METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MODULATING LIGHT
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Accused Products
Abstract
Light in the visible spectrum is modulated using an array of modulation elements, and control circuitry connected to the array for controlling each of the modulation elements independently, each of the modulation elements having a surface which is caused to exhibit a predetermined impedance characteristic to particular frequencies of light. The amplitude of light delivered by each of the modulation elements is controlled independently by pulse code modulation. Each modulation element has a deformable portion held under tensile stress, and the control circuitry controls the deformation of the deformable portion. Each deformable element has a deformation mechanism and an optical portion, the deformation mechanism and the optical portion independently imparting to the element respectively a controlled deformation characteristic and a controlled modulation characteristic. The deformable modulation element may be a non-metal. The elements are made by forming a sandwich of two layers and a sacrificial layer between them, the sacrificial layer having a thickness related to the final cavity dimension, and using water or an oxygen based plasma to remove the sacrificial layer.
61 Citations
70 Claims
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1-53. -53. (canceled)
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54. A device for modulating light comprising:
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a light modulating element having a first wall and a second wall defining a cavity, wherein at least one of the walls is movable relative to the other; and
a circuit configured to periodically apply a plurality of pulses having varying widths across the first and second layers, the plurality of pulses being configured to control the relative movement of the first and second walls. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method of controlling intensity of light modulated by a light modulating device, the light modulating device having first and second walls forming a cavity therebetween, the walls being moveable relative to each other, the method comprising:
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periodically applying a plurality of pulses across the first and second layers; and
varying the width of the plurality of pulses based on a target intensity of light modulation. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system for generating pixels to be displayed on screen, using an interferometric modulator having an array of modulation elements, the system comprising:
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a storage device configured to store color information for at least one modulation element for a time period, the color information defining a color sequence during the time period for at least one modulation element; and
a delivery module in communication with the interferometric modulator, the delivery module being configured to deliver control signals based on the color information, the control signals controlling at least one modulation element in the interferometric modulator.
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69. A device for modulating light comprising:
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first and second layers separated by a space, wherein a dimension of the space is changeable from a first value to a second value in response to a voltage applied across the first and second layers, and wherein the first and second layers are substantially parallel when the dimension of the space is the first and second value; and
a control circuit configured to apply a continuous voltage across the first and second lays to maintain the dimension of the space at a prescribed height.
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70. A device for modulating light, comprising:
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first and second substantially non-absorptive layers separated by a space, wherein a dimension of the space is changeable in response to a voltage applied across the first and second layers; and
a control circuit configured to apply a continuous voltage across the first and second layers to maintain the dimension of the space at a prescribed height.
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Specification