Abstract: A bistable microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator is formed on a substrate and includes a stressed membrane of generally rectangular shape that upon release assumes a curvilinear cross-sectional shape due to attachment at a midpoint to a resilient member and at opposing edges to a pair of elongate supports. The stressed membrane can be electrostatically switched between a pair of mechanical states having mirror-image symmetry, with the MEM actuator remaining in a quiescent state after a programming voltage is removed. The bistable MEM actuator according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used to form a nonvolatile memory element, an optical modulator (with a pair of mirrors supported above the membrane and moving in synchronism as the membrane is switched), a switchable mirror (with a single mirror supported above the membrane at the midpoint thereof) and a latching relay (with a pair of contacts that open and close as the membrane is switched).

Abstract: A high intensity image projection system includes a micro-mirror light valve target with micro-mirror elements repulsively pivotally-actuable. Each micro-mirror of the target array comprises a fixed base electrode joined to an overlying micro-mirror element by means of a hinge with each element formed of conductive material. As such, in operation, charge deposited upon either the base electrode or the micro-mirror element is free to migrate, in response to repulsive forces between deposited charges, to the element spaced therefrom. The resulting presence of like charge distributions upon the base electrode and micro-mirror element of a micro-mirror produces a repulsive electrostatic force for pivotally deflecting the micro-mirror element by an amount proportional to the charge deposited thereon. Capacitive charge storage elements and resistive paths are provided for storing and draining the deposited charge between applications of video frame information.

Abstract: A method for causing a micromechanical spatial light modulator to display data for a period less than its settling time. The modulator elements receive a first pulse (40) that causes them to release from their previous state, a bias voltage is removed and reapplied, allowing the elements to move to the unaddressed state, and then the elements receive a second pulse (46). After receiving a second pulse, the elements assume an unaddressed state. In one embodiment, new address data is loaded during this unaddressed state, after which a bias is reapplied causing them to achieve the state corresponding to the new state. In another embodiment, the previous addresses are cleared during the unaddressed state, forcing the elements into an OFF state. In either embodiment, a reset pulse may be applied after either the load or clear step.

Abstract: It is possible to replace a standard tuning unit in a television with spatial light modulator circuitry to improve the resolution seen by the viewer. The invention herein provides a system architecture, individual part of the system and techniques for minimizing the burst data rate while maintaining a reasonable system speed. The resultant system provides better resolution with a manageable data rate and bandwidth.

Abstract: A matrix display of light reflecting elements is capable of displaying images represented by data codes received from a variety of different sources at different respective frame rates. The codes are stored at whatever frame rate they are received, but are read at a subframe rate which is an integral multiple of each of the different frame rates.

Abstract: An electrically addressable, integrated, monolithic, micromirror device (10) is formed by the utilization of sputtering techniques, including various metal and oxide layers, photoresists, liquid and plasma etching, plasma stripping and related techniques and materials. The device (10) includes a selectively electrostatically deflectable mass or mirror (12) of supported by one or more beams (18) formed by sputtering and selective etching. The beams (18) are improved by being constituted of an impurity laden titanium-tungsten layer (52) with an impurity such as nitrogen, which causes the beams to have lattice constant different from TiW. The improved beams (18) exhibit increased strength, and decreased relaxation and creep.

Abstract: A system and technique for directing intensity modulated electromagnetic energy. The inventive system (10) includes an intensity modulated source of electromagnetic energy (12). Individual elements (22) in an array of energy directing elements (15) are activated in sync with the modulation of the energy source (12). In a particular implementation, the source (12) is a laser. The intensity of the laser is reduced during each successive field per frame. The energy directing elements (15), in this case, light directing elements, are implemented with an array of digital micromirrors. The light source (12) is modulated in intensity in accordance with a fixed modulation scheme. The mirrors (22) are selectively activated relative to the light source modulation scheme. Hence, the invention provides a gray scale output while allowing the time between mirror flips to be constant.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator with hexagonal elements or pixels. The elements include a reflective hexagonal surface supported by flexible hinges. The hinges are in turn supported by support posts away from a substrate. On the substrate are control or address electrodes which control the direction of deflection of the reflective surface by selective build up of electrostatic forces. The use of hexagonal pixels allow the posts and electrodes to be arrayed in horizontal lines, thereby allowing reset of horizontal lines of the pixels.

Abstract: A bistable deformable mirror device (DMD) pixel architecture is disclosed, wherein the torsion hinges are placed in a layer different from the torsion beam layer. This results in pixels which can be scaled to smaller dimensions while at the same time maintaining a large fractional active area, an important consideration for bright, high-density displays such as are used in high-definition television applications.

Abstract: A membrane light modulator contains a substrate, the substrate contains a first face and a second face. A plurality of first electrodes is arranged in a matrix of p rows and q columns. Each first electrode is affixed to the substrate by a suitable means. Each column of first electrodes is overlapped by a respective deformable reflective column conductor. Each column conductor is affixed to the first face by a suitable means. Each first electrode is electrically connected to a respective third switch terminal of a respective switching element. Each switching element is affixed to the second face by a suitable means. Each first electrode overlapps the respective switching element. A suitable potential control means is provided to control the potential difference between each first electrode and the respective column conductor in accordance with a input signal. Affixing switching elements to the second face and column conductors to the first face provides fabrication flexibility to enhance commercial viability.

Abstract: It is possible to replace a standard tuning unit in a television with spatial light modulator circuitry to improve the resolution seen by the viewer. The invention herein provides a system architecture, individual part of the system and techniques for minimizing the burst data rate while maintaining a reasonable system speed. The resultant system provides better resolution with a manageable data rate and bandwidth.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a digital micromirror device (DMD) (10) spatial light modulator (SLM) with a hardened superstructure hinge (16). The invention comprises strengthening a hinge layer material (36) by ion implantation before etching the hinge layer material (36) to form the hinge (16), but could be implanted after etching the hinge (16). The ion implantation is applied with a predetermined energy to concentrate the implanted material (62) at the center of the hinge layer material (36). The entire process is performed using conventional robust semiconductor processes, at low temperatures. Through ion implantation, the DMD hinge (16) is strengthened to minimize or eliminate the possibility of creep. A combination of ions could be implanted if desired. The ion chosen is based on the solubility of the hinge material.

Abstract: A digital video display system (100). The system receives digital data from either broadcast video (102) or an alternate source (107), in either analog or digital form. The system processes the data into display data and loads the data onto a digital micromirror device (112). The data is either formatted for color-sequencing or separated into color data for separate devices. The data causes the individual cells on the device to respond and then they are illuminated. The light coming from deflected cells is displayed on a display surface.

Abstract: A two-source illumination system includes a reflective array of elements deflectable to first and second positions in response to a drive voltage, and two sources pointed at the array from different angles, so that upon cycling the elements rapidly back and forth between the two positions, and alternately cycling the sources between on and off conditions synchronously with the cycling of the reflective array, light from both sources is (alternately) reflected back along an axis normal to the array. This arrangement allows driving the sources at a higher power level, resulting in a higher total light output from the system than would be possible with a single source driven constantly at a lower power level.