Patent ID: 7046420

Claim:
A device comprising a plurality of micro-structures, each of the micro-structures comprising: a first ceramic support structure and a second ceramic support structure that are separated by a gap over a substrate, the first ceramic support structure comprising a first extended support portion, the second ceramic support structure comprising a second extended support portion, the first and second extended support portions extending toward each other but are separated by the gap; a metal strip spanning the gap and held over the substrate by the first ceramic structure on one end and by the second ceramic support structure on another end, the metal strip being a separate piece from the first and second ceramic support structures, the metal strip consisting of a single metal layer having a first surface configured to be impinged by incident light in a central active region and a second surface resting on surfaces of the first and second extended support portions, the metal strip being configured to deflect towards the substrate in a linear direction and relative to another metal strip to modulate the incident light.