Asymmetrical deformable diffractive grating modulator

1. A method for modulating light using a micro-electro-mechanical structure comprising:

providing a plurality of deformable mirror elements having an L-shaped cross section;

wherein each of said deformable mirror elements is comprised of a pedestal and an elongated ribbon attached to the pedestal on a long axis of the ribbon;

wherein each of said ribbons has a reflective surface;

directing a beam of light on said deformable mirror elements; and

flexing one or more reflective ribbons about one or more long axes of one or more reflective ribbons to vary a curvature of one or more reflective ribbons.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said reflective surface has one or more reflective segments.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said reflective ribbons flexes independently.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the pedestals is anchored to a substrate parallel to each adjacent pedestal.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an activation device on each of said ribbons.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

activating said activation device to induce curvature in a pixel group of said ribbons.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

providing complimentary activation devices on a substrate that anchors the pedestal on each of said deformable mirror elements to induce curvature in said ribbons.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said activation device is selected from a group comprising electrical, magnetic, or heating elements.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is conductive.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is matched to a wavelength of the light.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is aluminum and the wavelength of the light is in the visible range.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the reflective surface is gold and the wavelength of the light is in the infrared range.