Hybrid light modulator

Abstract

The present invention provides a hybrid light modulator. The hybrid light modulator of the present invention includes an element having a protrusion to diffract incident light even at an early light receiving stage and to control the diffractive angle of the light using a microactuator, unlike conventional diffractive light modulators which reflect and diffract incident light using a plurality of micromirror actuators. Therefore, the present invention realizes device miniaturization and assures easy digital operation. Furthermore, piezoelectric force may be used to provide an actuating force to the element of the hybrid light modulator. Alternatively, electrostatic or electromagnetic force may be used as an actuating force for the hybrid light modulator.

1 . A hybrid light modulator, comprising:
 a substrate support;   a support structure supported on the substrate so that portions of the support structure are spaced from the substrate by a predetermined distance, the support structure being movable towards or away from the substrate;   a piezoelectric mirror layer disposed on the support structure such that the piezoelectric mirror layer is spaced from the substrate, said piezoelectric mirror layer comprising a piezoelectric material layer, whereby a predetermined portion of the piezoelectric mirror layer moves toward or away from the substrate when voltage is applied to opposite sides of the piezoelectric material layer, thus reflecting incident light; and   at least one mirror layer disposed on the support structure at a distance from the substrate that is different from the distance that the piezoelectric mirror layer is located from the substrate, thus reflecting incident light.   
   
   
       2 . A hybrid light modulator, comprising:
 a substrate;   a support structure supported by the substrate and configured so that portions of the support structure are spaced from the substrate by a predetermined distance;   a first piezoelectric layer placed at a first location on the support structure, the first piezoelectric layer comprising a first piezoelectric material layer that generates an actuating force toward or away from the substrate by shrinking and expanding when a voltage is applied to the first piezoelectric material layer, thus reflecting incident light;   a second piezoelectric layer placed at a second location on the support structure, the second piezoelectric layer comprising a second piezoelectric material layer that generates an actuating force toward or away from the substrate by shrinking and expanding when a voltage is applied to both sides of the second thin-film piezoelectric material layer, thus reflecting incident light; and   a mirror layer disposed on the lower support structure at a location between the first and second piezoelectric layers, and positioned at different distance from the substrate relative to the locations of the first and second piezoelectric layers, thus reflecting incident light.   
   
   
       3 . A hybrid light modulator, comprising:
 a substrate;   a support structure supported by the substrate and configured so that portions of the support structure are spaced from the substrate by a predetermined distance, the support structure being movable toward or away from the substrate;   a piezoelectric mirror layer mounted on the support structure such that the entire piezoelectric mirror layer is positioned on the portion of the support structure that is spaced apart from the substrate, and comprising a piezoelectric material layer, so that a predetermined portion of the piezoelectric mirror layer spaced apart from the substrate moves towards or away from the substrate when voltage is applied to the piezoelectric material layer, thus reflecting incident light; and   at least one mirror layer disposed on the support structure and positioned so that the mirror layer is spaced apart from the piezoelectric mirror layer relative to the support structure, thus reflecting incident light.   
   
   
       4 . A hybrid light modulator, comprising:
 a substrate;   a support structure supported by the substrate and configured so that portions of the support structure are spaced from the substrate by a predetermined distance;   a first piezoelectric layer disposed on the support structure such that a portion of the first piezoelectric layer is disposed on the portion of the support structure not spaced from the substrate; a second piezoelectric layer disposed on the support structure such that a portion of the second piezoelectric layer is disposed on the portion of the support structure not spaced from the substrate; and   at least one mirror layer disposed on the support structure at locations between the first and second piezoelectric layers, and said at least one mirror layer located at a relative distance from the locations of the piezoelectric layers, thus reflecting incident light.   
   
   
       5 . A hybrid light modulator, comprising:
 a substrate;   a plurality of light modulating units arranged relative to each other, each of the light modulating units attached to the substrate and spaced apart at an intermediate portion thereof from the substrate, and comprising at least one first light reflecting surface at a first position relative to the substrate and at least one second light reflecting surface at a second position relative to the substrate and relative to the first light reflecting surface thereby to diffract incident light; the light modulating units being moveable toward or away from the substrate at the intermediate portion thereof that is spaced apart from the substrate, thus varying an angle of the diffracted light; and   a plurality of actuating units to move the intermediate portion of the plurality of light modulating units toward or away from the substrate, so that an angle of the diffracted light varies.