Patent ID: 7064880

Claim:
A projector comprising: a spatial light modulator for spatially modulating incoming light in accordance with a pattern data that represents a pattern to be formed on a projection plane; and a projection optical system for projecting the light, which has been reflected from the spatial light modulator, onto the projection plane in a reduced size, wherein the spatial light modulator includes: an array of micromirrors to be driven in accordance with the pattern data; a substrate to support the array of micromirrors thereon; and a driving section, which is able to change the tilt of each said micromirror with respect to the substrate and the displacement of the micromirror perpendicularly to the substrate on a micromirror-by-micromirror basis, and wherein the driving section changes the position of each said micromirror in accordance with the pattern data, the position being defined by the displacement of the micromirror perpendicularly to the substrate and the tilt of the micromirror with respect to the substrate, wherein the driving section allows each said micromirror to take one of three different positions, which are defined as first, second and third positions, respectively, in accordance with the pattern data, wherein the micromirror in the first position tilts with respect to the substrate and deviates the reflected light substantially out of an aperture pupil of the projection optical system, and wherein the micromirrors in the second and third positions displace perpendicularly to the substrate to mutually different degrees, but both deviate the reflected light out of the aperture pupil of the projection optical system.