DOE Patents DOE Patents
DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Search DOE Patents

Title: Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform

Abstract

A microelectromechanical (MEM) apparatus is disclosed which has a platform that can be elevated above a substrate and tilted at an arbitrary angle using a plurality of flexible members which support the platform and control its movement. Each flexible member is further controlled by one or more MEM actuators which act to bend the flexible member. The MEM actuators can be electrostatic comb actuators or vertical zip actuators, or a combination thereof. The MEM apparatus can include a mirror coating to form a programmable mirror for redirecting or switching one or more light beams for use in a projection display. The MEM apparatus with the mirror coating also has applications for switching light beams between optical fibers for use in a local area fiber optic network, or for use in fiber optic telecommunications or data communications systems.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
+ Show Inventor Affiliations
  1. Albuquerque, NM
  2. Edgewood, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
921444
Patent Number(s):
6545385
Application Number:
09/827,858
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B81 - MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY B81B - MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
Show more
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Miller, Samuel Lee, McWhorter, Paul Jackson, Rodgers, Murray Steven, Sniegowski, Jeffry J, and Barnes, Stephen M. Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Copy to clipboard
Miller, Samuel Lee, McWhorter, Paul Jackson, Rodgers, Murray Steven, Sniegowski, Jeffry J, & Barnes, Stephen M. Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform. United States.
Copy to clipboard
Miller, Samuel Lee, McWhorter, Paul Jackson, Rodgers, Murray Steven, Sniegowski, Jeffry J, and Barnes, Stephen M. Tue . "Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/921444.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_921444,
title = {Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform},
author = {Miller, Samuel Lee and McWhorter, Paul Jackson and Rodgers, Murray Steven and Sniegowski, Jeffry J and Barnes, Stephen M},
abstractNote = {A microelectromechanical (MEM) apparatus is disclosed which has a platform that can be elevated above a substrate and tilted at an arbitrary angle using a plurality of flexible members which support the platform and control its movement. Each flexible member is further controlled by one or more MEM actuators which act to bend the flexible member. The MEM actuators can be electrostatic comb actuators or vertical zip actuators, or a combination thereof. The MEM apparatus can include a mirror coating to form a programmable mirror for redirecting or switching one or more light beams for use in a projection display. The MEM apparatus with the mirror coating also has applications for switching light beams between optical fibers for use in a local area fiber optic network, or for use in fiber optic telecommunications or data communications systems.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2003},
month = {4}
}
Copy to clipboard
Patent:
View Patent

Works referenced in this record:

4x4 MEMS optical cross-connections (OXCs)
conference, October 2000

    [ × clear filter / sort ]

    Similar Records in DOE Patents and OSTI.GOV collections: