Deformable mirror device with integral color filter

• US 5,452,138 A
• Filed: 05/27/1993
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Story, Brooks J., Mignardi, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US08/068,019
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 359/846, 359/850, 359/855, 359/884, 359/885, 359/891, 359/224, 359/291, 340/815.56, 340/815.65, 340/815.67, 340/815.68, 340/815.83, 430/4, 430/7, 430/272, 430/312
• US Class Current: 359/855
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field

Abstract

A deformable mirror device comprises a plurality of groups of colored mirrors responsive to electronic signals. Each group of mirrors is coated with a mixture of resist and dye thereby reflecting specified wavelengths of visible light.

Claims

1. A deformable mirror device comprising:

a plurality of deformable mirrors selectively operable to reflect incident light responsive to electronic signals;

a first group of said mirrors coated with a resist containing a first dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone, phthalocyanine, and mixtures thereof;

a second group of said mirrors coated with a resist containing a dye comprising azo;

a third group of said mirrors coated with a resist comprising a third dye selected from the group consisting of azo, anthraquinone, phthalocyanine, and mixtures thereof; and

circuitry for controlling said mirrors.

2. The deformable mirror device of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third groups form three-color pixels.

3. The deformable mirror device of claim 2 further comprising a protective layer of silicon dioxide covering said mirrors.

4. A deformable mirror device comprising:

a plurality of deformable mirrors operable to selectively reflect incident light responsive to applied electronic signals;

a first group of said mirrors coated with a first mixture of dye and resist operable to reflect a first range of wavelengths of said incident light;

a second group of said mirrors coated with a second mixture of dye and resist operable to reflect a second range of wavelengths of said incident length;

a third group of said mirrors coated with a third mixture of dye and resist, said third group operable to reflect a third range of wavelengths of said incident light, said first, second, and third groups of mirrors forming a plurality of three-color pixels,

said first second and third mixtures comprising a dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone, phthalocyanine, azo, and mixtures thereof; and

a transparent protective layer covering said mirrors.

5. The deformable mirror device of claim 4 wherein said transparent protective layer comprises a thin oxide layer.

6. A deformable mirror device, said device comprising:

a plurality of deformable mirrors operable to selectively reflect incident light responsive to applied electronic signals;

a plurality of full color pixels, each formed from a grouping of said deformable mirrors, said grouping comprising

a first of said deformable mirrors coated with a first mixture of dye and resist operable to reflect a first range of wavelengths of said incident light,

a second of said deformable mirrors coated with a second mixture of dye and resist operable to reflect a second range of wavelengths of said incident light, and

a third of said deformable mirrors coated with a third mixture of dye and resist operable to reflect a third range of wavelengths of said incident light; and

a transparent protective layer covering said deformable mirrors, first, said second and said third deformable mirrors are arranged in a triangular pattern.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said first range of wavelengths comprises light from the red visible spectrum.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said second range of wavelengths comprises light from the green visible spectrum.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said third range of wavelengths comprises light from the blue visible spectrum.