Patent ID: 7359106

Claim:
A diffractive modulator for modulating light incident thereon, the diffractive modulator comprising: a substrate having an upper surface; a membrane disposed above the upper surface of the substrate and spaced apart in relation thereto, the membrane including a continuously deformable light reflective surface formed on its upper side facing away from the upper surface of the substrate; a static light reflective surface surrounding the continuously deformable light reflective surface; and circuitry for controllably deflecting the continuously deformable light reflective surface relative to the upper surface of the substrate, whereby light reflected from different areas of the continuously deformable light reflective surface and from the static light reflective surface interferes to modulate light reflected from the diffractive modulator, and wherein the static light reflective surface includes a raised portion raised above the plane of the continuously deformable light reflective surface in a quiescent state.