The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 1999
Filed:
May. 01, 1997
Teruhiro Shiono, Osaka, JP;
Michihito Ueda, Kyoto, JP;
Tatsuo Ito, Osaka, JP;
Kazuo Yokoyama, Hirakata, JP;
Shinichi Mizuguchi, Katano, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Kadoma, JP;
Abstract
The diffractive optical modulator of the invention includes: a plate having a portion functioning as a first electrode; a spacer layer formed on the plate; and a grating consisting of a plurality of beams having a portion functioning as a second electrode, both ends of the beams being supported on the spacer layer. In the diffractive optical modulator, by adjusting a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, a distance between the beams and the plate is varied, thereby controlling the diffraction efficiency. An insulating layer is further provided between the plate and the plurality of beams.