Light modulator with tunable optical state
First Claim
1. An electronic light modulator device for at least partially displaying a pixel of an image, the device comprising first and second reflectors defining an optical cavity therebetween, the first reflector being partially reflective and being disposed at a fixed position, and the second reflector being disposed between the fixed position of the first reflector and a fixed control electrode, the optical cavity being selective of an electromagnetic wavelength at an intensity by optical interference, the device having at least first and second optical states, the first optical state being continuously tunable by moving the second reflector while the first, partially reflective, reflector remains fixed, and the second optical state not being tunable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic light modulator device for at least partially displaying a pixel of an image, the device comprising first and second reflectors defining an optical cavity therebetween, the optical cavity being selective of an electromagnetic wavelength at an intensity by optical interference, the device having at least first and second optical states, at least one of the optical states being tunable and the other not tunable.
65 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. An electronic light modulator device for at least partially displaying a pixel of an image, the device comprising first and second reflectors defining an optical cavity therebetween, the first reflector being partially reflective and being disposed at a fixed position, and the second reflector being disposed between the fixed position of the first reflector and a fixed control electrode, the optical cavity being selective of an electromagnetic wavelength at an intensity by optical interference, the device having at least first and second optical states, the first optical state being continuously tunable by moving the second reflector while the first, partially reflective, reflector remains fixed, and the second optical state not being tunable.
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22. An electronic device for displaying a pixel of an image, comprising in combination:
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means for interference of electromagnetic radiation including at least two substantially parallel means for reflecting the electromagnetic radiation, one of the at least two substantially parallel means for reflecting being partially reflective and being disposed at a fixed position, and means for controlling the other of the at least two means for reflecting to form at least two distinct optical states, at least one of the two distinct optical states being continuously tunable by moving the other of the at least two means for reflecting. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An electronic light modulator device for at least partially displaying a pixel of an image, the device comprising:
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a) first and second reflectors defining an optical cavity therebetween, the optical cavity being selective of an electromagnetic wavelength at an intensity by optical interference, and b) first, second, and third electrodes, the first electrode being coupled to the first reflector, the second electrode being coupled to the second reflector, and the third electrode being coupled to a control plate, whereby a number of optical states are selectable by selectively applying an electric potential between at least two of the first, second, and third electrodes, wherein the number of selectable optical states include at least a first optical state that is continuously tunable and a second optical state that is not tunable.
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25. An electronic Fabry-Perot interferometer light modulator device for at least partially displaying a pixel of an image, the device comprising:
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a) substantially parallel first and second reflector plates having first and second reflecting surfaces respectively, the first reflecting surface being partially reflective and the second reflective surface being fully reflective, the second reflecting plate being movable, the first and second reflecting surfaces being spaced apart by a variable optical gap between the first and second reflecting surfaces, defining a variable optical cavity therebetween, the variable optical cavity being selective of an electromagnetic wavelength at an intensity by optical interference, the device having at least first and second optical states, the first optical state being continuously tunable by moving the second reflecting plate, and the second optical state not being tunable; and b) at least one fixed electrostatic control plate adapted to control the variable optical cavity by application of a control voltage, the control plate being spaced apart from the first reflector plate by a first distance and being spaced apart from the second reflector plate by a second distance smaller than the first distance, whereby the first reflective surface is disposed between the fixed electrostatic control plate and the second reflective surface.
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Specification