Mems optical device comprising a mems magnetic sensing mechansim and mems light absorbing structure

Abstract

A MEMS optical device and an array composed thereof are disclosed herein, wherein the MEMS optical device comprises a light absorbing element, a deforming element, and a magnetic detector, wherein the magnetic detector comprises a magnetic source and a magnetic sensor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An optical MEMS device, comprising:
 a substrate;   a deformable arm connected to a post at an end, wherein the post is connected to said substrate such that the deformable arm is capable of deforming above the substrate;   a heat plate connected to said deformable arm, wherein the heat plate is capable of absorbing light; and   a magnetic sensing mechanism disposed between the substrate and the heat plate for detecting a displacement of said heat plate, wherein the magnetic sensing mechanism comprises:
 a magnetic source providing magnetic field, wherein the magnetic source moves along with the heat plate; and 
 a magnetic sensing that is attached to the substrate and capable of sensing the magnetic field from the magnetic source. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat plate comprises a light absorbing mechanism that is capable of absorbing infrared light. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat plate comprises a light absorbing mechanism that is capable of absorbing terahertz light. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat plate comprises:
 a metallic structure having a plasmonic resonant frequency corresponding to light having a wavelength of infrared light.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat plate comprises:
 a light absorbing layer having a thickness that corresponds to a destructive interference of infrared light reflected from the top and bottom surfaces of the light absorbing layer.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable arm comprises a first and second layer, wherein the first and second layers have different CTEs. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the first layer comprises a metallic material and the second layer comprises a non-metallic material. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic source comprises a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic source comprises a segment of a conductive wire through which current can flow through so as to generate magnetic field. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor comprises:
 a tunneling magnetic resister.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor comprises:
 a giant-magneto-resister (GMR).   
     
     
         12 . An optical MEMS device, comprising:
 a plurality of optical MEMS devices that are formed into a device array, wherein the device array comprises a row and a column; and   wherein the optical MEMS device comprises:
 a substrate; 
 a heat plate connected to a deformable arm, wherein the deformable arm is held above the substrate by a post such that the deformable arm is capable of deforming above the substrate; and 
 a magnetic sending mechanism disposed between the substrate and the heat plate for detecting a displacement of the heat plate in relation to the substrate. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the device array comprises 16×16 or more optical devices. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the device array comprises 640×480 or more optical devices. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the device array comprises 800×600 or more optical devices.