US 6856446 B2
A micromirror array 110 fabricated on a semiconductor substrate 11. The array 110 is comprised of three operating layers 12, 13, 14. An addressing layer 12 is fabricated on the substrate. A hinge layer 13 is spaced above the addressing layer 12 by an air gap. A mirror layer 14 is spaced over the hinge layer 13 by a second air gap. The hinge layer 13 has a hinge 13 a under and attached to the mirror 14 a, the hinge 13 a permitting the mirror 14 a to tilt. Spring tips 13 c under the mirror 14 a are attached to the underside of the mirror 14 a. These spring tips 13 c tilt with the mirror 14 a and provide a landing point for the mirror 14 a onto a surface of the underlying pixel element structure.
1. An array of digital micro pixel elements, comprising:
a mirror layer having a mirror associated with each pixel element;
a hinge layer spaced under the mirror layer, the hinge layer having a torsion hinge under each mirror and attached to the mirror such that the mirror may tilt above the hinge layer; and
an address layer spaced under the hinge layer, the address layer having circuitry for controlling operation of the pixel elements,
wherein the hinge layer further has spring tips under each mirror and mechanically connected to and moveable with the mirror.
2. The array of
3. The array of
4. The array of
5. The array of
6. The array of
7. The array of
8. The array of
9. A micro pixel array, comprising
a substrate having electrical components fabricated on the surface of the substrate;
an array of pixel elements, each element comprising a mirror, a hinge under the mirror spaced under the mirror by an air gap and mechanically connected to the mirror such that the minor may tilt above the hinge, an address layer spaced under the hinge and in electrical connection with the electrical components of the substrate, and spring tips mechanically connected to the underside of the mirror, such that the spring tips may move with the minor and provide landing points for the mirror.
10. The array of
11. The array of
12. The array of
13. The array of
14. The array of
15. A display system, comprising:
a light source for producing a light beam along a light path; and
a micromirror device in the light path for selectively reflecting portions of the light beam along a second light path toward an image plane, the micromirror device comprising:
a substrate having electrical components fabricated on the surface of the substrate;
an array of mirror elements, each element comprising a reflective mirror, a hinge under the mirror spaced under the mirror by an air gap and mechanically connected to the mirror such that the mirror may tilt above the hinge, an address layer spaced under the hinge and in electrical connection with the electrical components of the substrate, and spring tips mechanically connected to the underside of the mirror such that the spring tips move with the mirror and provide a landing surface for the mirror.
16. The display system of
17. The display system of
This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e)(1) of provisional application number 60/339,759 filed Dec. 12, 2001.
This application is related to co-pending application Ser. No. 10/298,423, filed Nov. 21, 2001 entitled “Yokeless Hidden Hinge Digital Micromirror Device”.
This invention relates to micro-electromechanical devices and their fabrication, and more particularly to a digital micromirror device having an improved design.
A Digital Micromirror Device™ (DMD™) is a type of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device. Invented in 1987 at Texas Instruments Incorporated, the DMD is a fast, reflective digital light switch. It can be combined with image processing, memory, a light source, and optics to form a digital light processing system capable of projecting large, bright, high-contrast color images.
The DMD is fabricated using CMOS-like processes over a CMOS memory. It has an array of individually addressable mirror elements, each having an aluminum mirror that can reflect light in one of two directions depending on the state of an underlying memory cell. With the memory cell in a first state, the mirror rotates to +10 degrees. With the memory cell in a second state, the mirror rotates to −10 degrees. By combining the DMD with a suitable light source and projection optics, the mirror reflects incident light either into or out of the pupil of the projection lens. Thus, the first state of the mirror appears bright and the second state of the mirror appears dark. Gray scale is achieved by binary pulsewidth modulation of the incident light. Color is achieved by using color filters, either stationary or rotating, in combination with one, two, or three DMD chips.
DMD's may have a variety of designs, and the most popular design in current use is a structure consisting of a mirror that is rigidly connected to an underlying yoke. The yoke in turn is connected by two thin, mechanically compliant torsion hinges to support posts that are attached to the underlying substrate. Electrostatic fields developed between the underlying memory cell and the yoke and mirror cause rotation in the positive or negative rotation direction.
The fabrication of the above-described DMD superstructure begins with a completed CMOS memory circuit. Through the use of six photomask layers, the superstructure is formed with alternating layers of aluminum for the address electrode, hinge, yoke, and mirror layers and hardened photoresist for sacrificial layers that form air gaps.
One aspect of the invention is an array of digital micromirror pixel elements. The array has a structure defined by three layers spaced from each other with an air gap between each layer. A mirror layer has a reflective mirror associated with each pixel element. A hinge layer is spaced under the mirror layer, and has a torsion hinge under each mirror and attached to the mirror such that the mirror may tilt above the hinge layer. An address layer is spaced under the hinge layer, and has circuitry for controlling operation of the pixel elements. The hinge layer further has spring tips under each mirror, with the spring tips being mechanically connected to the bottom of the mirror layer. The spring tips are cantilevered from the bottom of the mirror in a manner that permits them to land and flex when the mirror tilts.
As stated in the Background, conventional DMD designs have spring tips that are attached to the structure underlying the mirror rather than to the mirror. These prior spring tips are stationary. In the present invention, the spring tips provide landing structures that move with the mirror.
As compared to DMD designs in which spring tips were attached to mid-level yokes placed above the hinge layer, the present invention provides a much simpler design. As compared to other DMD designs that eliminate the yoke and use spring tips at the hinge layer, an advantage of the present invention is that it supports low voltage drive operation. The placement of the spring tips out at the end of the mirror corners provides better tilt stability and reset torquing impulse. In addition, the ability of the spring tips to pass through a void in the addressing layer provides reliable operation at lower voltages as compared to previous designs.
The pixel elements can be made more compact, as compared to previous DMD designs, by requiring less space between the mirror and the underlying addressing layer. This, in addition to a larger electrode area on the hinge layer, permits the pixel to be driven by lower voltages. The spring tip further provides a solenoid effect, which helps latching during operation.
The following discussion is directed to a DMD design in which the mirror elements have spring tips that are attached to the bottom of the mirror. Thus, the spring tips move with the mirror. A different design, in which the spring tips are attached to the structure underlying the mirror rather than to the mirror, and are stationary, is discussed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/298,423, entitled “Yokeless Hidden Hinge Digital Micromirror Device”, incorporated herein by reference.
DMD Pixel Elements with Mirror-Attached Spring Tips
DMD pixel element 10 is a monolithically integrated MEMS superstructure cell fabricated over a CMOS SRAM cell 11. Two sacrificial layers (see
The uppermost metal layer 14 has a reflective mirror 14 a. The air gap under the mirror 14 a frees the mirror 14 a to rotate about a compliant torsion hinge 13 a, which is part of the second (middle) metal layer 13. A third metal (M3) layer 12 has address electrodes 12 a for the mirror 14 a, the address electrodes 12 a being connected to SRAM cell 11. The M3 layer 12 further has a bias bus 12 b, which interconnects the mirrors 14 a of all pixels to a bond pad at the chip perimeter. An off-chip driver supplies the bias waveform necessary for proper digital operation.
The DMD mirrors 14 a are each 16 um square and made of aluminum for maximum reflectivity. They are arrayed on 17 um centers to form a matrix having a high fill factor (˜90%). The high fill factor produces high efficiency for light use at the pixel level and a seamless (pixelation-free) projected image. The hinge layer 13 under the mirrors 14 a permits a close spacing of the mirrors 14, and because of the underlying placement of the hinges, an array of pixel elements 10 is referred to as a “hidden hinge” type DMD architecture.
In operation, electrostatic fields are developed between the mirror 14 a and its address electrodes 12 a, creating an electrostatic torque. This torque works against the restoring torque of the hinge 13 a to produce mirror rotation in a positive or negative direction. At their bottom surfaces, the two tilting corners of mirror 14 a are each attached to a spring tip 13 c, by means of a spring tip support. The mirror rotates until the spring tip 13 c under the downward tilting corner comes to rest (or lands) on the silicon dioxide that covers the CMOS surface and supports the addressing (M3) layer 12.
An optional metal pad placed on the CMOS surface directly below each spring tip 13 c can supply attractive torque to add to locking the mirror element 10 in place. This pad could be held at the same potential as the spring tips 13 c (and the mirror 14). The result is a capacitor comprised of the spring tip 13 c, the silicon dioxide, and the pad.
Through the use of photomasking techniques, the M3 layer 12 is formed above the CMOS 11. This M3 layer 12 is formed with aluminum for address and bus circuitry. The aluminum is sputter-deposited and plasma-etched using plasma-deposited SiO2 as the etch mask. Other than the formation of void 21, M3 layer 12 may be etched in a pattern similar to that used for DMD structures previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,690, entitled “Reduced Micromirror Gaps for Improved Contrast Ratio, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,688, entitled “Multilevel Digital Micromirror Device”, both assigned to Texas Instruments Incorporated. These patents are incorporated by reference herein.
To reduce undesired light scattering, an optional antireflective TiN (titanium nitride) layer and an oxide layer may be placed over the addressing (M3) layer 12. These layers are patterned and etched to provide the appropriate open pads and vias onto the addressing layer 12.
A spacer layer 21, identified as S1, is then deposited over the M3 layer 11. Spacer layer 21 may be formed from hardened photoresist. Later in the packaging flow, this spacer layer 21 is plasma-ashed to form an air gap. A typical thickness for spacer layer 21 is 9400 angstroms.
A number of vias are then formed in spacer layer 21, formed by conventional pattern and etching techniques. These vias are evident in
Two spring tips 13 c are located under each of the two tilting corners of mirror 14 a. As indicated by the dotted lines, as a result of subsequent fabrication steps, spring tip connection vias 14 c will connect the spring tips 13 c to the bottom of the mirror 14 a.
In the embodiment of
The packaging flow begins with the wafers partially sawed along the chip scribe lines to a depth that will allow the chips to be easily broken apart later. Before separating the chips from one another, each chip is tested for full electrical and optical functionality by a high-speed automated wafer tester. The chips are then separated from the wafer, and proceed to a plasma etcher that is used to selectively strip the organic sacrificial layers, S1 and S2, from under the mirror layer 14 and hinge layer 13. The chips are then plasma-cleaned, relubricated, and hermetically sealed in a package.
In operation, the attachment of the spring tips 13 c to the underside of the mirror has distinct advantages as compared to previous DMD designs that have stationary spring tips attached to the structure underlying the mirror. The mirror-attached design frees up electrode surface space at the hinge level 13.
Additionally, the mirror element 10 may be driven by lower voltage, and a solenoid type lock prevents upset that could otherwise occur when a pixel element is reset. Prior DMD designs have used a 7.5 volts to increase the electric potentials associated with “stay” and “crossover” transitions. The design of the present invention does not require such large voltages to separate these states due to the advantage of using the CMOS level 10 as a “lock-in” dielectric capacitor, as well as the electrostatic solenoid effect of the spring tip 13 c falling below the M3 layer 13 during transition.
DMD Pixel Elements With Mirror-Attached and Hinge-Level-Attached Spring Tips
A feature of hinge layer 140 is that it has mirror-attached spring tips 141 as well as hinge-level-attached spring tips 142. Each mirror element 10 has a total of six spring tips.
The mirror-attached spring tips 414 are similar to those discussed above. The hinge-level-attached spring tips 142 are supported by spring tip vias 143 into the first spacer layer 21. Hinge support beams 146 extending at an inward angle from the ends of hinge 145 connect spring tips 142 to the hinge 145.
The fabrication of a pixel element having hinge layer 140 is the same as the fabrication of the above-described pixel element 10, except for the patterning of the hinge layer to form spring tips 142 and the formation of additional vias 143 into the first spacer layer 31. If desired, any or all of these vias 143 may be plugged with an oxide plug after fabrication of the hinge metal layer.
In operation, a tilting corner of mirror 14 a lands on three points provided by two spring tips 142 and a spring tip 141. An advantage of the design of
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.