Patents by Inventor Francisco S. A. Sandejas

Francisco S. A. Sandejas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and apparatus for modulating a light beam
    Patent number: 5808797
    Abstract: A modulator for modulating incident rays of light, the modulator having a plurality of equally spaced apart elements, each of which includes a light reflective planar surface. The elements are arranged parallel to each other with their light reflective surfaces parallel to each other. The modulator includes means for supporting elements in relation to one another and means for moving particular ones of the elements relative to others so that the moved elements transit between a first configuration wherein the modulator acts to reflect the incident rays of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein the modulator diffracts the light reflected therefrom. In operation, the light reflective surfaces of the elements remain parallel to each other in both the first and the second configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Silicon Light Machines
    Inventors: David M. Bloom, Francisco S. A. Sandejas, Olav Solgaard
  • Method of making a deformable grating apparatus for modulating a light beam and including means for obviating stiction between grating elements and underlying substrate
    Patent number: 5677783
    Abstract: A modulator for modulating incident rays of light, the modulator comprising a plurality of equally spaced apart beam elements, each of which includes a light reflective planar surface. The elements are arranged parallel to each other with their light reflective surfaces parallel to each other. The modulator includes means for supporting the beam elements in relation to one another and means for moving the beam elements relative to one another so that the beams move between a first configuration wherein the modulator acts to reflect the incident rays of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein the modulator diffracts the incident rays of light as they are reflected therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford, Junior University
    Inventors: David M. Bloom, Francisco S. A. Sandejas, Olav Solgaard, Raj B. Apte
  • Deformable grating apparatus for modulating a light beam and including means for obviating stiction between grating elements and underlying substrate
    Patent number: 5459610
    Abstract: A modulator for modulating incident rays of light, the modulator comprising a plurality of equally spaced apart beam elements, each of which includes a light reflective planar surface. The elements are arranged parallel to each other with their light reflective surfaces parallel to each other. The modulator includes means for supporting the beam elements in relation to one another and means for moving the beam elements relative to one another so that the beams move between a first configuration wherein the modulator acts to reflect the incident rays of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein the modulator diffracts the incident rays of light as they are reflected therefrom. At least one of the facing surfaces of the beam elements and underlying substrate is configured to reduce any tendency to stick as they are pulled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford, Junior University
    Inventors: David M. Bloom, Francisco S. A. Sandejas, Olav Solgaard, Raj B. Apte
  • Method and apparatus for modulating a light beam
    Patent number: 5311360
    Abstract: A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light, the modulator comprising a plurality of equally spaced-apart elements, each of which includes a light-reflective planar surface. The elements are arranged parallel to each other with their light-reflective surfaces parallel to each other. The modulator includes means for supporting the elements in relation to one another and means for moving particular ones of the elements relative to others so that the moved elements transit between a first configuration wherein the modulator acts to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second configuration wherein the modulator diffracts the light reflected therefrom. In operation the light-reflective surfaces of the elements remain parallel to each other in both the first and second configurations. The perpendicular spacing between the reflective surfaces of the respective elements is equal to m/4 .times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford, Junior University
    Inventors: David M. Bloom, Francisco S. A. Sandejas, Olav Solgaard