Silicon Light Machines has strong optical MEMS technical development capability and holds a broad optical IP portfolio. The patented Grating Light Valve™ (GLV™) technology is comprised of a series of microscopic ribbons on the surface of a silicon chip. The GLV device is a diffractive MEMS that acts as a dynamic, tunable grating, that can switch, attenuate and modulate laser light with unparalleled precision. Diffraction varies in intensity with the height difference between adjacent ribbons. The GLV deflects 'active ribbons' relative to 'fixed ribbons' to change the ratio between reflection and diffraction. Compared to other MEMS, the GLV device offers significant advantages in terms of speed, accuracy, reliability and ease of manufacturing.
Silicon Light Machines has also created an 8192-channel MEMS device with our proprietary integration technology. The integrated GLV can modulate amplitude and pulse widths of UV laser very precisely and will be used for maskless lithography and other demanding applications.
Large Pixel Count: |
The GLV™ device is a linear array that is scanned to form a 2D image. This allows images up to 38 megapixels to be formed at video rates. Moreover, the linear array eases design of the optical system architecture and permits variable aspect ratio images to be formed. |
High Data Rate: |
The pixel ribbons of the GLV™ device can move very fast (~200 ns), enabling 10+ Gigapixels per second of image data to be delivered to the target. |
Seamless Image: |
The image from the GLV™ device is formed by "painting" the light across the screen. There are no dark lines between pixels (no screen door effect). |
Fine Grayscale Control: |
Other MEMS spatial light modulators are inherently binary devices, and with these devices gray scale can only be achieved by slowing down the pixel rate. With the GLV™ device, gray scale is independent of modulation rate. You can achieve 12 bits of gray scale without slowing down! |
100% Pixel Reliability: |
Even with a 38 megapixel image, the GLV™ device has only a few thousand moving ribbons, providing an inherently robust and reliable device 100% |
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To learn more about our GLV Technology, please refer to our Media Section |
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The Planer Light Valve (PLV) device is a 2D array that inherits properties of the GLV and has such additional properties as small pixel size, high pixel count, and large étendue. Moreover, different embodiments of the 2D array can provide different modulation functionality (contrast, phase, or both).
The PyroFree technology is a process for eliminating the pyro-electric effect in Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO3 or LT) wafers. This process is performed on LT wafers after they are cut and before they are polished.
The BlisterPak HCSP (Hermetic Chip Scale Packaging) technology was initially developed for MEMS and successfully applied on Lithium Tantalate. This packaging technology eliminates the need for ceramic packages and enables plastic encapsulation.
