Patent ID: 6900919

Claim:
An apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing, the apparatus comprising: an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material; and a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein at least some of the plurality of strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of at least a portion of the input optical signal, wherein a majority of the reflected input signal portion is communicated in one direction; wherein at least some of the mirror strips comprise: a layer of electrically insulating material; a first portion of at least partially reflective and at least substantially conductive material disposed outwardly from a first edge of the insulating layer; a second portion of at least partially reflective material disposed outwardly from the insulating layer and separated from the first portion by a channel; wherein one or more voltage differentials can be applied between the first portion and the inner conductive layer to create an electrostatic force between the first portion and the inner conductive layer tending to rotate the first portion toward the inner conductive layer.