Patent ID: 6947195

Claim:
A light modulator modulating light by changing a reflection direction of an incident light, comprising: a light reflection film regularly reflecting the incident light; a center beam which is formed out of a thin film constituted to be combined with said light reflection film, which has both ends fixed, and which is configured to be deformed by an electrostatic force, wherein said reflection film is provided on a first surface of said center beam; a substrate electrode which is opposed to said center beam through a gap formed on a second surface of said center beam; an opposed surface which is a surface of said substrate electrode opposed to said center beam modulating the incident light on said light reflection film, said opposed surface restricting a deformation of said center beam due to application of a driving voltage to said substrate electrode by abutting on said center beam; and a substrate which has a concave section in which said substrate electrode having said opposed surface is formed, and said substrate holds a to-be-held section of said center beam, wherein said center beam is configured to deform along said concave section of said substrate such that said light reflection film has an irregular shape when said center beam is driven by said driving voltage and the incident light is reflected by said light reflection film in random directions when said center beam is driven by said driving voltage and the incident light is reflected in one direction when said center beam is not driven.