subscanning unit 127 are relatively moved with respect to the direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to this array direction, a one-line portion can be exposed in that direction of the exposure object 121 to give the same number of pixels as the number of reflection-type light modulating elements 100 arrayed.
As shown in FIG. 13, the light source�SLM unit 129 comprises a polarizing beam splitter 141 which is a polarizing element of polarizing and combining the light from the light source and the light from the reflection-type light modulating array element 300. In the light path starting from the light source and reaching the polarizing beam splitter 141, a first lens array plate 143, a polarization conversion element 145 of converting the light from the light source all into p-polarization, and a second lens array plate 147 of giving a parallel light flux from the light converted into polarized light by the polarization conversion element 145 are disposed in this order from the light source side. The reflection-type light modulating array element 300 having the microlens array 113 is disposed to oppose the adjacent surface orthogonal to the surface of the polarizing beam splitter 141 where the light from the light source is injected.
That is, in the light source�SLM unit 129, the light from the light source is injected into the reflection-type light modulating array element 300 through the polarizing beam splitter 141 and the microlens array 113, and the reflected light reflected by the reflection-type light modulating array element 300 is again injected into the polarizing beam splitter 141 through the microlens array 113 and at the same time, transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter 141 and irradiated on the exposure object 121. Also, the light injected from the light source is converted into a light flux of only p-polarization or only s-polarization by the polarization conversion element 145 and ejected to the polarizing beam splitter 141.
The second lens array plate 147 disposed in the light path for light from the light source has an about � pitch of the pitch of the polarization conversion element 145 and is disposed so that the focus surface on its front side can almost agree with the focus surface on the back side of the first lens array plate 143. By virtue of this arrangement, the light flux ejected from the second lens array plate 147 becomes nearly parallel light and this parallel light flux is injected into the polarizing beam splitter 141.
On the surface of the polarizing beam splitter 141 facing the reflection-type light modulating array element 300, a �-wavelength plate 141 b is provided. Accordingly, the s-polarized light reflected on the polarization splitting surface 141 a is transmitted through the �-wavelength plate 141 b, then reflected by the reflection-type light modulating array element 300, and again transmitted through the �-wavelength plate 141 b, whereby the angle of polarization is converted by 90� and the light becomes p-polarized light and emerges from the polarizing beam splitter 141.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 1 FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the main part of Modification Example 1 where prisms are provided on the microlens array of FIG. 14.
In this Modification Example, prisms 161 are arrayed to correspond to respective microlenses 115 in the microlens array 113 of the reflection-type light modulating array element 300 in which the light source�SLM unit 129 is provided. The prism 161 ejects the light transmitted through the microlens 115, to the mirror part 57 at a predetermined angle of refraction. The light injected into the mirror part 57 at this angle of refraction is, when the mirror part 67 is at the OFF tilt position, reflected toward the direction different from the injection direction and when the mirror part 57 is at the ON tilt position, reflected to the same direction as the injection direction.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 2 FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the main point of Modification Example 2 where the incident light to the microlens array is tilted.
According to this Modification Example, when the angle α of the polarization splitting surface 163 a is set to 45� or more, the reflection angle on the polarization splitting surface 163 a becomes an obtuse angle and the thickness T of the polarizing beam splitter 163 can be decreased. Also, when the angle α of the polarization splitting surface 163 a is set to form an incident light path and a reflected light path on adjacent two microlenses 115 and 115, similarly to Modification Example 1, the reflected light can be taken out at the stable both-end tilt position of OFF tilt position or ON tilt position of the mirror part 57.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 3 FIG. 17 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 3 where a microlens array is provided on the light ejection side of the beam splitter.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 4 FIG. 18 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 4 where the polarization conversion element comprises a pair of beam splitters and a pair of half-wavelength plates.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 5 FIG. 19 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 5 where the polarization conversion element comprises one beam splitter and one half-wavelength plate.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 6 FIG. 20 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 6 where the polarization conversion element uses a polarization conversion prism.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 7 FIG. 21 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 7 where the polarization conversion element comprises a birefringent crystal, and FIG. 22 is an explanatory view showing the production of linear polarization by the polarization conversion element shown in FIG. 21.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 8 FIG. 23 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 8 where the polarization conversion element comprises integrally provided first microlens array and second microlens array.
MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 9 FIG. 24 is a constitutional view of Modification Example 9 where the polarization conversion element comprises four rectangular prisms and two synthesizing prisms.
Natural light from the light source 175 is converted into parallel light by the reflector 177 and split by the polarizing beam splitter 211 into two linearly polarized light beams (s-polarized light and p-polarized light) with their polarization directions being orthogonal to each other. The p-polarized light transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter 211 encounters total reflection twice on the inclined planes of the rectangular prisms and in this process, its polarization direction rotates 90�. On the other hand, the s-polarized light reflected on the polarization splitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter 211 enters the rectangular prisms 207 c and 207 d in sequence and although total reflection occurs twice on the inclined planes of the rectangular prisms, its polarization direction does not change because the reflection surfaces are disposed in parallel to each other. As a result, two linearly polarized light beams split by the polarizing beam splitter 211 both come to have the same polarization direction and travel in the same direction. Finally, two linearly polarized light beams are synthesized by using the synthesizing prisms 209 a and 209 b to overlap on the reflection-type light modulating array element 300.
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