Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (1) having a matrix array of micro-mirrors (2) comprises a component substrate (4) carried on a base substrate (5). The component substrate (4) comprises a membrane layer (8) in which the micro-mirrors (2) are formed and a supporting handle layer (9). The base substrate (5) comprises a base layer (15) from which a plurality of pedestals (18) extend upwardly therefrom into cavities (14) in the handle layer (9) corresponding to the micro-mirrors (2). Each pedestal (18) carries electrodes (25) for co-operating with the micro-mirrors (2) for tilting thereof. Conductors (28) through vias (27) in the pedestals (18) connect the electrodes (25) to electrically conductive tracks (29) on a bottom surface (16), and in turn through conductors (36) through vias (35) to addressing terminals (33) for addressing the electrodes (25).

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer having a matrix array of micro-mirrors comprises a component substrate carried on a base substrate. The component substrate comprises a membrane layer in which the micro-mirrors are formed and a supporting handle layer. The base substrate comprises a base layer from which a plurality of pedestals extend upwardly therefrom into cavities in the handle layer corresponding to the micro-mirrors. Each pedestal carries electrodes for co-operating with the micro-mirrors for tilting thereof. Conductors through vias in the pedestals connect the electrodes to electrically conductive tracks on a bottom surface, and in turn through conductors through vias to addressing terminals for addressing the electrodes.

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer (1) with one or more micro-mirrors (5) formed in a membrane layer (2) which is supported on a handle layer (3) with a buried oxide layer (6) between the membrane and handle layers (2,3) which avoids rupturing of tethers (7) which support the micro-mirrors (5) in the membrane layer (2) and also avoids bowing of the micro-mirrors (5). After trenches (14) are formed in the membrane layer (2) for defining the micro-mirrors (5) and the tethers (7), and prior to forming of through bores (9) through the handle layer (3) to the micro-mirrors (5), a support layer (20) of oxide is deposited on the exposed surface (12) of the membrane layer (2) over the micro-mirrors (5) and the tethers (7) and is back filled into the trenches (14) for supporting bridging portions (16) of the buried oxide layer (6).

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (1) having a matrix array of micro-mirrors (2) comprises a component substrate (4) carried on a base substrate (5). The component substrate (4) comprises a membrane layer (8) in which the micro-mirrors (2) are formed and a supporting handle layer (9). The base substrate (5) comprises a base layer (15) from which a plurality of pedestals (18) extend upwardly therefrom into cavities (14) in the handle layer (9) corresponding to the micro-mirrors (2). Each pedestal (18) carries electrodes (25) for co-operating with the micro-mirrors (2) for tilting thereof.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus (1) comprises: a combined electronic camera (2) and swipe scanner (4), the electronic camera (2) having an associated optical system (8) and detector array (12) for remote capturing of a first image (46) and the swipe scanner (4) having an associated optical system (28) and detector array (34) for swipe capturing of a second image (38); and a data storage means arranged to store the first image (46) and the second image (38) in association with each other. The electronic camera (2) may be a moderate resolution color camera, and the swipe scanner (4) may have a grey-scale detector (34) array capable of scanning an object at a higher resolution than the camera (2). A display (6) is provided so that both images (38,46) can be viewed separately in association with each other, or combined into a combination image, which has color information from the camera (2) to colorize higher resolution pixels from the scanner (4).