PRINTABLE STATIC INTERFEROMETRIC IMAGES

• US 20090279174A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miles, Mark W., Xu, Gang, Griffiths, Jonathan C., Bita, Ion, Kothari, Manish, Brinkley, Patrick F., Khonsari, Nassim, Arbuckle, Brian W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,023,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/580
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/003 on optical devices, e.g. lens elements; for the production of optical devices production by thermal imaging means B41M5/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/26 Reflecting filters G02B5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/288 comprising at least one thin film resonant cavity, e.g. in bandpass filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

Methods of fabricating a static interferometric image device and static interferometric image device formed by the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a substrate. A plurality of liquid layers are formed over the substrate by an inkjet process such that the layers are lateral to one another. The liquid layers contain a solidifiable material or particles. Then, the plurality of liquid layers are solidified to form a plurality of solid layers. In some embodiments, the substrate includes pre-defined cavities, and the liquid layers are formed in the cavities. In other embodiments, the substrate includes a substantially planar, stepped, or continuously transitioning surface, and the liquid layers are formed on the surface. The inkjet process provides optical fillers or spacers for defining interferometric gaps between absorbers and reflectors in the display device, based at least partially on an image that the display device is designed to display.

Claims

1. A method of making a static interferometric image device, the method comprising:

performing a printing process over regions of a substrate, the printing process comprising depositing a material that defines at least part of an optical path in each region such that there are at least two different layers in two different regions to produce two different interferometric colors;

forming an absorber over each region of the substrate; and

forming a reflector opposing the absorber over each region of the substrate, the reflector being spaced from the absorber by an optical cavity, the optical cavity forming the optical path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two different layers is formed in the optical cavity in each region of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two different layers is formed outside the optical cavity in each region of the substrate, and wherein each of the at least two different layers dictates a distance between the absorber and the reflector in each region of the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the printing process comprises depositing nothing in some of the regions;

and depositing the material in other regions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the printing process further comprises depositing one or more materials over different regions such that there are three different layers in three different regions to produce three different interferometric colors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the printing process comprises forming at least two different layers that have different thicknesses in the two different regions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the printing process comprises forming at least two different layers that have different indices of refraction in the two different regions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the printing process comprises forming at least two different layers that have different thicknesses and different indices of refraction in the two different regions.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the regions by a grid of recesses before performing the printing process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the regions comprises shaping the substrate using one of an embossing process, a photolithography and etching process, and an inscribing process.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the regions comprises attaching a pre-formed lattice grid to a surface of the substrate.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming an interferometric mask in at least part of spaces between the regions, wherein forming the interferometric mask comprises forming a transparent layer over a top surface of the grid and between the absorber and the reflector such that the transparent layer defines an optical path for producing a selected background interferometric color.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the at least two different layers is formed outside the optical cavity in each region of the substrate, each of the at least two different layers dictating a distance between the absorber and the reflector in each region of the substrate, wherein performing the printing process comprises forming the layers in the recesses before forming the absorber and the reflector, such that each of the layers fills a portion of the recess in each region of the substrate, and wherein one of the absorber and the reflector is formed on the layer in each region of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a printing process comprises performing the printing process over a substantially planar surface of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming an interferometric mask in at least part of spaces between the regions, wherein forming the interferometric mask comprises forming a transparent layer between the absorber and the reflector such that the transparent layer defines an optical path for producing a selected background interferometric color.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the interferometric mask comprises blanket depositing the transparent layer under the at least two different layers over the substrate.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing process comprises an inkjet process.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising programming the inkjet process based on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the absorber comprises forming the absorber prior to forming the reflector.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the absorber comprises forming the absorber after forming the reflector.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two different layers is formed in the optical cavity in each region of the substrate, and wherein the method further comprises depositing a transparent material over the at least two different layers after performing the printing process, such that the transparent material is interposed between one of the at least two different layers and one of the absorber and the reflector in each region of the substrate.

22. A method of making a static interferometric image device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate; and

forming a plurality of layers over the substrate by an inkjet process such that the layers are lateral to one another, the layers containing a solidifiable material or particles.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of layers comprise a plurality of liquid layers.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising solidifying the plurality of layers to form a plurality of solid layers.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the substrate comprises a grid of recesses, and wherein forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises filling at least a portion of one or more of the recesses with a liquid composition.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the grid of recesses is integrally formed with and of the same material as the substrate.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein providing the substrate comprises shaping the substrate using one of an embossing process, a photolithography and etching process, and an inscribing process.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the grid of recesses is formed of a material different from the substrate.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein providing the substrate comprises attaching a pre-formed lattice grid to a surface of the substrate.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein each of the recesses has substantially the same depth.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the recesses have different depths at least partially based on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein filling the at least a portion of one or more of the recesses comprises providing the same liquid composition into different recesses in different amounts, based at least partially on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein filling the at least a portion of one or more of the recesses comprises providing liquid compositions containing different concentrations of the same solidifiable material or particles into different recesses, based at least partially on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein filling the at least a portion of one or more of the recesses comprises providing different liquid compositions into different recesses, based at least partially on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display, and wherein the different liquid compositions contain materials having different indices of refraction.

35. The method of claim 24, further comprising forming a reflective layer and an absorber layer over the plurality of solid layers such that the reflective layer and the absorber layer having a gap therebetween.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising filling the gap between the reflective layer and the absorber with an at least partially transparent material.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein the substrate includes a surface having no recesses, and wherein forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises forming the plurality of liquid layers over the surface.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the surface is substantially planar, stepped, or continuously transitioning.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises providing the same liquid composition onto different regions of the surface in different amounts, based at least partially on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

40. The method of claim 37, forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises providing liquid compositions containing different concentrations of the same solidifiable material or particles onto different regions of the surface, based at least partially on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises providing different liquid compositions onto different regions of the surface, based at least partially on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display, and wherein the different liquid compositions contain materials of different indices of refraction.

42. The method of claim 37, further comprising forming a black matrix including a plurality of openings over the substrate, wherein forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises filling the plurality of openings with the liquid layers.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising forming a transparent layer over the substrate, wherein forming the plurality of liquid layers comprises spacing the liquid layers apart to expose regions of the transparent layer.

44. The method of claim 24, further comprising forming a reflective layer over the substrate before or after forming the plurality of liquid layers.

45. The method of claim 24, further comprising forming an absorber layer over the substrate before or after forming the plurality of liquid layers.

46. The method of claim 24, further comprising attaching a plate to the substrate after forming the plurality of liquid layers, wherein the plate includes a reflective or absorber layer formed on a surface thereof, and wherein the reflective or absorber layer faces the plurality of solid layers.

47. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

forming a substantially transparent polymer layer over the substrate after forming the plurality of liquid layers; and

depositing a reflective or absorber layer on the polymer layer.

48. A static interferometric image device comprising:

a substrate including a first surface, the substrate comprising a lattice structure defining cavities having substantially the same depth as one another;

an absorber layer formed over the first surface;

a reflective layer formed over the first surface, the reflective layer being vertically spaced apart from the absorber layer; and

a plurality of solidified optical fillers formed in the cavities, the plurality of solidified optical fillers being interposed between the absorber layer and the reflective layer, the plurality of solidified optical fillers being formed of an at least partially transparent material, the plurality of solidified optical fillers being positioned laterally adjacent to one another to form an array over the first surface of the substrate, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers are configured to define a pattern of different optical pathlengths between the absorber layer and the reflective layer, based on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

50. The device of claim 48, wherein the lattice structure is integrally formed with and of the same material as the substrate.

51. The device of claim 48, wherein the lattice structure is formed of a material different from the substrate.

52. The device of claim 51, further comprising an adhesive layer between the lattice structure and the first surface of the substrate.

55. The device of claim 48, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers are formed of the same material, and wherein one or more of the solidified optical fillers have a different thickness corresponding to a different optical pathlength and different interferometric color from the others of the solidified optical fillers.

56. The device of claim 48, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers comprise a first solidified optical filler formed of a first material, and a second solidified optical filler formed of a second material, and wherein the first and second materials have different indices of refraction.

60. The device of claim 48, wherein the reflective layer is positioned over the absorber layer.

61. The device of claim 48, wherein the reflective layer is positioned below the absorber layer.

62. The device of claim 48, further comprising a substantially transparent polymer layer between the reflective layer and the absorber layer, the polymer layer extending over substantially the entire portion of the pixel array region.

49. (canceled)

53. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

57. A static interferometric image device comprising:

a substrate including a first surface including a substantially planar pixel array region;

an absorber layer formed over the pixel array region;

a reflective layer formed over the pixel array region, the reflective layer being vertically spaced apart from the absorber layer; and

a plurality of solidified optical fillers interposed between the absorber layer and the reflective layer, the plurality of solidified optical fillers being formed of an at least partially transparent material, the plurality of solidified optical fillers being positioned laterally adjacent to one another to form an array over the pixel array region, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers are configured to define a pattern of optical pathlengths between the absorber layer and the reflective layer, based on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.

58. The device of claim 57, further comprising a black matrix including a plurality of openings over the pixel array region, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers fills at least part of the plurality of openings.

59. The device of claim 57, further comprising a transparent layer between the absorber layer and the reflective layer, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers are laterally spaced apart from one another, wherein the transparent layer is configured to define an optical path for interferometrically producing black color between the absorber layer and the reflective layer.

64. The device of claim 57, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers are formed of the same material, and wherein one or more of the solidified optical fillers have a different thickness from the others of the solidified optical fillers.

65. The device of claim 57, wherein the plurality of solidified optical fillers comprise a first solidified optical filler formed of a first material, and a second solidified optical filler formed of a second material, and wherein the first and second materials have different indices of refraction.

66. The device of claim 57, wherein the reflective layer is positioned over the absorber layer.

67. The device of claim 57, wherein the reflective layer is positioned below the absorber layer.

68. The device of claim 57, further comprising a substantially transparent polymer layer between the reflective layer and the absorber layer, the polymer layer extending over substantially the entire portion of the first surface.

63. A static interferometric image device comprising:

a substrate including a plurality of cavities having substantially the same depth, the cavities having bottom surfaces;

an absorber layer formed over the substrate;

a reflective layer opposing the absorber layer, the reflective layer being vertically spaced apart from the absorber layer, wherein at least one of the absorber layer and the reflective layer is positioned in the cavities; and

a plurality of solidified spacers formed in the cavities, the solidified spacers being contacted by and interposed between the bottom surfaces of the cavities and the at least one of the absorber layer and reflective layer, wherein the plurality of solidified spacers are configured to position the at least one of the absorber layer and reflective layer to define a pattern of optical paths between the absorber layer and the reflective layer, based on an image which the static interferometric image device is configured to display.