Multilayered Screens with Light-Emitting Stripes for Scanning Beam Display Systems

• US 20090116107A1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prysm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prysm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hajjar, Roger A., Malyak, Phillip H., Kent, David L., Ritter, John, Kindler, David, Bukesov, Sergey A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/457
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/123 Multibeam scanners, e.g. using multiple light sources or beam splitters
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/567 for colour projection G03B21/58, G03B21/60 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/06 by additive-colour projection apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1089 of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina

Abstract

Multilayered screens with parallel light-emitting stripes for scanning beam display systems. The light-emitting materials may include phosphor materials and non-phosphor materials.

Claims

1. A display screen, comprising:

a light-emitting layer comprising a plurality of parallel and separated light-emitting stripes each absorbing excitation light at an excitation wavelength to emit visible light at a visible wavelength different from the excitation wavelength;

a lens array layer over the light-emitting layer to direct the excitation light to the light-emitting layer and comprising a two-dimensional array of lenses, wherein each lens has a dimension less than a width of each light-emitting stripe and there are a plurality of lenses within the width of each light-emitting stripe; and

a pinhole array layer between the lens array layer and the light-emitting layer, the pinhole layer comprising a reflective and opaque layer that overlays the lens array layer and is patterned with a two-dimensional array of pinholes that spatially correspond to the lenses, respectively, to transmit excitation light from the lenses to the light-emitting layer.

2. The display screen as in claim 1, wherein:

the pinhole array layer is at or near a focal plane of each lens for the excitation light.

3. The display screen as in claim 2, wherein:

each pinhole has a dimension greater than a beam spot of the excitation light focused by a respective lens onto the pinhole array layer.

4. The display screen as in claim 1, wherein:

the reflective layer is a metal layer.

5. The display screen as in claim 1, wherein:

each lens in the lens layer is a hexagon and in contact with six adjacent lenses.

6. The display screen as in claim 1, wherein:

a black layer between the lens array layer and the pinhole array layer, the black layer patterned to comprise through holes that align with the pinholes in the pinhole array layer, respectively, to allow transmission of light from each lens to a respective pinhole.

7. The display screen as in claim 1, wherein:

each light-emitting stripe comprises a stripe of a light-emitting material that absorbs the excitation light to emit visible light and a stripe of a transparent material, wherein the stripe of the transparent material is located between the stripe of the light-emitting material and the pinhole array layer.

8. The display screen as in claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of parallel stripe dividers interleaved with the light-emitting stripes with each stripe divider located between two adjacent light-emitting stripes, wherein each stripe divider is optically reflective.

9. The display screen as in claim 8, comprising:

a blackened absorbent stripe formed on a facet of each stripe divider which faces away from the lens array layer.

10. The display screen as in claim 8, wherein:

each strip divider comprises an optically reflective layer which interfaces with each of the two adjacent light-emitting stripes.

11. The display screen as in claim 10, wherein:

the optically reflective layer is a metal layer.

12. The display screen as in claim 8, wherein:

each strip divider comprises an optically opaque core and an optically reflective layer formed on two sides of the optically opaque core which interface with the two adjacent light-emitting stripes, respectively.

13. The display screen as in claim 12, wherein:

the optically reflective layer is a metal layer.

14. The display screen as in claim 12, wherein:

the optically opaque core absorbs light.

15. The display screen as in claim 12, wherein:

the optically opaque core comprises a black pigment.

16. The display screen as in claim 8, wherein:

each strip divider comprises beads that reflect light and a binder material in which the beads are distributed.

17. The display screen as in claim 8, wherein:

each strip divider comprises a metal.

18. The display screen as in claim 8, wherein:

each strip divider comprises a reflective white paint material.

19. The display screen as in claim 1, comprising:

a substrate to which the light-emitting layer is engaged, the substrate operable to transmit visible light emitted by the light-emitting layer.

20. The display screen as in claim 19, wherein:

the substrate blocks the excitation light.

21. The display screen as in claim 19, wherein:

the substrate reflects the excitation light.

22. The display screen as in claim 19, wherein:

the substrate attenuates the visible light with an attenuation uniform over a spectral range of the visible light.

23. The display screen as in claim 19, wherein:

the substrate comprises a plastic layer.

24. The display screen as in claim 19, wherein:

the substrate has a surface that is engaged to the light-emitting layer and the surface has surface textures that create air gaps between the substrate and the light-emitting layer.

25. The display screen as in claim 19, comprising:

a bonding layer between the substrate and the light-emitting layer to bind the substrate and the light-emitting layer to each other, the bonding layer transmitting the visible light emitted by the light-emitting layer.

26. The display screen as in claim 1, comprising:

a selective blocking layer that transmits the visible light and blocks the excitation light, wherein the light-emitting layer is located between the selective blocking layer and the lens array layer.

27. The display screen as in claim 1, comprising:

a neutral density filter layer that attenuates the visible light, wherein the light-emitting layer is located between the neutral density filter layer and the lens array layer.

28. The display screen as in claim 1, wherein:

two adjacent light-emitting stripes emit visible light of different colors when absorbing the excitation light.

29. A display screen, comprising:

a light-emitting layer comprising a plurality of parallel and separated light-emitting stripes each absorbing excitation light at an excitation wavelength to emit visible light at a visible wavelength different from the excitation wavelength, and a plurality of parallel stripe dividers interleaved with the light-emitting stripes with each stripe divider located between two adjacent light-emitting stripes, wherein each stripe divider is optically reflective;

a dichroic layer formed over the light-emitting layer to receive and transmit the excitation light, wherein the dichroic layer reflects the visible light emitted by the light-emitting layer; and

a Fresnel lens layer located to direct the excitation light to the dichroic layer, wherein the dichroic layer is between the Fresnel lens layer and the light-emitting layer.

30. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

each light-emitting stripe comprises a stripe of a light-emitting material that absorbs the excitation light to emit visible light and a stripe of a transparent material, wherein the stripe of the transparent material is located between the stripe of the light-emitting material and the dichroic layer.

31. The display screen as in claim 29, comprising:

a blackened absorbent stripe formed on a facet of each stripe divider which faces away from the dichroic layer.

32. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

each strip divider comprises an optically reflective layer which interfaces with each of the two adjacent light-emitting stripes.

33. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

each strip divider comprises an optically opaque core and an optically reflective layer formed on two sides of the optically opaque core which interface with the two adjacent light-emitting stripes, respectively.

34. The display screen as in claim 33, wherein:

the optically opaque core absorbs light.

35. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

each strip divider comprises beads that reflect light and a binder material in which the beads are distributed.

36. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

each strip divider comprises a metal.

37. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

each strip divider comprises a reflective white paint material.

38. The display screen as in claim 29, comprising:

a substrate to which the light-emitting layer is engaged, the substrate operable to transmit visible light emitted by the light-emitting layer.

39. The display screen as in claim 38, wherein:

the substrate blocks the excitation light.

40. The display screen as in claim 38, wherein:

the substrate reflects the excitation light.

41. The display screen as in claim 38, wherein:

the substrate attenuates the visible light with an attenuation uniform over a spectral range of the visible light.

42. The display screen as in claim 38, wherein:

the substrate comprises a plastic layer.

43. The display screen as in claim 38, wherein:

the substrate has a surface that is engaged to the light-emitting layer and the surface has surface textures that create air gaps between the substrate and the light-emitting layer.

44. The display screen as in claim 38, comprising:

a bonding layer between the substrate and the light-emitting layer to bind the substrate and the light-emitting layer to each other, the bonding layer transmitting the visible light emitted by the light-emitting layer.

45. The display screen as in claim 29, comprising:

a selective blocking layer that transmits the visible light and blocks the excitation light, wherein the light-emitting layer is located between the selective blocking layer and the dichroic layer.

46. The display screen as in claim 29, comprising:

a neutral density filter layer that attenuates the visible light, wherein the light-emitting layer is located between the neutral density filter layer and the dichroic layer.

47. The display screen as in claim 29, wherein:

two adjacent light-emitting stripes emit visible light of different colors when absorbing the excitation light.

48. A display screen, comprising:

a light-emitting layer comprising a plurality of parallel and separated light-emitting stripes each absorbing excitation light at an excitation wavelength to emit visible light at a visible wavelength different from the excitation wavelength, and a plurality of parallel stripe dividers interleaved with the light-emitting stripes with each stripe divider located between two adjacent light-emitting stripes, wherein each stripe divider is optically reflective.

49. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

each light-emitting stripe comprises a stripe of a light-emitting material that absorbs the excitation light to emit visible light and a stripe of a transparent material, wherein the stripe of the transparent material is formed on the stripe of the light-emitting material.

50. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

each strip divider comprises an optically reflective layer which interfaces with each of the two adjacent light-emitting stripes.

51. The display screen as in claim 50, wherein:

the optically reflective layer is a metal layer.

52. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

each strip divider comprises an optically opaque core and an optically reflective layer formed on two sides of the optically opaque core which interface with the two adjacent light-emitting stripes, respectively.

53. The display screen as in claim 52, wherein:

the optically reflective layer is a metal layer.

54. The display screen as in claim 52, wherein:

the optically opaque core absorbs light.

55. The display screen as in claim 52, wherein:

the optically opaque core comprises a black pigment.

56. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

each strip divider comprises beads that reflect light and a binder material in which the beads are distributed.

57. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

each strip divider comprises a metal.

58. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

each strip divider comprises a reflective white paint material.

59. The display screen as in claim 48, wherein:

two adjacent light-emitting stripes emit visible light of different colors when absorbing the excitation light

60. A method for making a display screen, comprising:

applying light-emitting materials, that absorb excitation light at an excitation wavelength to emit visible light at wavelengths different from the excitation wavelength, into parallel grooves of a mold so that two adjacent grooves are applied with two different light-emitting materials that emit at two different wavelengths;

controlling a volume of each light-emitting material in each respective groove during the process of applying the light-emitting materials into the mold to partially fill each groove;

applying a liquid material in each groove on top of a respective light-emitting material to fill the groove;

transforming the liquid material into a transparent solid material that attaches to each light-emitting material in each groove;

placing a screen layer on the mold to be in contact with and to engage to the transparent solid material;

lifting the screen layer to lift a stripe formed by the transparent solid material and each light-emitting material out of the mold to form a light-emitting layer of parallel light-emitting stripes; and

applying one or more additional screen layers to the light-emitting layer to form a display screen.

61. The method as in claim 60, wherein:

the liquid material is a UV-curable material, and

UV light is directed to the liquid material to cure the liquid material in forming the transparent solid material.

62. The method as in claim 60, wherein:

the liquid material is a heat-curable material, and

heat is applied to the liquid material to cure the liquid material in forming the transparent solid material.

63. The method as in claim 60, comprising:

after lifting the light-emitting layer of parallel light-emitting stripes out of the mold, coating a metal layer over the light-emitting stripes to cover exposed surfaces of the light-emitting material and the transparent solid material and a surface over the screen layer between two adjacent light-emitting stripes; and

applying a filler material to fill gaps between two adjacent light-emitting stripes;

removing part of the filler material, the metal layer on top of the light-emitting material and a part of the light-emitting material to form a flat surface that exposes the light-emitting material in each light-emitting stripe; and

applying another screen layer over the flat surface.

64. The method as in claim 63, wherein:

the part of the filler material, the metal layer on top of the light-emitting material and the part of the light-emitting material are removed to leave surface textures on an exposed surface of the light-emitting material so that air gaps are formed between the light-emitting material and the screen layer engaged on the flat surface.

65. The method as in claim 63, wherein:

the filler material is a black material that absorbs light.

66. The method as in claim 60, comprising:

after lifting the light-emitting layer of parallel light-emitting stripes out of the mold, filing gaps between adjacent light-emitting stripes with a reflective material to cover exposed surfaces of the light-emitting material and the transparent solid material; and

removing part of the reflective material on top of the light-emitting material and a part of the light-emitting material to form a flat surface that exposes the light-emitting material in each light-emitting stripe; and

applying another screen layer over the flat surface.

67. The method as in claim 66, wherein:

the part of the reflective material on top of the light-emitting material and the part of the light-emitting material are removed to leave surface textures on an exposed surface of the light-emitting material so that air gaps are formed between the light-emitting material and the screen layer engaged on the flat surface.

68. The method as in claim 60, comprising:

treating inner surfaces of the grooves in the mold prior to applying the light-emitting materials to facilitate separation of each light-emitting stripe from the mold.

69. The method as in claim 68, wherein:

the inner surfaces of each groove are coated with a layer of nickel.

70. The method as in claim 68, wherein:

the inner surfaces of each groove are coated with a layer of a surface lubrication material.

71. The method as in claim 68, wherein:

the inner surfaces are coated with a layer of nickel.

72. A method for making a display screen, comprising:

applying a stripe divider material that optically opaque to light into parallel grooves of a mold that define an array of parallel stripe dividers of the display screen;

applying a clear layer of a UV curable clear material on exposed surfaces of the mode between the parallel groves and on top surfaces of the stripe divider material in the parallel grooves;

directing UV light to the UV curable clear material to cure the material to bond with the stripe divider material;

applying a UV dicing adhesive layer to adhere to the cured clear layer;

attaching a carrier layer to the UV dicing adhesive layer;

lifting the carrier layer, the UV dicing adhesive layer and the cured clear layer to remove the array of stripe dividers attached to the cured clear layer out of the parallel grooves of the mode;

filling groves between the stripe dividers over the cured clear layer with light-emitting materials, that absorb excitation light at an excitation wavelength to emit visible light at wavelengths different from the excitation wavelength so that two adjacent grooves separated by a stripe divider are applied with two different light-emitting materials that emit at two different wavelengths;

controlling a volume of each light-emitting material in each respective groove during the process of applying the light-emitting materials to partially fill each groove and to form parallel light-emitting stripes that are spatially interleaved with and separated by the stripe dividers;

placing one or more screen layers in contact with and to engage to top of the stripe dividers;

directing UV light to the UV dicing adhesive layer to separate the UV dicing adhesive layer along with the carrier layer from the cured clear layer;

removing the cured clear layer from the stripe dividers and the light-emitting stripes; and

forming a light receiving layer to replace the removed cured clear layer to receive and direct excitation light into the light-emitting stripes.

73. The method as in claim 72, comprising:

prior to filling the grooves between the stripe dividers over the cured clear layer with the light-emitting materials, forming a reflective layer over surfaces of the stripe dividers and exposed surfaces of the cured clear layer between two adjacent stripe dividers, and

wherein the light-emitting materials are filled over the reflective layer between the stripe dividers.

74. The method as in claim 72, wherein:

the light receiving layer comprises;

a lens array layer to direct the excitation light to the light-emitting stripes and comprising a two-dimensional array of lenses, wherein each lens has a dimension less than a width of each light-emitting stripe and there are a plurality of lenses within the width of each light-emitting stripe; and

a pinhole array layer between the lens array layer and the light-emitting stripes, the pinhole layer comprising a reflective and opaque layer that overlays the lens array layer and is patterned with a two-dimensional array of pinholes that spatially correspond to the lenses, respectively, to transmit excitation light from the lenses to the light-emitting stripes.

75. The method as in claim 72, wherein:

the light receiving layer comprises;

a dichroic layer formed over the light-emitting stripes to receive and transmit the excitation light, wherein the dichroic layer reflects the visible light emitted by the light-emitting stripes; and

a Fresnel lens layer located to direct the excitation light to the dichroic layer, wherein the dichroic layer is between the Fresnel lens layer and the light-emitting stripes.

76. A method for making a display screen, comprising:

forming a metal layer on a flat surface of a lens array layer of a two-dimensional array of lenses;

scanning an ablation laser beam to the array of lenses to focus the ablation laser beam on the metal layer through each lens to remove the metal at a location of the focused ablation laser beam to form a pinhole, thus forming a two-dimensional array of pinholes in the metal layer;

engaging a light-emitting layer to the metal layer having the two-dimensional array of pinholes, wherein the light-emitting layer comprises a plurality of parallel and separated light-emitting stripes each absorbing excitation light at an excitation wavelength to emit visible light at a visible wavelength different from the excitation wavelength, wherein each lens has a dimension less than a width of each light-emitting stripe so that there are a plurality of lenses within the width of each light-emitting stripe; and

engaging the light-emitting layer and the lens array layer to a support substrate to form a display screen.

77. The method as in claim 76, comprising:

forming a layer of a black material that absorbs the ablation laser beam between the flat surface of the lens array layer and the metal layer prior to forming the metal layer, wherein the layer of the black material absorbs the ablation laser beam and is removed at the location where the ablation laser beam is focused.