High-speed micro-electromechanical light modulation arrays

Arrays of electromechanically operated optical microshutters have been designed, fabricated with polysilicon micromachining and tested. An innovative operation principle is described, which combines high switching speed, large lateral displacement while keeping low operating voltage. The main results obtained are switching speed of 50 /spl mu/s for a lateral displacement of 30 /spl mu/m, at a switching voltage of typically 70 V.