Variable wavelength interference filter, optical filter device, optical module, and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753199-B2
Application number	US-201313859825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2013
Priority date	Apr 11, 2012
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A variable wavelength interference filter includes a stationary substrate including a stationary reflecting film and a stationary electrode, and a movable substrate including a movable reflecting film and a movable electrode, the stationary electrode and the movable electrode are disposed outside an optical interference region where the stationary reflecting film and the movable reflecting film overlap each other in a filter plan view, an inner peripheral edge of the stationary electrode is located nearer to the optical interference region than an outer peripheral edge of the movable electrode, and an outer peripheral edge of the stationary electrode is located further from the optical interference region than an outer peripheral edge of the movable electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable wavelength interference filter comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate opposed to the first substrate;
a first reflecting film provided to the first substrate;
a second reflecting film provided to the second substrate, and opposed to the first reflecting film across a gap;
a first driving electrode provided to the first substrate;
a second driving electrode provided to the second substrate, and opposed to the first driving electrode;
a first extraction electrode electrically connected to the first driving electrode; and
a second extraction electrode electrically connected to the second driving electrode,
wherein the first driving electrode and the second driving electrode are disposed outside an optical interference region where the first reflecting film and the second reflecting film overlap each other in a plan view of the first substrate and the second substrate,
the first driving electrode has a first peripheral edge located so as to face the optical interference region, the first peripheral edge being located nearer to the optical interference region than peripheral edges of the second driving electrode in the plan view,
the first driving electrode has a second peripheral edge located on an opposite side of the first driving electrode relative to the first peripheral edge, the second peripheral edge being located further from the optical interference region than the peripheral edges of the second driving electrode in the plan view,
the second extraction electrode does not overlap with the first driving electrode in the plan view,
the gap between the first reflecting film and the second reflecting film is configured to be changed by applying a voltage between the first driving electrode and the second driving electrode,
the first driving electrode has a first partial electrode and a second partial electrode in the plan view, and has a first connection electrode that connects the first partial electrode and the second partial electrode, the second driving electrode being located between the first connection electrode and the second reflecting film in the plan view along a direction from the reflection film to the connection electrode, and the first connection electrode being connected to the first extraction electrode,
the first extraction electrode is disposed at a position not overlapping the second driving electrode and the second extraction electrode in the plan view, and
the second extraction electrode is connected to the second driving electrode at a position overlapping an area between two adjacent first partial electrodes in the plan view.

2. The variable wavelength interference filter according to claim 1 , wherein the first substrate includes a first reflection film installing section and an electrode-installation groove surrounding the first reflection film installing section, the first reflection film installing section protruding away from the electrode-installation groove;
the first reflecting film is provided to the first reflection film installing section of the first substrate;
the first driving electrode is provided to the electrode-installation groove of the first substrate; and
the first peripheral edge is located nearer to the optical interference region than peripheral edges of the second driving electrode in the plan view such that the first peripheral edge abuts the first reflection film installing section.

3. The variable wavelength interference filter according to claim 1 , wherein the first driving electrode has a first edge crossing to the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge, and a second edge opposing to the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge,
the second extraction electrode extends from a portion between the first edge and the second edge.

4. The variable wavelength interference filter according to claim 3 , wherein the first extraction electrode does not overlap with the second driving electrode.

5. An optical filter device comprising:
a variable wavelength interference filter including
a first substrate,
a second substrate opposed to the first substrate,
a first reflecting film provided to the first substrate,
a second reflecting film provided to the second substrate, and opposed to the first reflecting film across a gap,
a first driving electrode provided to the first substrate,
a second driving electrode provided to the second substrate, and opposed to the first driving electrode,
a first extraction electrode electrically connected to the first driving electrode, and
a second extraction electrode electrically connected to the second driving electrode; and
a housing supporting the variable wavelength interference filter,

wherein the first driving electrode and the second driving electrode are disposed outside an optical interference region where the first reflecting film and the second reflecting film overlap each other in a plan view of the first substrate and the second substrate,
the first driving electrode has a first peripheral edge located so as to face the optical interference region, the first peripheral edge being located nearer to the optical interference region than peripheral edges of the second driving electrode in the plan view,
the first driving electrode has a second peripheral edge located on an opposite side of the first driving electrode relative to the first peripheral edge, the second peripheral edge being located further from the optical interference region than the peripheral edges of the second driving electrode in the plan view,
the second extraction electrode does not overlap with the first driving electrode in the plan view,
the gap between the first reflecting film and the second reflecting film is configured to be changed by applying a voltage between the first driving electrode and the second driving electrode,
the first driving electrode has a first partial electrode and a second partial electrode in the plan view, and has a first connection electrode that connects the first partial electrode and the second partial electrode, the second driving electrode being located between the first connection electrode and the second reflecting film in the plan view along a direction from the reflection film to the connection electrode, and the first connection electrode being connected to the first extraction electrode,
the first extraction electrode is disposed at a position not overlapping the second driving electrode and the second extraction electrode in the plan view, and
the second extraction electrode is connected to the second driving electrode at a position overlapping an area between two adjacent first partial electrodes in the plan view.

6. The optical filter device according to claim 5 , wherein the first substrate includes a first reflection film installing section and an electrode-installation groove surrounding the first reflection film installing section, the first reflection film installing section protruding away from the electrode-installation groove;
the first reflecting film is provided to the first reflection film installing section of the first substrate;
the first driving electrode is provided to the electrode-installation groove of the first substrate; and
the first peripheral edge is located nearer to the optical interference region than peripheral edges of the second driving electrode in the plan view such that the first peripheral edge abuts the first reflection film installing section.

7. An optical module comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate opposed to the first substrate;
a first reflecting film provided to the first substrate;
a second reflecting film provided to the second substrate, and opposed to the first reflecting film across a gap;
a f

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Nishimura Teruyuki
• Sano Akira

Classifications

• G02B26/001 Primary

  based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity (interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26) · CPC title

• G02B5/28 Primary

  Interference filters · CPC title

• G01J3/26

  using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters · CPC title

• G01J3/51

  using colour filters · CPC title