Self-packaged optical interference display device having anti-stiction bumps, integral micro-lens, and reflection-absorbing layers

• US 20070020948A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adam Ghozeil, Arthur Piehl, Eric Martin, James Przybyla
• Original Assignee: Adam Ghozeil, Arthur Piehl, Eric Martin, James Przybyla
• Inventors: Piehl, Arthur, Martin, Eric, Ghozeil, Adam, Przybyla, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,441,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/761
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/047 Optical MEMS not provided for in B81B2201/042 - B81B2201/045
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0008 Structures for avoiding electrostatic attraction, e.g. avoiding charge accumulation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/11 Anti-reflection coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/06 Passive matrix structure, i.e. with direct application of both column and row voltages to the light emitting or modulating elements, other than LCD or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect

Abstract

An electronic device of an embodiment of the invention is disclosed that at least partially displays a pixel of a display image. The device includes a first reflector and a second reflector defining an optical cavity therebetween that is selective of a visible wavelength at an intensity. The device includes a mechanism to allow optical properties of the cavity to be varied such that the visible wavelength and/or the intensity are variably selectable in correspondence with the pixel of the displayable image. The device also includes one or more transparent deposited films, one or more absorbing layers, an integral micro-lens, and/or one or more anti-stiction bumps. The deposited films are over one of the reflectors, for self-packaging of the device. The absorbing layers are over one of the reflectors, to reduce undesired reflections. The integral micro-lens is over one of the reflectors, and the anti-stiction bumps are between the reflectors.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A method for manufacturing a device for at least partially displaying a pixel of a displayable image comprising:

providing a bottom metal reflector layer on a substrate layer of the device;

depositing and patterning first filler material on the bottom metal reflector layer;

providing a flexure layer and a top metal reflector layer on the first filler material;

providing an oxide pixel plate layer on the flexure layer and the top metal reflector layer;

depositing and patterning second filler material on the oxide pixel plate layer;

depositing an oxide layer on the second filler material;

defining a via through the second filler material; and

,

removing the first filler material to define an optical cavity between the first and the top metal reflector layers, and the second filler material to define an air cavity between the oxide pixel plate layer and the oxide layer.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising, after providing the bottom metal reflector layer, depositing an oxide dielectric layer.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein providing the bottom metal reflector layer comprises depositing and patterning the bottom metal reflector layer.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein providing the flexure layer and the top metal reflector layer comprises depositing the flexure layer, depositing the top metal reflector layer on the flexure layer, and patterning the flexure layer and the top metal reflector layer.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein providing the flexure layer and the top metal reflector layer comprises depositing the top metal reflector layer, depositing the flexure layer on the top metal reflector layer, and patterning the flexure layer and the top metal reflector layer.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein removing the first filler material and the second filler material comprises performing isotropic cleanout etching.

38. A display device constructed at least in part by performing a method comprising:

providing a bottom metal reflector layer on a silicon substrate layer of the display device;

depositing and patterning first filler material on the bottom metal reflector layer;

providing a flexure layer and a top metal reflector layer on the first filler material;

providing an oxide pixel plate layer on the flexure layer and the top metal reflector layer;

depositing and patterning second filler material on the oxide pixel plate layer;

depositing an oxide layer on the second filler material;

defining one or more vias through the second filler material; and

,

removing the first filler material to define individually controllable optical cavities between the first and the top metal reflector layers, and the second filler material to define air cavities between the oxide pixel plate layer and the oxide layer.

39. The display device of claim 38, further comprising, after providing the bottom metal reflector layer, depositing an oxide dielectric layer.

40. The display device of claim 38, further comprising providing a protective layer over the oxide layer.

41. The display device of claim 40, further comprising providing an anti-reflective coating over the protective layer.

42. The display device of claim 40, further comprising sputtering an absorbing layer over the protective layer.