Methods for manufacturing displays

• US 7,551,344 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pixtronix, Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagood, Nesbitt W., Payne, Richard S., Steyn, Jasper Lodewyk
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; William C
• Application Number:
  US11/906,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20080123175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 359/198, 359/230, 359/233, 359/290, 216/24, 438/29, 438/69
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0262 The addressing of the pixel, in a display other than an active matrix LCD, involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependent on signals of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38

Abstract

The invention relates to methods of manufacturing display devices including the steps of forming a plurality of thin-film components and forming a plurality of mechanical light modulators on top of the thin-film components, where the plurality of mechanical light modulators include a layer of amorphous silicon.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a display device comprising:

forming a plurality of thin-film components;

forming a plurality of mechanical light modulators on top of the thin-film components, wherein

the plurality of mechanical light modulators include a layer of amorphous silicon,

the plurality of mechanical light modulators comprise a plurality of light modulating shutter assemblies, and

the layer of amorphous silicon is etched to form movable shutters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanical light modulators are mirror-based light modulators.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shutters are configured to move parallel to the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shutters are configured to move at least partially transverse to the plane of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanical light modulators comprise electrode actuators.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanical light modulators include at least an additional layer composed of a material other than amorphous silicon.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is a reflective material.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is a light absorbing material.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is an insulating material.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is a metal.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is an oxide material.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is a resin material.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional layer is chosen to reduce stiction between materials.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanical light modulators include at least two additional layers composed of materials other than amorphous silicon.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the two additional materials are not the same material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the additional materials has a light reflecting property and the other additional material has a light absorbing property.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanical light modulators comprise at least one support beam and the width of the support beam in the plane of the substrate is less than 2 microns.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the support beam is elastically compliant.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the dimension of the support beam normal to the substrate is at least 1.4 times the dimension of the support beam within the defined plane.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous silicon is deposited by means of chemical vapor deposition.