Structure of a micro electro mechanical system

• US 20060007517A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prime View International Company Limited (E Ink Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tsai, Hsiung-Kuang
• Application Number:
  US10/960,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20060007517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/254
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence

Abstract

A structure of a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) for a planar display apparatus is described. The MEMS structure used as a transmissible or reflective display device has a shielding electrode and a control electrode. The shielding electrode has a low stress electrode and a high stress electrode. The high stress electrode connected to the low stress electrode is a movable element. The control electrode is located below the high stress electrode. The control electrode attracts the high stress electrode when a voltage is applied to the control electrode. The high stress electrode deforms and the position of the low stress electrode is altered.

Claims

1. A display unit of a micro electro mechanical system, located on a substrate, the display unit of the micro electro mechanical system comprising:

an upper electrode, the upper electrode comprising;

a deflective part; and

a shielding part, the shielding part at least connecting to a side of the deflective part; and

a lower electrode, located substantially below the deflective part;

wherein the deflective part deforms by attraction to the lower electrode with a voltage supplied thereto, and a location of the upper electrode is changed thereby.

2. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, wherein a material of the deflective part is high stress material.

3. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 2, wherein a material of the shielding part identical to the material of the deflective part.

4. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 2, wherein a material of the shielding part is different from the material of the deflective part.

5. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 2, wherein a material of the shielding part is low stress material.

6. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer located between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to insulate the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

7. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a transparent substrate.

8. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 7, further comprising a back light source located below the transparent substrate.

9. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 8, wherein the change of the location of the upper electrode controls how much light from the back light source penetrates through the transparent substrate.

10. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 7, further comprising a light-reflecting plate located below the transparent substrate.

11. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 7, further comprising a light-absorbing plate located below the transparent substrate.

12. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 11, wherein a light-reflecting layer is located on an upper surface of the upper electrode.

13. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, wherein a material of the lower electrode is selected from the group consisting of metal, silicide, doped polysilicon and metal oxide.

14. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 13, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of indium-tin oxide, indium oxide and tin oxide.

15. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 2, wherein the high stress material is selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel, molybdenum, titanium and any arbitrary combination thereof.

16. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 5, wherein the low stress material is selected from the group consisting of silver, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, silicon and any arbitrary combination thereof.

17. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, further comprising a light-absorbing material formed on a lower surface of the upper electrode.

18. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 17, wherein the light-absorbing material is resin or metal with a low reflectivity or metal oxide with a low reflectivity.

19. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a light-absorbing substrate.

20. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 19, wherein a light-reflecting layer is located on an upper surface of the upper electrode.

21. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a light-reflecting substrate.

22. The display unit of the micro electro mechanical system of claim 19, wherein a light-absorbing layer is located on an upper surface of the upper electrode.

23. A planar display apparatus, the planar display apparatus comprising:

a transparent substrate, a plurality of transmissible display units being located thereon, each of the transmissible display units comprising;

an upper electrode, the upper electrode comprising;

a low stress structure; and

a high stress structure, the high stress structure at least connecting to a side of the low stress structure; and

a lower electrode, located substantially beneath the high stress structure; and

a back light source, located below the transparent substrate;

wherein the high stress structure is deformed due to attraction to the lower electrode with a voltage supplied thereto, and a location of the high stress structure is changed to control how much light from the back light source penetrates through the transparent substrate.

24. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a color filter located on the transparent substrate.

25. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a color filter located between the transparent substrate and the back light source, or the transparent substrate located between the color filter and the back light source.

26. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a dielectric layer located between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to insulate the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

27. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, wherein a material of the lower electrode is selected from the group consisting of metal, silicide, doped polysilicon and metal oxide.

28. The planar display apparatus of claim 27, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of indium-tin oxide, indium oxide and tin oxide.

29. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, wherein the high stress material is selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel, molybdenum, titanium and any arbitrary combination thereof.

30. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, wherein the low stress material is selected from the group consisting of silver, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, silicon and any arbitrary combination thereof.

31. The planar display apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a light-absorbing material formed on a lower surface or an upper surface of the low stress structure.

32. The planar display apparatus of claim 31, wherein the light-absorbing material is resin or metal with a low reflectivity or metal oxide with a low reflectivity.

33. A planar display apparatus, the planar display apparatus comprising:

a transparent substrate, a plurality of transmissible display units being located thereon, each of the transmissible display units comprising;

an upper electrode, the upper electrode comprising;

a low stress structure, a light-absorbing layer thereof being located on an upper surface thereof; and

a high stress structure, the high stress structure at least connecting to a side of the low stress structure; and

a lower electrode, located substantially beneath the high stress structure; and

a light-reflecting plate, located below the transparent substrate;

wherein the high stress structure is deformed by attraction to the lower electrode with a voltage supplied thereto, and a location of the upper electrode is changed to control how much incident light is reflected by the light-reflecting plate.

34. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a color filter located on the transparent substrate.

35. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a dielectric layer located between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to insulate the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

36. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, wherein a material of the lower electrode is selected from the group consisting of metal, silicide, doped polysilicon and metal oxide.

37. The planar display apparatus of claim 36, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of indium-tin oxide, indium oxide and tin oxide.

38. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the high stress material is selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel, molybdenum, titanium and any arbitrary combination thereof.

39. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the low stress material is selected from the group consisting of silver, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, silicon and any arbitrary combination thereof.

40. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a light-absorbing material formed on a lower surface of the low stress structure.

41. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a light-absorbing material formed on the upper surface of the upper electrode.

42. The planar display apparatus of claim 33, wherein the light-absorbing material is resin or metal with a low reflectivity or metal oxide with a low reflectivity.

43. A planar display apparatus, the planar display apparatus, comprising:

a transparent substrate, on which a plurality of transmissible display units is located, each of the transmissible display units comprising;

an upper electrode, the upper electrode comprising;

a low stress structure, a light-reflecting layer thereof being located on an upper surface thereof; and

a high stress structure, the high stress structure connecting to a side of the low stress structure; and

a lower electrode, located substantially beneath the high stress structure; and

a light-absorbing plate, located below the transparent substrate;

wherein the high stress structure is deformed by attraction to the lower electrode with a voltage supplied thereto, and a location of the upper electrode is changed to control how much incident light is reflected by the light-reflecting layer.

44. The planar display apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a color filter located on the transparent substrate.

45. The planar display apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a dielectric layer located between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to insulate the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

46. The planar display apparatus of claim 43, wherein a material of the lower electrode is selected from the group consisting of metal, silicide, doped polysilicon and metal oxide.

47. The planar display apparatus of claim 46, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of indium-tin oxide, indium oxide and tin oxide.

48. The planar display apparatus of claim 43, wherein the high stress material is selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel, molybdenum, titanium and any arbitrary combination thereof.

49. The planar display apparatus of claim 43, wherein the low stress material is selected from the group consisting of silver, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, silicon and any arbitrary combination thereof.

50. The planar display apparatus of claim 43, wherein a light-reflecting layer is located on the upper surface of the upper electrode.