Electrical characterization of interferometric modulators

• US 7,804,636 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gally, Brian J., Cummings, William J., Kothari, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman; Scott J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Brandi N
• Application Number:
  US11/743,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 359/237, 359290-292, 359/298
• 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: G09G 3/006 Electronic inspection or testing of displays and display drivers, e.g. of LED or LCD displays testing individual LED's G01R31/2635; testing lamps G01R31/44; testing of optical features of LCD displays G02F1/1309
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for testing the electrical characteristics of reflective displays, including interferometric modulator displays. In one embodiment, a controlled voltage is applied to conductive leads in the display and the resulting current is measured. The voltage may be controlled so as to ensure that interferometric modulators do not actuate during the resistance measurements. Also disclosed are methods for conditioning interferometric modulator display by applying a voltage waveform that causes actuation of interferometric modulators in the display.

Claims

1. A method of conditioning an interferometric modulator display, comprising applying, prior to use of said display, a voltage waveform to the display, wherein the voltage waveform has an amplitude high enough to actuate at least one interferometric modulator in the display, wherein the voltage waveform is such that it supplies a net zero charge to the interferometric modulators in the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage waveform is applied to substantially all elements in said display simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage waveform includes an alternating square waveform.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage waveform includes a triangular waveform.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage waveform includes a triangular waveform, followed by an alternating square waveform, followed by a constant voltage, followed by a second alternating square waveform.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising first detecting a short between two conductive leads in the interferometric modulator display.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising first detecting an open between two conductive leads in the interferometric modulator display.