Patent · US Expired

Stress tuned blazed grating light valve

US6639722B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
39References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2001
Grant dateOct 28, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B26/0808
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A light modulator includes elongated elements arranged parallel to each other and suspended above a substrate. The light modulator operates in a first diffraction mode and in a second diffraction mode. In the first diffraction mode, an incident light diffracts into a single diffraction order. Each of the elongated elements comprises a central blazed portion, a first outer blaze transition, and a second outer blaze transition. The central blaze portion, couples the first outer blaze transition to the second outer blaze transition. Each of the central blazed portions comprises a reflective surface. Selected ones of the central blazed portions comprise a first conductive element. The first outer blaze transition and the second outer blaze transition are coupled to the substrate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.