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:
Jul. 26, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 28, 2003
Dinesh Maheshwari, Fremont, CA (US);
Michael Dueweke, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Dinesh Maheshwari, Fremont, CA (US);
Michael Dueweke, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Silicon Light Machines Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light. The modulator includes a plurality of elements, each element including a first end, a second end, a first non-linear side, a second non-linear side, and a light reflective planar surface. The light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of elements lie in one or more parallel planes. The elements are preferably arranged parallel to each other. The modulator also includes a support structure to maintain a position of each element relative to each other and to enable movement of selective ones of the plurality of elements in a direction normal to the one or more parallel planes of the plurality of elements. The plurality of elements are preferably moved between a first modulator configuration wherein the plurality of elements act to reflect the incident beam of light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein the plurality of elements act to diffract the incident beam of light. The non-linear sides substantially reduce the polarization dependent losses for diffraction from the plurality of elements.