Patent ID: 7688378

Claim:
An image sensor comprising: an array of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate, each pixel cell comprising a photo-conversion device; and at least two micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) elements stacked over at least one of the pixel cells and displaced over one another at different heights from the surface of the substrate, the MEMS elements comprising: a photonic crystal structure comprising: an insulating layer supported by a support structure; a plurality of pillars on the insulating layer, the pillars being spaced apart from each other; and a conductive layer in contact with at least a portion of the pillars, wherein the photonic crystal structure is located over at least one of the pixel cells and adapted to selectively permit electromagnetic radiation having a predetermined wavelength to pass through the photonic crystal structure to the photo-conversion device of the at least one cell in response to at least one applied voltage; and wherein the support structure is adapted to selectively displace the photonic crystal structure in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate in response to the at least one applied voltage.