Optical switching element and image display device

• US 6,470,115 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yonekubo, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Audrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Curtis, Craig
• Application Number:
  US09/089,221
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 385/15, 385/16, 385/18, 385/19, 385/25, 385/27, 385/30, 385/31, 385/36, 385/37, 385/47, 385/48
• US Class Current: 385/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3522 the optical element enabling or impairing total internal reflection using evanescent coupling G02B6/3536
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/355 1x2 switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of two possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3558 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3578 Piezoelectric force piezoelectric forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0858; piezo-optic devices G02F1/0131
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3594 Characterised by additional functional means, e.g. means for variably attenuating or branching or means for switching differently polarized beams
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3596 With planar waveguide arrangement, i.e. in a substrate, regardless if actuating mechanism is outside the substrate

Abstract

The present invention provides an optical switching element causing less loss of light and permitting high response, thinning of an optical system for illumination, and the realization of an image display device exhibiting precise grayscale properties. In the optical switching element, an extraction surface of a light extraction unit mounted to a thin film is brought into contact with the total reflection surface of a light guide serving as a light guide unit comprising a glass plate or the like for transmitting light by total reflection, or near at a distance from the total reflection, surface for allowing extraction of evanescent waves, to extract the incident light transmitted through the light guide and emit the extracted light to the outside through an emission member. Such optical switching permits the light extract unit to be operated in a range of approximately a wavelength or half a wavelength, thereby providing an optical switching element capable of high-speed operation and having high contrast because the incident light does not leak due to total reflection during an off time.

Claims

1. An optical switching element, comprising:

a light guide unit having a total reflection surface that can transmit light by total reflection;

a light extraction unit having a transmissive extraction surface, the transmissive extraction surface being movable between a first position at or less than an extraction distance from the total reflection surface such that an evanescent wave can leak, and a second position greater than the extraction distance from the total reflection surface, the light extraction unit being a reflection type which guides extracted light to the transmissive extraction surface, the light extraction unit being provided on a side opposite to an emission side of the optical switching element relative to the light guide unit; and

a spacer and a reflective thin film laminated on the side opposite to the emission side of the optical switching element relative to the light guide via the spacer so that the light extraction unit is supported by the reflective thin film.

2. The optical switching element according to claim 1, the light extraction unit further comprising an emission member that emits light extracted by the transmissive extraction surface.

3. The optical switching element according to claim 2, the emission member comprising at least one of an emission surface and a reflection surface which is disposed at an angle relative to the total reflection surface.

4. The optical switching element according to claim 2, the emission member comprising at least one of a micro prism and a micro lens.

5. The optical switching element according to claim 2, the emission member comprising an optical element shaped as at least one of a truncated cone and a truncated pyramid which expands in an emission direction.

6. The optical switching element according to claim 2, the emission member having a light scattering ability.

7. The optical switching element according to claim 2, the emission member emitting light by the extracted light.

8. The optical switching element according to claim 7, the emission member including a fluorescent agent.

9. The optical switching element according to claim 1, the light extraction unit having wavelength selectivity.

10. The optical switching element according to claim 1, the light extraction unit being of at least one of a scattering type which scatters extracted light extracted by the transmissive extraction surface, and an emission type which emits light by extracted light, and a light absorbing layer is disposed on a side opposite to an emission side of the optical switching element relative to the light guide unit.

11. The optical switching element according to claim 1, further comprising a static light processing unit provided on an emission side of the optical switching element where extracted light extracted by the light extraction unit is emitted.

12. The optical switching element according to claim 11, the light processing unit having a wavefront converting function.

13. The optical switching element according to claim 11, the light process unit having a wavelength selecting function.

14. The optical switching element according to claim 11, the light processing unit having at least one of a scattering and light emitting function.

15. The optical switching element according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer and a thin film laminated on the light guide unit via the spacer so that the light extraction unit is supported by the thin film.

16. The optical switching element according to claim 15, further comprising a driving unit that can drive the light extraction unit supported by the thin film.

17. The optical switching element according to claim 16, the driving unit being capable of electrostatically driving the light extraction unit.

18. The optical switching element according to claim 17, further comprising a transparent electrode provided on the total reflection surface.

19. The optical switching element according to claim 17, the light extraction unit further comprising an emission member that emits light extracted by the transmissive extraction surface, and a transparent electrode is provided on a light guide side of the emission member.

20. The optical switching element according to claim 17, the spacer having a prismatic shape for supporting the light extraction unit at each of four positions.

21. The optical switching element according to claim 17, the thin film being joined to the spacer by electrostatic thermal junction.

22. An image display device comprising a plurality of optical switching elements, each of the optical switching elements having a structure according to claim 1, the optical switching elements being disposed in a two-dimensional form, the light guide unit of each of the optical switching elements being connected to transmit light.

23. The image display device according to claim 22, further comprising a spacer and a thin film laminated on the light guide unit of each of the optical switching elements via the spacer, for supporting the light extraction unit of each of the optical switching elements.

24. The image display device according to claim 23, the spacer having a prismatic shape for supporting the light extraction unit of each of the optical switching elements at each of four positions.

25. The image display device according to claim 23, the thin film being joined to the spacer by electrostatic thermal junction.

26. The image display device according to claim 23, further comprising a driving unit that can drive the light extraction unit of each of the optical switching elements supported by the thin film.

27. The image display device according to claim 26, the driving unit comprising a scanning electrode and a sub-scanning electrode perpendicular to the scanning electrode so that at least one of the scanning electrode and the sub-scanning electrode is disposed on the light guide unit of at least one of the optical switching elements, the other being disposed on at least one of the thin film and the light extracting unit of each of the optical switching elements.

28. The image display device according to claim 27, wherein the at least one of the scanning electrode and the sub-scanning electrode provided on the light guide unit is a transparent electrode.

29. The image display device according to claim 23, each of the light extraction units having wavelength selectivity.

30. The image display device according to claim 23, further comprising a light source that can supply light of primary colors to the light guide unit of each of the optical switching elements in a time division manner.

31. An optical switching element, comprising:

a light guide unit having a first electrode and,a total reflection surface that can transmit light by total reflection;

a light extraction unit having;

a transmissive extraction surface, the transmissive extraction surface being movable between a first position at or less than an extraction distance from the total reflection surface such that an evanescent wave can leak, and a second position greater than the extraction distance from the total reflection surface; and

a second electrode and an emission member provided on the second electrode on a side of the second electrode opposite the light guide and perpendicular to the first electrode.

32. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the emission member comprises at least one of a micro prism and a micro lens.

33. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the emission member comprises an optical element shaped as at least one of a truncated cone and a truncated pyramid which expands in an emission direction.

34. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the emission member has a light scattering ability.

35. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the emission member emits light by the light extracted by the light extraction unit.

36. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the emission member includes a fluorescent agent.

37. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the light extraction unit has wavelength selectivity.

38. The optical switching element according to claim 31, wherein the light extraction unit is at least one of a scattering type which scatters extracted light extracted by the transmissive extraction surface, and an emission type which emits light extracted by the transmissive extraction surface, and a light absorbing layer is disposed on a side opposite to an emission side of the optical switching element relative to the light guide unit.

39. The optical switching element according to claim 31, further comprising a static light processing unit provided on an emission side of the optical switching element where extracted light extracted by the light extraction unit is emitted.

40. The optical switching element according to claim 39, wherein the light processing unit has a wavefront converting function.

41. The optical switching element according to claim 39, wherein the light processing unit has a wavelength selecting function.

42. The optical switching element according to claim 39, wherein the light processing unit has at least one of a scattering and light emitting function.

43. The optical switching element according to claim 31, further comprising a driving unit that drives the light extraction unit.

44. The optical switching element according to claim 43, wherein the driving unit is capable of electrostatically driving the light extraction unit.

45. The optical switching element according to claim 44, further comprising a transparent electrode provided on the total reflection surface.

46. The optical switching element according to claim 44, wherein the light extraction unit further comprises an emission member that emits light extracted by the transmissive extraction surface, and a transparent electrode is provided on a light guide side of the emission member.

47. An image display device comprising a plurality of optical switching elements, each of the optical switching elements having a structure according to claim 31, the optical switching elements being disposed in a two-dimensional form, the light guide unit of each of the optical switching elements being connected to transmit light.

48. The optical switching element according to claim 47, further comprising a driving unit that drives the light extraction unit.

49. The image display device according to claim 48, wherein the driving unit comprises a scanning electrode and a sub-scanning electrode perpendicular to the scanning electrode so that at least one of the scanning electrode and the sub-scanning electrode is disposed on the light guide unit of at least one of the optical switching elements, the other being disposed on the light extraction unit of each of the optical switching elements.

50. The image display device according to claim 49, wherein the at least one of the scanning electrode and the sub-scanning electrode provided on the light guide unit is a transparent electrode.

51. The image display device according to claim 47, wherein each of the light extraction units has wavelength selectivity.

52. The image display device according to claim 47, further comprising a light source that can supply light of primary colors to the light guide unit of each of the optical switching elements in a time division manner.

53. The optical switching element according to claim 31, the light extraction unit being of a transmission type which guides extracted light in a direction opposite to the transmissive extraction surface, the light extraction unit being provided on an emission side of the optical switching element relative to the light guide unit.

54. The optical switching element according to claim 31, the light extraction unit being a reflection type which guides extracted light to the transmissive extraction surface, the light extraction unit being provided on a side opposite to an emission side of the optical switching element relative to the light guide unit.