Claims
- 1. An across-wafer optical microelectromechanical system comprising:
(a) a substrate having a first surface; (b) an across-wafer optical MEMS device attached to the first surface for selectively altering the flow of light in a direction parallel to the first surface; and (c) a protective lid for covering the optical MEMS device, the lid including first and second light-transmissive portions for providing an optical path in a direction parallel to the first surface.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a glass material.
- 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a silicon material.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a gallium arsenide material.
- 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises an elongate member having a curling portion for curling out of the plane of the first surface to alter the flow of light across the substrate.
- 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a sliding member for sliding across the first surface to alter the flow of light across the substrate.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises:
(a) a pedestal; (b) an elongate member torsionally mounted on the pedestal; and (c) an actuation electrode located below the elongate member for pivoting the elongate member about the pedestal selectively alter the flow of light across the substrate.
- 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a pop-up member for moving from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of the first surface to a second position substantially orthogonal to the plane of the first surface to selectively affect the flow of light across the substrate.
- 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical across-wafer MEMS device comprises a cantilever beam having a mirror mounted on an end of the cantilever beam for selectively affecting the flow of light across the substrate.
- 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises an elongate member extending in a direction orthogonal to the first surface of the substrate and a pivot for rotationally mounting the elongate member on the substrate, wherein the elongate member rotates about the pivot to selectively affect the flow of light across the substrate.
- 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a bi-metallic spring having a resting position for affecting the flow of light across the substrate and an actuated position for allowing light to pass across the substrate.
- 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the bi-metallic spring includes a piezoelectric material for moving the spring from the resting position to the actuated position.
- 13. The system of claim 11 wherein the bi-metallic spring includes a magnetic material for moving the spring from the first position to the actuated position.
- 14. The system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of across-wafer optical MEMS devices located on the substrate for affecting the flow of light across the first surface.
- 15. The system of claim 1 wherein the protective lid is made of the same material as the substrate.
- 16. The system of claim 1 wherein the protective lid is made from a different material than the substrate.
- 17. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second light-transmissive portions comprise apertures.
- 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second light-transmissive portions comprise a light-transmissive material.
- 19. The system of claim 18 comprising an anti-reflective film located on predetermined surfaces of the light-transmissive portions.
- 20. An across-wafer optical mircoelectromechanical system comprising:
(a) a substrate having a first surface; (b) an across-wafer optical MEMS device located on the first surface for selectively altering the flow of light in a direction parallel to the first surface; and (c) a protective lid for covering the optical MEMS device, wherein at least one of the substrate and the lid include first and second light-transmissive portions for providing an optical path.
- 21. The system of claim 20 wherein the substrate comprises a glass material.
- 22. The system of claim 20 wherein the substrate comprises a silicon material.
- 23. The system of claim 20 wherein the substrate comprises a gallium arsenide material.
- 24. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises an elongate member having a curling portion for curling out of the plane of the first surface to alter the flow of light across the substrate.
- 25. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a sliding member for sliding across the first surface to alter the flow of light across the substrate.
- 26. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises:
(a) a pedestal; (b) an elongate member torsionally mounted on the pedestal; and (c) an actuation electrode located below the elongate member for pivoting the elongate member about the pedestal selectively alter the flow of light across the substrate.
- 27. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a pop-up member for moving from a first position substantially parallel to the plane of the first surface to a second position substantially orthogonal to the plane of the first surface to selectively affect the flow of light across the substrate.
- 28. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a cantilever beam having a mirror mounted on an end of the cantilever beam for selectively affecting the flow of light across the substrate.
- 29. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises an elongate member extending in a direction orthogonal to the first surface of the substrate and a pivot for rotationally mounting the elongate member on the substrate, wherein the elongate member rotates about the pivot to selectively affect the flow of light across the substrate.
- 30. The system of claim 20 wherein the across-wafer optical MEMS device comprises a bi-metallic spring having a resting position for affecting the flow of light across the substrate and an actuated position for allowing light to pass across the substrate.
- 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the bi-metallic spring includes a piezoelectric material for moving the spring from the resting position to the actuated position.
- 32. The system of claim 30 wherein the bi-metallic spring includes a magnetic material for moving the spring from the first position to the actuated position.
- 33. The system of claim 20 comprising a plurality of across-wafer optical MEMS devices located on the substrate for affecting the flow of light across the first surface.
- 34. The system of claim 20 wherein the protective lid is made of the same material as the substrate.
- 35. The system of claim 20 wherein the protective lid is made from a different material than the substrate.
- 36. The system of claim 20 wherein the first and second light-transmissive portions comprise apertures.
- 37. The system of claim 20 wherein the first and second light-transmissive portions comprise a light-transmissive material.
- 38. The system of claim 20 comprising an anti-reflective film located on predetermined surfaces of the light-transmissive portions.
- 39. A method for passing light through an optical MEMS device package in across-wafer direction, the method comprising:
(a) passing light through a first light-transmissive portion of an optical MEMS device package; (b) guiding the light in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of a substrate to which an optical MEMS device is attached; (c) selectively altering the flow of light across the first surface using the optical MEMS device; and (d) passing the light from the optical MEMS device package through a second light-transmissive portion.
- 40. The method of claim 39 wherein passing the light through a first light-transmissive portion includes passing the light through an aperture.
- 41. The method of claim 39 wherein passing the light through a first light-transmissive portion includes passing the light through a light-transmissive material.
- 42. The method of claim 39 wherein guiding the light in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of a substrate includes guiding the light through a cavity formed by the optical MEMS device package.
- 43. The method of claim 39 wherein selectively altering the flow of light across the first surface includes reflecting the light as it passes across the first surface.
- 44. The method of claim 39 wherein selectively altering the flow of light as it passes across the first surface includes changing the wavelength content of the light as it passes across the first surface.
- 45. The method of claim 39 wherein selectively altering the flow of light as it passes across the first surface includes selectively blocking the light as it passes across the first surface.
- 46. The method of claim 39 wherein passing the light from the optical MEMS device through a second light-transmissive portion includes passing the light through an aperture.
- 47. The method of claim 39 wherein passing the light from the optical MEMS device through a second light-transmissive portion includes passing the light through a light-transmissive material.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,674 filed Dec. 20, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,604 filed Dec. 19, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,607 filed Dec. 19, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,610 filed Dec. 19, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,611 filed Dec. 19, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,683 filed Dec. 19, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,688 filed Dec. 19, 2000, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/256,689 filed Dec. 19, 2000, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/260,558 filed Jan. 9, 2001, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Provisional Applications (9)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60256674 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256604 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256607 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256610 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256611 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256683 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256688 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60256689 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60260558 |
Jan 2001 |
US |