Transparent active-matrix display

• US 7,250,930 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Randy, Field, Marshall, Regan, Michael J., Nakashima, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLTON, STEVEN E
• Application Number:
  US10/361,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 345 87- 93, 345/173, 345/175, 345/177, 315/169.3
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1635 the pixel comprises active switching elements, e.g. TFT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4908 for thin film semiconductor, e.g. gate of TFT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3031 Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays

Abstract

A transparent active-matrix display based on a substrate has a multiplicity of transparent active pixel elements arranged in an array and transparent electrical connections to each pixel, whereby each of the pixel elements is adapted to be set independently to two or more states. In some embodiments, the substrate may also be transparent.

Claims

1. A transparent active-matrix display, comprising:

a) a transparent substrate;

b) a multiplicity of active pixel elements arranged in an array on the substrate, each of the pixel elements being adapted to be set independently to two or more states, each of the pixel elements being transparent in at least one of its two or more states;

c) at least one transparent control device coupled to each pixel element, each transparent control device including a transparent field effect transistor; and

d) transparent electrical connections to each transparent control device whereby the transparent display is adapted to be controlled.

2. The display of claim 1, wherein each of the pixel elements is transparent in all of its two or more states.

3. The display of claim 1, wherein all of the pixel elements are adapted to be controlled simultaneously.

4. The display of claim 1, wherein each transparent control device comprises a transistor.

5. The display of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a display area and a non-display area, and the pixel elements tile the display area of the substrate.

6. The display of claim 1, wherein each pixel element has a fill factor and the fill factor of each pixel element is substantially 100%.

7. The display of claim 1, further comprising a number of transparent passive devices.

8. The display of claim 1, wherein each pixel element comprises an active matrix device selected from the list consisting of an OLED device, an LCD device, a TFEL device, and an electrochromic device.

9. The display of claim 1, wherein each pixel element comprises a device selected from the list consisting of a selectively transmissive device, a selectively emissive device, a selectively reflective device, a selectively absorptive device, and a selectively colored device.

10. The display of claim 1, characterized by substantial transparency in a spectral range including at least one of the visible spectral range and a non-visible spectral range.

11. A substrate with microelectronics, comprising the display of claim 1.

12. An electronic device comprising the display of claim 1.

13. An active-matrix array of light-controlling devices, comprising:

a) a transparent substrate;

b) a multiplicity of light-controlling devices arranged in an array on the substrate, each of the light-controlling devices being adapted to be set independently to two or more states, each of the light-controlling devices being transparent in at least one of its two or more states;

c) at feast one substantially transparent field effect transistor switch coupled to each of the light-controlling devices and at least partially aligned with each of the light-controlling devices, whereby each light-controlling device overlaps the transparent field effect transistor switch thereof; and

d) electrical connections to each substantially transparent field effect transistor switch, whereby the active-matrix array is adapted to be controlled.

14. The active-matrix array of light-controlling devices of claim 13, wherein the electrical connections are optically transparent.

15. A display comprising the active-matrix array of light-controlling devices of claim 13.

16. A reconfigurable window comprising the active-matrix array of light-controlling devices of claim 13.

17. A transparent active-matrix display, comprising:

a) a transparent substrate;

b) a multiplicity of active pixel elements arranged in an array on the substrate, each of the pixel elements being adapted to be set independently to two or more states, each of the pixel elements being transparent in at least one of its two or more states;

c) at least one transparent control device coupled to each pixel element, each pixel element overlapping the transparent control device thereof, each transparent control device comprising a field-effect transistor, comprising;

i) an anode,

ii) a cathode spaced apart from the anode,

iii) a substantially transparent channel adapted to selectively conduct carriers between the anode and the cathode,

iv) at least one substantially transparent gate electrode adapted for controlling current in the substantially transparent channel, and

v) at least one substantially transparent gate insulator,

the field-effect transistor being adapted to be operable by double injection; and

d) transparent electrical connections to each transparent control device whereby the transparent display is adapted to be controlled.