HIGH APERTURE-RATIO TOP-REFLECTIVE AM-IMOD DISPLAYS

• US 20080316566A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lan, Je-Hsiung
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/237
• 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

Abstract

High-aperture-ratio devices comprise active-matrix elements and interferometric modulators and methods of making thereof. The active-matrix element may be positioned behind the interferometric modulator with respect to incident light. In some embodiments, components of the active-matrix element may be formed on a first substrate, while components of the interferometric modulator may be formed on a second substrate, and the substrates may then be attached.

Claims

1. An interferometric display device, comprising:

at least one interferometric modulator configured to modulate incident light; and

at least one control element coupled to the at least one interferometric modulator, the at least one control element located behind the at least one interferometric modulator with respect to the incident light,

wherein at least part of the interferometric modulator is formed on a first substrate and at least part of the control element is formed on a second substrate.

2. The interferometric display device of claim 1,

further comprising at least one support configured to define a spacing between the first substrate and the second substrate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises glass and wherein the second substrate comprises silicon.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one interferometric modulator comprises:

a partially light-reflecting electrode;

a movable electrode defining an interferometric cavity with the first electrode; and

at least one first support between the partially light-reflecting electrode and the movable electrode.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one control element comprises a transistor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one control element comprises an electronic switching element.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one support between the at least one control element and the at least one interferometric modulator.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one support supports the at least one control element behind the at least one interferometric modulator.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one support comprises a flexible component.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connection between the at least one interferometric modulator and the at least one control element.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one interferometric modulator is characterized by at least two pixel states and wherein the at least one control element at least partially controls the pixel state of the at least one interferometric modulator.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one color filter configured to modify a color of light emitted from the at least one interferometric modulator.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one second interferometric modulator configured to selectively modulate incident light, wherein the at least one interferometric modulator and the at least one second interferometric modulator are formed on a first substrate, the first substrate comprising a substantially transparent layer that serves as an electrode in common to the at least one interferometric modulator and the at least one second interferometric modulator.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the transparent layer is a contiguous non-patterned layer.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display comprising the interferometric display device;

a processor that is configured to communicate with said display, said processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with said processor.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

18. The device of claim 18, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

21. A method of manufacturing a display device, comprising:

forming at least part of an interferometric modulator over a first substrate;

forming at least part of a control element over a second substrate;

positioning the at least part of the control element behind the at least part of the interferometric modulator, such that the first and second substrates are substantially parallel to each other; and

electrically connecting the at least part of the control element to the at least part of the interferometric modulator.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the control element comprises a transistor.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein electrically connecting comprises:

forming a via in the second substrate a substrate; and

forming an electrical connection in the via, the electrical connection coupling the control element and the at least part of the interferometric modulator.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising operatively attaching the control element to the first substrate.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming an adhesive layer that operatively connects the first substrate to the second substrate.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the adhesive layer comprises epoxy glue.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least part of the interferometric modulator comprises a light-reflecting electrode, and

further comprising forming a cavity between the partially light-reflecting electrode of the interferometric modulator and a movable electrode of the interferometric modulator.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein forming the cavity between the partially light-reflecting electrode and the movable electrode comprises removing a sacrificial layer between the partially light-reflecting and movable electrodes.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the forming the cavity between the partially light-reflecting electrode and the movable electrode comprises supporting the movable electrode with supports over the partially light-reflecting electrode.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming at least one support between the first and second substrates.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one support is formed between a movable electrode of the interferometric modulator and the control element.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one support comprises a flexible component.

33. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device fabricated by the method of claim 21.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein forming at least part of the interferometric modulator over the first substrate comprises forming a partially light-reflecting electrode over the first substrate.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein forming at least part of the interferometric modulator over the first substrate further comprises forming a movable electrode over the partially light-reflecting electrode to form an interferometric cavity.

42. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming at least another part of the interferometric modulator over the second substrate.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein forming the at least another part of the interferometric modulator over the second substrate comprises forming a movable electrode over the at least part of the control element.

44. The method of claim 21, wherein electrically connecting the at least part of the control element to the at least part of the interferometric modulator comprises electrically connecting the at least part of the control element to a movable membrane of the interferometric modulator.

34. A device comprising:

means for interferometrically modulating incident light; and

means for actively controlling the means for interferometrically modulating incident light,

wherein the means for interferometrically modulating incident light are at least partially formed on a first substrate,

wherein the means for actively controlling the means for interferometrically modulating incident light are at least partially formed on a second substrate, and

wherein the second substrate is positioned behind the first substrate with respect to the incident light.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the means for actively controlling comprises a transistor.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the means for actively controlling comprises a means for applying a voltage to an electrode of the means for interferometrically modulating incident light.

37. (canceled)

38. A method, comprising:

forming at least a part of an active matrix element over a first substrate;

forming at least a part of an interferometric modulator over a second substrate;

positioning the first substrate behind the second substrate;

attaching the first substrate to the second substrate; and

at least partially controlling the optical response of an interferometric modulator with the active matrix element.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the active matrix element comprises a transistor.