| US 7,468,766 B1 | ||
| Reflective spatial light modulator array including a light blocking layer | ||
| Evan George Colgan, Suffern, N.Y. (US); James McKell Edwin Harper, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. (US); Frank Benjamin Kaufman, Amawalk, N.Y. (US); Margaret Paggi Manny, Mahopac, N.Y. (US); Robert Lee Melcher, Mount Kisco, N.Y. (US); and James Louis Speidell, Poughquag, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Filed on Dec. 18, 1997, as Appl. No. 8/999,663. | ||
| Application 08/999663 is a continuation of application No. 08/803210, filed on Feb. 21, 1997, granted, now 5,706,067. | ||
| Application 08/803210 is a continuation of application No. 08/431370, filed on Apr. 28, 1995, abandoned. | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G02F 1/1335 (2006.01); G02F 1/1333 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 349—113 [349/110] | 46 Claims |
| 1. A method of forming a spatial light modulator array comprising the steps of:
forming a plurality of electrical circuits in a semiconductor substrate positioned for interconnecting with subsequently formed
liquid crystal devices, respectively,
forming one or more layers of interconnections above said plurality of electrical circuits,
forming a first dielectric layer over said electrical circuits and said layers of interconnections,
planarizing said first dielectric layer to provide a substantially planar upper surface on said first dielectric layer,
forming a reflector/absorber layer of conductive material, positioned and patterned with respect to subsequently formed liquid
crystal devices for shielding said plurality of electrical circuits from ambient light,
forming a second dielectric layer above said patterned reflector/absorber layer,
forming studs through said second dielectric layer for electrical connection to subsequently formed mirrors,
forming a plurality of mirrors over said dielectric layer and patterned to form the lower electrode of said plurality of liquid
crystal devices, said mirrors overlapping said reflector/absorber layer to form a capacitor with respect to said mirrors and
to attenuate light traveling between said reflect/absorber and said mirrors,
forming a plurality of spacers positioned in between selected mirrors of said plurality of mirrors,
applying a layer of liquid crystal material,
orienting said layer of liquid crystal material, and
forming a top electrode of said plurality of mirrors to form said plurality of liquid crystal devices.
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