Silicon Light Machines Corporation

Cypress Semiconductor Corporation

Jim Hunter

David T Amm

Christopher S Gudeman

Gabriel C Risk

Akira Tomita

Mike Bruner

Chris Gudeman

Richard Yeh

Laura A Smoliar

Doug Webb

A grating light valve is provided with a plurality of spaced reflective ribbons, spatially arranged over a semiconductor substrate, the ribbons and substrate being provided with reflective surfaces. The grating light valve is configured to optimize the conditions for constructive and destructive interference with an incident light source having a given wavelength. In a preferred embodiment, one set of ribbons is moveable with respect to the substrate and the second set of ribbons. The substrate is typically provided with a protective layer, which may be thermally grown silicon dioxide or other dielectric. A conductive trace is provided on the dielectric layer and grounded through the dielectric layer to the substrate, comprising a conductive trace for easy release of charge otherwise trapped on or at the dielectric layer.

High contrast grating light valve

An optical MEM devices which utilizes individually addressable ribbon pairs configured to modulate light is disclosed. The ribbon pairs preferably comprise silicon nitride with a reflective aluminum layers, wherein at least one ribbon from each ribbon pair is in electrical communication with a driver circuit for controllably addressing the ribbon pairs individually. The ribbons are preferably configured to modulate light having wavelengths in a range of 0.4 to 2.0 microns suitable for display and optical communication technologies. The system preferably comprises optical fibers for transmitting light to individually addressable ribbon pairs and for transmitting reflected light from individually addressable ribbon pairs.

Micro-structures with individually addressable ribbon pairs

The current invention provides for encapsulated release structures, intermediates thereof and methods for their fabrication. A multi-layer structure has a capping layer, that preferably comprises silicon oxide and/or silicon nitride, and which is formed over an etch resistant substrate. A patterned device layer, preferably comprising silicon nitride, is embedded in a sacrificial material, preferably comprising poly-silicon, and is disposed between the etch resistant substrate and the capping layer. Access trenches or holes are formed in to capping layer and the sacrificial material is selectively etched through the access trenches, such that portions of the device layer are release from sacrificial material. The etchant preferably comprises a noble gas fluoride NGF, (wherein NG=Xe, Kr or Ar: and where x=1, 2 or 3). After etching that sacrificial material, the access trenches are sealed to encapsulate released portions the device layer between the etch resistant substrate and the capping layer. The current invention is particularly useful for fabricating MEMS devices, multiple cavity devices and devices with multiple release features.

Microelectronic mechanical system and methods

A pendulum motor having a stator and a cantilever beam moveable by an electrostatic force to predetermined positions relative to a supporting structure. A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) mechanism is formed on a semiconductor substrate using process steps that are completely compatible with current CMOS technology. A cantilever beam is fixed at one end to a structural layer and an electrode arrangement that provides an electrostatic field across a gap between the beam and a stator. A force between the beam and the stator generated by the electrostatic field results in movement of the free end of the beam relative to the stator. The free end of the beam may then be displaced by a predetermined amount from an equilibrium position and held in place by means of an applied electrostatic field. Movement of the free end of the beam is in a plane parallel to the surface of the support structure and it may follow either a circular or a non-circular path. The beam may be used as a waveguide to form a 1&times;N switch, the signal entering the fixed end of the beam and exiting the free end of the beam at one of N receptors depending upon beam displacement. In a second embodiment, a 1&times;N switch is formed using attached fiber optics. In a third embodiment, two pendulum motors configured fixed end to fixed end are used to form a one channel M&times;N switch.

Substrate based pendulum motor

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

Jim Hunter