Patent ID: 6912336

Claim:
An optical switch device comprising: an optical switch element constituted by a fixed electrode portion arranged, via a dielectric layer, on a semiconductor substrate on which an integrated circuit is formed, a mirror structure having a plate-shaped movable portion arranged above said fixed electrode portion while opposing said fixed electrode portion, a reflecting portion which is formed at least at part of said movable portion to reflect light, a support member which is fixed around said fixed electrode portion on the semiconductor substrate via a dielectric layer and supports said mirror structure; and a driving control circuit which is incorporated in the integrated circuit to drive said optical switch element by applying a predetermined potential to said movable portion and said fixed electrode portion, wherein said support member is formed from a plurality of stacked structures, said support member is formed from a first structure formed on the semiconductor substrate via the dielectric layer and a second structure stacked on the first structure, said fixed electrode portion is formed to be lower than said support member at least by a thickness of the second structure, said support member is formed from a first structure formed on the semiconductor substrate via the dielectric layer, a second structure stacked on the first structure, and a third structure stacked on the second structure, and said fixed electrode portion includes a fourth structure formed on the semiconductor substrate via the dielectric layer and having the same thickness as that of the first structure and a fifth structure stacked on the fourth structure and having the same thickness as that of the second structure and is formed to be lower than said support member at least by a thickness of the third structure.