Optical property normalization for a transparent electrical device

• US 20050224804A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Champion, Michael A. Pate, Randy Hoffman
• Original Assignee: David Champion, Michael A. Pate, Randy Hoffman
• Inventors: Hoffman, Randy, Champion, David, Pate, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/72
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133502 Antiglare, refractive index matching layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1362 Active matrix addressed cells G02F1/134336, G02F1/134363 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate

Abstract

Optical property normalization for a transparent electrical device is described. In an embodiment, an electrical device includes a plurality of laterally displaced regions that are substantially transparent. Each region of the plurality of regions includes a normalized surface that has an optical property that has a normalized value that is substantially the same, one to another. One of the regions includes a portion of an electrical component. Additionally, at least one of the regions includes beneath the normalized surface an additional surface and a spectral normalization structure. The additional surface has a value for the optical property that is not substantially the same as the normalized value. The spectral normalization structure is disposed with the additional surface such that the normalized surface of the at least one region exhibits the normalized value.

Claims

1. An electric device comprising:

an exposed surface that;

exhibits substantially uniform values for an optical property; and

is substantially transparent to visible light; and

a plurality of thin film stacks;

disposed between a substrate and the exposed surface;

laterally displaced one to another; and

each thin film stack having a top surface that exhibits a value for the optical property that is different from a value for the optical property of at least one other said top surface.

2. An electrical device as described in claim 1, wherein the substantially uniform values of the optical property are substantially the same over a substantial portion of the wavelengths of visible light.

3. An electrical device as described in claim 1, wherein one or more of said thin film stacks includes a portion of an electrical component.

4. An electrical device as described in claim 1, wherein one or more of said thin film stacks includes a spectral normalization structure that normalizes the optical property, whereby the optical property does not vary substantially laterally over the exposed surface.

5. An electrical device as described in claim 4, wherein the normalized optical property over the exposed surface gives the exposed surface a uniform color, whereby the color does not vary substantially laterally over the exposed surface.

6. An electrical device as described in claim 1, wherein each said thin film stack is substantially transparent to visible light through the top surface thereof.

7. An electrical device as described in claim 1, wherein the optical property is selected from the group consisting of:

transmission;

reflection; and

absorption.

8. An electrical device as described in claim 1, wherein the exposed surface has rounded edges.

9. An electrical device comprising a plurality of laterally displaced regions each being substantially transparent to visible light, wherein:

each said region includes a normalized surface that has an optical property that has a normalized value that is substantially the same, one to another;

one said region includes a portion of an electrical component; and

at least one said region has beneath the normalized surface of the at least one said region;

an additional surface that has a value for the optical property that is not substantially the same as the normalized value; and

a spectral normalization structure that is disposed with the additional surface such that the normalized surface of the at least one said region exhibits the normalized value.

10. An electrical device as described in claim 9, wherein the at least one said region that includes the spectral normalization structure also includes the portion of the electrical component.

11. An electrical device as described in claim 9, wherein the visible light is included in a range of wavelengths of approximately 400 nm to approximately 700 nm.

12. An electrical device as described in claim 9, wherein the plurality of regions has a substantially uniform color when viewed by the human eye.

13. An electrical device as described in claim 9, wherein the optical property is selected from the group consisting of:

transmission;

reflection; and

absorption.

14. An electrical device as described in claim 9, wherein:

the electrical component is a semiconductor device; and

the plurality of laterally displaced regions is disposed over a substrate.

15. An electrical device as described in claim 9, wherein each said normalized surface has rounded edges.

16-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A display device comprising:

a housing;

a light source disposed within the housing; and

a substantially transparent device attached to the housing through which light is transmitted from the light source, wherein the substantially transparent device includes;

a substrate;

an exposed surface that;

exhibits substantially uniform values for an optical property; and

is substantially transparent to visible light; and

a plurality of thin film stacks;

disposed between the substrate and the exposed surface;

laterally displaced one to another; and

each having a top surface that exhibits a value for the optical property that is different from a value for the optical property of at least one other said top surface.

33. A display device as described in claim 32, wherein one or more of said thin film stacks includes a portion of an electrical component.

34. A display device as described in claim 32, wherein one or more of said thin film stacks includes a spectral normalization structure that substantially normalizes the optical property over the exposed surface.

35. A display device as described in claim 34, wherein the normalized optical property over the top surface gives the exposed surface a substantially uniform color.

36. A display device as described in claim 32, wherein each said thin film stack is substantially transparent to visible light through the top surface thereof.

37. A display device as described in claim 32, wherein the optical property is selected from the group consisting of:

transmission;

reflection; and

absorption.

38. (canceled)

39. A method comprising:

a) analyzing an electrical device that includes a plurality of laterally displaced regions each being substantially transparent to visible light, wherein;

one said region includes at least a portion of an electrical component; and

a surface of a first said region has an optical property having a value that is not substantially the same as a value of the optical property of a surface of a second said region; and

b) forming, based on the analysis, a spectral normalization structure that is disposed with at least one of the first and second said regions such that each said region of the plurality of regions includes a normalized surface having a normalized value for the optical property that is substantially the same, one to another.

40. A method as described in claim 39, wherein the spectral normalization structure is disposed between layers that form the electrical component.

41. An electrical device formed by the method of claim 39.

42. An electrical device comprising a plurality of laterally displaced regions each being substantially transparent to visible light, wherein:

each said region has a normalized surface that has an optical property that has a normalized value that is substantially the same, one to another;

one said region includes at least a portion of a means for providing an electrical function; and

at least one said region includes beneath the normalized surface of the at least one said region;

an additional surface having a value for the optical property that is not substantially the same as the normalized value; and

means, disposed with the additional surface, for normalizing the optical property such that the normalized surface of the at least one said region has the normalized value.