Digital Micromirror Devices

(DMD)
ECE 5320 – Mechatronics
Utah State University
Brett Rogers
brett.rogers@aggiemail.usu.edu
 Outline
• Major applications
• Basic Working Principle Illustrated
• A Typical Sample Configuration in
Application
• Specifications
• Limitations
• History
• Links and Other Resources
• Reference list
 Major Applications
• Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors[5]
• Volumetric Displays[7]
• Print Setting[7]
• Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Manufacturing[7]
• Semiconductor Patterning[7]
• Holographic Data Storage[7]
 Functional Overview
• Array of tiny mirrors (up to 2 million)
• Each mirror is 16µm x 16µm
• Each mirror pivots about a fixed axis1
• Each mirror acts as a digital light switch
– ON: Light is reflected to desired target
– OFF: Light is deflected away from target
• Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) techniques are
used to perform digital light modulation
• MEMS: fabrication process similar to CMOS
Conventional DMD Construction

Source: Jeffery B. Sampsell; “An Overview of the Performance Envelope

of Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) Based Project Display Systems”;
Texas Instruments

Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD)
for Project Television Systems;” Texas Instruments
 Mirror Mounting Mechanism
• Each mirror is mounted
on Hinge Support Posts
• Each mirror rotates
about the posts
• Torsion hinge restores
the mirror to its default
horizontal state when Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of the Digital Micromirror Device
(DMD) for Project Television Systems”; Texas Instruments
no power is applied to
the circuit
 Mirror Rotation
• Each mirror rotates
+/- 10° for total
rotational angle of 20°
• Landing Electrode
provides stop pad for
the mirror and allows
precise rotational
angles
Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD)
for Project Television Systems”; Texas Instruments
 Bias Bus & Address Electrodes
• Bias/Reset Bus provides
stop pad and connects
all mirrors to allow for a
bias/reset voltage
waveform to be applied
to the mirrors
• Address electrodes are
connected to an
underlying SRAM cell’s Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD)
for Project Television Systems”; Texas Instruments

complimentary outputs
 SRAM Cell
• Complimentary SRAM
cell outputs connected
to the address
electrodes actuate the
mirrors by
electrostatically
attracting/repelling the
free corners of the Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD)
for Project Television Systems”; Texas Instruments

voltage-biased mirrors
 Modern DMD Construction

Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of the Digital

Micromirror Device (DMD) for Project Television Systems”; Texas
Instruments

Source: Gary A. Feather; “The Digital Micromirror Device for Project Display”; Texas Instruments
 3-D Model

Source: Begon Martin, Ciapala Richard, Deaki Zoltan; “Reliability of MEMS: Case Study”; Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne
 DMD As An Actuator/Sensor
• DMDs have these actuating components
– Rotation caused by torsion spring
– Rotation caused by electromagnetic forces
• DMDs have these sensing components:
– Bias/Reset bus electrode
– Address bus electrode
– Electromagnetic properties of the mirror
– SRAM cell
 Application of DMD in DLP
• DMD is the technology of Digital Light
Processing (DLP) projectors
• DMD reflects incident light toward or away
from optical lens
• Optical lens projects image on screen
• Each mirror of DMD corresponds to one pixel
of projected image
Three-Pixel DLP Projector Example

Source: Lars A. Yoder; “An Introduction to the Digital Light Processing (DLP) Technology”; Texas Instruments
Full DLP System Pictorial Overview

Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; Digital Light Processing: A New MEMS-Based Display Technology; Texas Instruments
 DLP Integrated Circuit

Source: http://www.asme.org/Communities/History/Landmarks/53_Digital_Micromirror_Device.cfm
 DMD Specifications
• Mirror Size = 16µm x 16µm (17µm centers) [3]
• Resonant Frequency = 50kHz [3]
• Switching Time < 10µSec [4]
• Total Rotational Angle = 20°[3]
• Total Efficiency of Light Use > 60%[6]
• Fill Factor per Mirror = 90%[6]
 Potential Energy of Mirror

Potential Energy of Mirror as a Function of Angle and Voltage Bias (address voltage = 0)

Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Digital Light Processing: A New MEMS-Based Display Technology”; Texas Instruments
 Switching Response
Three variables are plotted as a
function of time: the
bias/reset voltage, the cross-
over transition from +10
degrees to -10 degrees, and
the same-side transition for a
mirror that is to remain at +10
degrees. Shortly before the
reset pulse is applied, all the
SRAM memory cells in the
DMD array are updated. The
mirrors have not responded to Source: Larry J. Hornbeck; “Digital Light Processing: A New MEMS-Based
the new memory states Display Technology”; Texas Instruments

because the bias voltage keeps

them electromechanically
attached.[5]
DMD Limitations: Hinge Memory [8]

• Hinge memory is largest failure of DMD

• Occurs when mirror remain in one position for
extended period of time
• Torsion hinge no longer restores mirror to
perfectly horizontal position
• Bias voltage must increase to compensate
 Bias Voltage Compensation

Source: Begon Martin, Ciapala Richard, Deaki Zoltan; “Reliability of MEMS: Case Study”; Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne
Mirror Affected by Hinge Memory

Front mirrors are perfectly

horizontal, while rear
mirrors maintain a
residual tile due to hinge
memory.

Source: Begon Martin, Ciapala Richard, Deaki Zoltan; “Reliability of MEMS: Case Study”; Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne
Hinge Memory Lifetime

Source: Michael R. Douglas; “DMD reliability: a MEMS success story”; Texas Instruments
 History
• Developed by Texas Instruments (TI) [2]
• DOD initially funded TI to develop a light
modulator [2]
• Project Team Leader: Dr. Larry Hornbeck [2]
 History: From Analog to Digital I [2]

• Deformable Mirror Device [2]

– Analog Version of Digital Micromirror Device
– Work began in 1977
– Analog voltage across air gap deformed mirror to
produce different light intensities
– Idea was scrapped in 1986
History: From Analog to Digital II [2]

• Digital Micromirror Device [2]

– Digital approach to light modulation
– Use pulse width modulation (PWM) principles to
turn the mirror “on” and “off”
– First DMD was built and tested in 1987
– Unlike the Deformable Mirror Device, DMD does
not change light intensity. But human eye
integrates the Pulse Width Modulated signal to
form different shades of color
 Web Links and Other Information
1. Texas Instrument’s Official DLP Site: http://www.dlp.com/
2. Flash Demo of DLP: http://www.dlp.com/includes/demo_flash.aspx
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_micromirror_device
4. http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/display-
technologies-guide-lcd-plasma-dlp-lcos-d-ila-crt/display-technologies-guide-lcd-
plasma-dlp-lcos-d-ila-crt-page-2
 Quote
“If you’re afraid to fail, then your actions may
not be as bold, aggressive or creative as you
need them to be in order to accomplish your
goal. You may play it so conservative you
never get there.”2 - Dr. Larry Hornbeck
 References
1. What is DLP?,; http://focus.ti.com/dlpdmd/docs/dlplearningdetail.tsp?sectionId=62&tabId=2249
2. “The Digital Micromirror Device, A Historical Landmark”; Texas Instruments and The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME); 1996; http://www.asme.org/Communities/History/Landmarks/53_Digital_Micromirror_Device.cfm
3. Gary A. Feather, David W. Monk; “The Digital Micromirror Device for Project Display”; 1995 International Conference on
Wafer Scale Integration
4. Larry J. Hornbeck; “Current Status of Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) for Projection Television Applications”, 1993
5. Larry J. Hornbeck; “Digital Light Processing: A New MEMS-Based Display Technology”; Texas Instruments
6. Lars A. Yoder; “An Introduction to the Digital Light Processing (DLP) Technology”; Texas Instruments
7. Dana Dudley, Walter Duncan, John Slaughter; “Emerging Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) Applications”; Texas
Instruments
8. Begon Martin, Ciapala Richard, Deaki Zoltan; “Reliability of MEMS: Case Study”; Ecole Polytechnique
Federale De Lausanne
9. Michael R. Douglas; “DMD reliability: a MEMS success story”; Texas Instruments