Method and apparatus for addressing optical data storage locations
First Claim
1. An addressable electro-optic system having multiple light pattern data storage locations, comprising:
- first and second substrates having a layer of material with electro-optic properties positioned between them, the first substrate supporting on a major surface thereof plural nonoverlapping first electrodes that extend in a first direction and the second substrate having a target surface;
first biasing means for applying first electrical signals to different ones of the first electrodes;
beam emitting means for emitting a beam of primary electrons directed toward the target surface of the second substrate to strike preselected regions of the target surface and thereby to cause an emission of secondary electrons, the preselected regions being aligned with corresponding ones of the first electrodes; and
second biasing means cooperating with the target surface for collecting the secondary electrons emitted from the target surface and thereby developing electrostatic potentials at the preselected regions, the simultaneous application of one of the first electrical signals to a selected one of the first electrodes and the striking of a corresponding preselected region of the target surface by the primary electrons changing a property of the electro-optic material.
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Abstract
An apparatus for and a method of addressing data storage locations (80) employs an electron beam (76) to address such storage locations and thereby store data in and read data out of them. The storage locations are defined by the overlapping areas of multiple column electrodes (62) extending in a common direction on a first substrate (82) and rows (120) addressed by an electron beam (76) and extending in a common direction on a second substrate (54). A layer of dielectric material (52) separates the first and the second substrates, which are positioned face-to-face and spaced-apart with the direction of the addressed rows transverse to that of the column electrodes. The column electrodes receive data drive signals. The addressing apparatus is configured so that for each storage location secondary electrons emitted by the electron beam striking the location function as an electrical switch that changes between a conducting state and a nonconducting state in response to the presence of the electron beam. The secondary electrons function to either store data in or read data out of the storage location. If the storage location includes a layer (52) of material having electro-optic properties and receives incident image-carrying light, the secondary electrons function to select and store image data across the layer and thereby provide a display system having gray scale luminance.
25 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An addressable electro-optic system having multiple light pattern data storage locations, comprising:
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first and second substrates having a layer of material with electro-optic properties positioned between them, the first substrate supporting on a major surface thereof plural nonoverlapping first electrodes that extend in a first direction and the second substrate having a target surface; first biasing means for applying first electrical signals to different ones of the first electrodes; beam emitting means for emitting a beam of primary electrons directed toward the target surface of the second substrate to strike preselected regions of the target surface and thereby to cause an emission of secondary electrons, the preselected regions being aligned with corresponding ones of the first electrodes; and second biasing means cooperating with the target surface for collecting the secondary electrons emitted from the target surface and thereby developing electrostatic potentials at the preselected regions, the simultaneous application of one of the first electrical signals to a selected one of the first electrodes and the striking of a corresponding preselected region of the target surface by the primary electrons changing a property of the electro-optic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of addressing a storage location for optical data, the storage location including a layer of material having electro-optic properties, comprising:
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inducing a signal on one of multiple nonoverlapping first electrically conductive stripe regions positioned adjacent a first major surface of the layer, the signal corresponding to the optical data; effecting emission of electrons from a region of a dielectric substrate positioned adjacent a second major surface of the layer, the location being defined by overlapping portions of the one of the first stripe regions and the region of dielectric substrate; and developing an electrostatic potential that directs electrons emitted from the dielectric substrate toward an electron-collecting surface to change a property of the layer of electro-optic material in accordance with the optical data and thereby effect storage of the signal by the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In an electro-optic system having multiple light pattern data storage locations, an addressing structure for addressing the data storage locations, comprising:
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substrate means having first and second major surfaces for supporting on the first major surface plural nonoverlapping first electrodes that extend in a first direction; first biasing means for applying first electrical signals to different ones of the first electrodes; beam emitting means for emitting a beam of primary electrons directed toward the second major surface to strike preselected regions of the second major surface and thereby cause an emission of secondary electrons, the preselected regions being aligned with corresponding ones of the first electrodes; and second biasing means cooperating with the second major surface for collecting the secondary electrons emitted from the second major surface and thereby developing electrostatic potentials at the preselected regions, the simultaneous application of one of the first electrical signals to a selected one of the first electrodes and the striking of a corresponding preselected region of the second major surface by the primary electrons addressing a selected one of the data storage locations. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification