OPTICAL MODULATOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE OPTICAL MODULATOR, AND IMAGE PROJECTION DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THE OPTICAL MODULATOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical modulator which has a simple structure for changing the reflection direction of incident light to carry out an optical modulation and a fast response, is not restricted in an incidence optical wavelength to be used, driven by a low voltage, operated stably and reliably, and manufactured with reduced processes thereby at a low cost, and to provide a method for manufacturing the optical modulator, an image forming apparatus having the optical modulator, and an image projection display device having the optical modulator. SOLUTION: The optical modulator is composed of a reflection means 1 to regularly reflect incident light, a thin film beam 2 fixed at both ends which are formed of a thin film by combining a reflection means on the side surface, and are fixed at both ends and are deformed by electrostatic force, a substrate electrode 3 which is opposed to the other side surface of the thin film beam 2 fixed at both ends and applies a driving voltage, a space 4 formed by the substrate electrode δ the thin film beam 2 fixed at both ends, a substrate 5 in which the substrate electrode is formed on the bottom of the space, and a divided fixing part 6 which is held and fixed by the substrate and in which the fixing part of the thin :film beam 2 fixed at both ends is divided.