Silicon Light Machines Proprietary

Introduction to PLV Technology

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 2

Grating Light Valve (GLV)Ø Demonstrated in 1993Ø HDTV display applications in 2000Ø Computer to plate (CTP) printing in 2001Ø Long-haul telecomm, dynamic gain equalizers (DGE)

and re-configurable blocking filters (RBF) in 2002

Planar Light Valve (PLV)Ø Conceived, modeled, and patented in 2003Ø DARPA contract for DUV maskless lithography 2004

Spatial Light Modulation at Silicon Light Machines

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 3

Planar Light Valve Technology

Silicon Light Machines conceived a 2D analog of the 1D GLV

New device is based same CMOS process and materials used in the proven GLV technology, but arranges pixels in a 2-dimensional, close-packed array.

New device inherits desirable properties of GLV and extends applications where GLV could not be used.

Different embodiments of device can provide different modulation functionality: Amplitude, Phase, or Both

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 4

AluminizedPiston

Planar Light Valve (PLV)

• 2D geometry

• Smaller pixel size

• Larger étendue

• 100% fill factor

• Very high speed

Face Plate

Piston Array

Silicon-nitrideFlexures

Standard Posts

5-12µm

New properties of PLV

Inherited properties of GLV

• High contrast

• Analog gray-scale

• Non-contact

• Borderless pixels

• High power handling

• High reliability

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 5

PLV Cross-Section

λ/4

Diffracting

+V Electrodes

Reflecting

λ/2

Device changes from reflective state to scattering state by deflection of the MEMS pistons through quarter wavelength.Pistons

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 6

Amplitude or Phase Modulation

The piston structure of the PLV can support different embodiments depend on application requirement.

By altering the piston-faceplate design, the PLV can be straightforwardly modified into a phase modulator.

A pixel, formed by 2×2 mirrors

Firstmirror group

Secondmirror group

1

12

2

A pixel, contrast only.

(a) Amplitude Modulator (b) Amplitude+ Phase Modulator

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 7

Diffracting state Reflecting state, 0 phase-shift

Reflecting state, π phase-shift

1 pixel with2 × 2 pistons

eiπ = −1 ei0 = +10

λ/4

Amplitude and Phase Modulation

Using this PLV structure, a single pixel can assign arbitrary amplitude and phase.

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 8

PLV Development Summary

Static PLV

Non-electrical

PLV

Electrically Active PLV

• Static (non-MEMS) PLV surface • Single etch depth• Demonstrate 500:1 contrast• 532nm images generated

• Non-electrical device• First double-layer device• Piston + face plate• No piston conductor

• First electrically active PLV• Integrated membrane conductor• Successfully demonstrated 9/05• Design learning rolls into PLV1

Pistons Only

• Piston MEMS layer only• Used existing GLV process• Piston mechanics validated• Light modulation results

Nit3 920Å

Silicon wafer

INOX (1µm)

Poly LM1

Post2

Cut1

Post1

SAC1

SAC2 STOX 1-2kÅ

Poly-Si 500Å

ThickAl

Nit2 500Å

SAC3Thick

Al

Thin Al

Nit1 500Å

STOX

Nit3 920Å

Silicon wafer

INOX (1µm)

Poly LM1

Post2

Cut1

Post1

SAC1

SAC2 STOX 1-2kÅ

Poly-Si 500Å

ThickAl

Nit2 500Å

SAC3Thick

Al

Thin Al

Nit1 500Å

STOX

0V +25V0V +25V

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 9

-3 -2 -1 1 2 3

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

-3 -2 -1 1 2 3

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

-2

0

2-2

0

2

00.20.40.60.81

-2

0

2

-2

0

2-2

0

2

00.20.40.60.81

-2

0

2

Optical Response & Imaging

Diffracting (φ=π)Reflecting (φ=0)PLV Array

Filter

FTL

PLV

Wafer

Transform Plane

Fourier Filter

Final Image

FTL-1

PBS

QWP

Silicon Light Machines Proprietary 10