Optical interference type of color display having optical diffusion layer between substrate and electrode

• US 7,342,709 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Wen-Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Caley; Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US10/249,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 349/105, 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/295, 359/619, 359/254, 359/230, 359/231, 359/245, 362/31, 362/32, 385/146
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection

Abstract

An optical interference color display comprising a transparent substrate, an inner-front optical diffusion layer, a plurality of first electrodes, a patterned support layer, a plurality of optical films and a plurality of second electrodes is provided. The inner-front optical diffusion layer is on the transparent substrate and the first electrodes are on the inner-front optical diffusion layer. The patterned support layer is on the inner-front optical diffusion layer between the first electrodes. The optical film is on the first electrodes and the second electrodes are positioned over the respective first electrodes. The second electrodes are supported through the patterned support layer. Furthermore, there is an air gap between the second electrodes and their respective first electrodes.

Claims

1. An optical interference color display, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a plurality of first electrodes over the transparent substrate;

an inner-front optical diffusion layer positioned between the transparent substrate and the first electrodes;

a patterned support layer on the inner-front optical diffusion layer, wherein the patterned support layer is between the first electrodes;

a plurality of optical films on the first electrodes; and

a plurality of second electrodes over the respective first electrodes,

wherein the second electrodes are supported through the patterned support layer and there is an air gap between every pair of second electrode and first electrode.

2. The color display of claim 1, wherein the inner-front optical diffusion layer further includes:

a first film on the transparent substrate; and

a second film on the first film, wherein the interface between the first film and the second film forms a dispersive surface.

3. The color display of claim 2, wherein the first film is fabricated using a material including indium-tin-oxide and the second film is fabricated using a material including silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

4. The color display of claim 1, wherein the display further includes an inner-back optical diffusion layer on the second electrodes facing the surface of the first electrodes and there is an air gap between the inner-back diffusion layer and the respective first electrodes.

5. The color display of claim 4, wherein the inner-back optical diffusion layer is supported through the patterned support layer.

6. The color display of claim 4, wherein the inner-back optical diffusion layer further includes:

a third film on the first electrode and supported by the patterned support layer; and

a fourth film on the third film, wherein the interface between the third film and the fourth film forms a dispersive surface.

7. The color display of claim 6, wherein the third film is fabricated using a material including indium-tin-oxide and the fourth film is fabricated using a material including silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

8. The color display of claim 1, wherein the first electrodes are transparent electrode and that the first electrodes are fabricated using a material including indium-tin-oxide.

9. The color display of claim 1, wherein the second electrodes are metallic electrodes and that the second electrodes are fabricated using a material selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, molybdenum alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, chromium or a combination of them.

10. The color display of claim 1, wherein the transparent substrate includes a glass substrate or a plastic substrate.

11. The color display of claim 1, wherein each optical film includes:

at least a first dielectric film; and

at least a second dielectric film, wherein the second dielectric film and the second dielectric film are alternately stacked over each other and that the second dielectric film has a dielectric constant different from the first dielectric film.

12. An optical interference color display, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a plurality of first electrodes over the transparent substrate;

an inner-front optical diffusion layer positioned comprising two layers made of different materials between the transparent substrate and the first electrodes;

a patterned support layer on the inner-front optical diffusion layer, wherein the patterned support layer is between the first electrodes;

a plurality of optical films on the first electrodes; and

a plurality of second electrodes over the respective first electrodes,

wherein the second electrodes are supported through the patterned support layer and there is an air gap between every pair of second electrode and first electrode.

13. The color display of claim 12, wherein the inner-front optical diffusion layer further includes:

a first film on the transparent substrate; and

a second film on the first film, wherein the interface between the first film and the second film forms a dispersive surface, and wherein the first film is fabricated using a material including indium-tin-oxide and the second film is fabricated using a material including silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

14. The color display of claim 12, wherein the display further includes an inner-back optical diffusion layer on the second electrodes facing the surface of the first electrodes and there is an air gap between the inner-back diffusion layer and die respective first electrodes.

15. The color display of claim 14, wherein the inner-back optical diffusion layer is supported through the patterned support layer.

16. The color display of claim 14, wherein the inner-back optical diffusion layer further includes:

a third film on the first electrode and supported by the patterned support layer; and

a fourth film on the third film, wherein the interface between the third film and the fourth film forms a dispersive surface.

17. The color display of claim 16, wherein the third film is fabricated using a material including indium-tin-oxide and the fourth film is fabricated Using a material including silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

18. The color display of claim 12, wherein the first electrodes are transparent electrode and that the first electrodes are fabricated using a material including indium-tin-oxide.

19. The color display of claim 12, wherein the second electrodes are metallic electrodes and that the second electrodes are fabricated using a material selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, molybdenum alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, chromium or a combination of them.

20. The color display of claim 12, wherein the transparent substrate includes a glass substrate or a plastic substrate.

21. The color display of claim 12, wherein each optical film includes:

at least a first dielectric film; and

at least a second dielectric film, wherein the second dielectric film and the second dielectric film are alternately stacked over each other and that the second dielectric film has a dielectric constant different from the first dielectric film.