Liquid crystal flat panel color display with surface plasmon scattering
First Claim
1. A display assembly comprising:
- a) a source of polarized incident white light;
b) coupling means for matching a wave vector of incident light in said coupling means to a wave vector of a surface plasmon mode, said coupling means being positioned in a light coupling relationship to said source at an angle of incidence for excitation of the surface plasmon mode;
c) a layer of medium having a negative dielectric constant formed on a surface of said coupling means, said negative dielectric constant medium providing desired dispersion properties in the surface plasmon mode;
d) a layer of medium having a positive dielectric constant formed on said layer of negative dielectric medium, said layers of medium forming an interface capable of supporting the surface plasmon mode, the interface being positioned to receive incident light at the angle of excitation of the surface plasmon mode such that a portion of the incident light is selectively absorbed and scattered, and the balance of the incident light is reflected away from the interface;
e) an outer transparent panel positioned parallel to said layers of medium for display of the light scattered at the interface; and
f) control means for defining a matrix of variable color pixels on said positive dielectric medium, said control means including a controller for selectively controlling the dielectric constant of said positive dielectric medium at each pixel in the matrix by transmitting voltage signals to each pixel, which controls the wavelength of the incident light for excitation of the surface plasmon mode, including the color of the incident light that is reflected and the color of the incident light that is scattered from the interface at each pixel to said outer panel to form a color picture.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flat panel color display is provided in which white collimated light incident on a light coupling means having a metal layer and a liquid crystal layer formed on a surface of the coupling means produces a colored spot of light at the interface of the metal layer and liquid crystal layer through the excitation of surface plasmons. The present invention utilizes the color selective scattering of incident white light by surface plasmons and includes a coupling device, such as a high index glass prism, with a metal film layer and a liquid crystal layer formed on the coupling device. Surface plasmon waves can be generated at a negative dielectric (metal layer)-positive dielectric (liquid crystal layer) interface when the dispersion relationship is satisfied. The incident white light includes photons which have frequencies approximately equal to the plasmon resonance, and such photons are strongly scattered. Photons having a frequency other than the plasmon resonance will be totally reflected. The dispersion relationship of the metal-liquid crystal interface depends on the dielectric constant of the metal, which is not typically variable, and the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal, which is variable. An external voltage control/modulator may be used to vary the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal, thereby controlling the plasmon resonance condition and the frequencies (color) of the scattered photons.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A display assembly comprising:
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a) a source of polarized incident white light; b) coupling means for matching a wave vector of incident light in said coupling means to a wave vector of a surface plasmon mode, said coupling means being positioned in a light coupling relationship to said source at an angle of incidence for excitation of the surface plasmon mode; c) a layer of medium having a negative dielectric constant formed on a surface of said coupling means, said negative dielectric constant medium providing desired dispersion properties in the surface plasmon mode; d) a layer of medium having a positive dielectric constant formed on said layer of negative dielectric medium, said layers of medium forming an interface capable of supporting the surface plasmon mode, the interface being positioned to receive incident light at the angle of excitation of the surface plasmon mode such that a portion of the incident light is selectively absorbed and scattered, and the balance of the incident light is reflected away from the interface; e) an outer transparent panel positioned parallel to said layers of medium for display of the light scattered at the interface; and f) control means for defining a matrix of variable color pixels on said positive dielectric medium, said control means including a controller for selectively controlling the dielectric constant of said positive dielectric medium at each pixel in the matrix by transmitting voltage signals to each pixel, which controls the wavelength of the incident light for excitation of the surface plasmon mode, including the color of the incident light that is reflected and the color of the incident light that is scattered from the interface at each pixel to said outer panel to form a color picture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A display assembly comprising:
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a) a source of polarized incident white light; b) coupling means for matching a wave vector of incident light in said coupling means to a wave vector of a surface plasmon mode, said coupling means being positioned in a light coupling relationship to said source at an angle of incidence for excitation of the surface plasmon mode; c) a layer of metal formed on a surface of said coupling means, said layer of metal providing desired dispersion properties in the surface plasmon mode; d) a layer of liquid crystal formed on said layer of metal, said layer of metal and said layer of liquid crystal forming an interface capable of supporting a surface plasmon mode, the interface being positioned to receive incident light at the angle of excitation of the surface plasmon mode such that a portion of the incident light is selectively absorbed and scattered, and the balance of the incident light is reflected away from the interface; e) an outer transparent panel positioned parallel to said layer of metal and said layer of liquid crystal for display of the light scattered at the interface; and t) control means for defining a matrix of variable color pixels on said positive dielectric medium, said control means including a controller for selectively controlling the dielectric constant of said layer of liquid crystal at each pixel in the matrix by transmitting voltage signals to each pixel to control the wavelength of the incident light for excitation of the surface plasmon mode, including the color of the incident light that is reflected and the color of the incident light that is scattered from the interface at each pixel to said display means to form a color picture. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification