Multilevel electro-mechanical grating device and a method for operating a multilevel mechanical and electro-mechanical grating device
US6172796A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B26/0808
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for operating an electro-mechanical grating device comprises the steps of: PA1 providing a beam of light; PA1 applying a first electrostatic actuation force for a certain amount of time thereby generating a first pattern in each group wherein the pattern comprises N different levels thereby diffracting the incident light beam into a first direction; and PA1 applying a second electrostatic actuation force for a certain amount of time thereby generating a second pattern in each group wherein the second pattern comprises N different levels thereby diffracting the incident light beam into a second direction different from the first direction. The electro-mechanical grating device has a plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements disposed parallel to each other in the unactuated state and spanning a channel. The deformable ribbon elements are organized in groups of N elements wherein N is greater than 2. A plurality of standoffs are provided, wherein according to the longitudinal direction of the electro-mechanical grating device at least N-2 standoffs are associated with each group.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.