Integrated optoelectronic devices having pop-up mirrors therein and methods of forming and operating same

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved optoelectronic devices and methods of forming and operating same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide optoelectronic devices that can redirect optical beams and methods of forming and operating same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide optoelectronic devices having movable reflective microstructures therein and methods of forming and operating same.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide optoelectronic devices having reflective microstructures therein with near diffraction-limited optical quality and methods of forming and operating same.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide optoelectronic devices having optically reflective mirrors therein that can exhibit extreme flatness over apertures of up to several millimeters and methods of forming and operating same.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention may be provided by optoelectronic devices that, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprise a substrate having an opening therein that extends at least partially therethrough.
A mirror having near diffraction-limited quality is also provided in the opening and is mechanically coupled to the substrate by a hinge so that the mirror can be rotated from a closed position to an open position.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the mirror is formed from a monocrystalline silicon mirror backing layer having a thickness greater than about 10 .
mu.
m and an optically reflective mirror surface on the backing layer.
The mirror surface may comprise gold or aluminum, for example, and may be applied to the backing layer using an evaporation or sputtering technique.
This monocrystalline silicon mirror backing layer is highly resistant to warping or other distortions caused when stresses are applied to it.
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the hinge comprises a polycrystalline silicon hinge that provides a mechanical and an electrical connection to the substrate