Method and device for modulating light

• US 7,808,694 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miles, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US11/841,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 359/223, 359/224, 359/290, 359/291, 359/238
• US Class Current: 359/291
• 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: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00

Abstract

Improvements in an interferometric modulator that has a cavity defined by two walls.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a deposited material;

an array of electromechanical devices of at least about 14 inches by 16 inches in size formed on at least a portion of the substrate, the electromechanical devices each comprising a primary mirror, a first insulator, and a secondary mirror; and

a plurality of transistors formed on the substrate, each of the plurality of transistors comprising a gate, a second insulator, and an electrode, and each of the plurality of transistors electrically coupled to at least one of the primary mirror and the secondary mirror of an electromechanical device in the array,

wherein a portion of one of the primary mirror, the first insulator, and the secondary mirror of each electromechanical device, and a portion of one of the gate, the second insulator, and the electrode of each transistor, each comprise a portion of the deposited material.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a glass or plastic material.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transistors comprise a plurality of thin film transistors.

4. The display device of claim 3, further comprising a voltage source electrically coupled to the plurality of thin film transistors, wherein the voltage source is configured to provide voltage to at least one of the primary mirror and the secondary mirror via the plurality of thin film transistors.

5. The display device of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of thin film transistors is configured to at least in part control the movement of the primary mirror and/or secondary mirror with respect to the substrate.

6. The display device of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of thin film transistors is configured to drive the secondary mirror of an electromechanical device in the array.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the substrate, the primary mirror, and the secondary mirror comprise a pixel.

21. The display device of claim 1, wherein the electromechanical devices comprise interference modulators.

24. The display device of claim 1, wherein the deposited material comprises a metal.

25. The display device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the primary mirror and a portion of the gate each comprise a portion of the deposited material.

26. The display device of claim 25, wherein the deposited material comprises one of molybdenum and tantalum.

27. The display device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first insulator and a portion of the second insulator each comprise a portion of the deposited material.

28. The display device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the secondary mirror and a portion of the electrode each comprise a portion of the deposited material.

29. The display device of claim 28, wherein the deposited material comprises aluminum.

30. The display device of claim 1, wherein the deposited material comprises one of silicon, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, tantalum pentoxide, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and aluminum.

8. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a deposited material;

an array of electromechanical devices on the substrate, the array configured to be least about 14 inches by 16 inches, each electromechanical device including a primary mirror that is fixed with respect to the substrate and a secondary mirror that is movable with respect to the substrate disposed such that the primary mirror is between the secondary mirror and the substrate, and the primary mirror and the secondary mirror define a cavity therebetween, each electromechanical device further comprising a first insulator disposed between the primary mirror and the secondary mirror; and

a plurality of transistors on the substrate, each of the plurality of transistors comprising a gate, a second insulator, and an electrode,

wherein one or more of the plurality of transistors are electrically connected to the secondary mirror of an electromechanical device in the array,

wherein one of the primary mirror, the first insulator, and the secondary mirror of each electromechanical device, and one of the gate, the second insulator, and the electrode of each transistor, each comprise a portion of the deposited material.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of transistors is arranged to electrically connect at least one voltage source to the secondary mirror of the respective electromechanical device.

10. The display device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of transistors is configured to control a relative movement between the secondary mirror and the substrate.

11. The display device of claim 9, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a glass material and a plastic material.

12. The display device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the electromechanical devices comprises at least one of tantalum, silicon, and aluminum.

13. The display device of claim 8, wherein the display device comprises an active matrix display.

22. The display device of claim 8, wherein the electromechanical devices comprise interference modulators.

14. A method of manufacturing a drive circuit for an array of electromechanical devices that is at least about 14 inches by 16 inches in size, the method comprising:

depositing a material in a layer on a substrate;

forming an electromechanical device on the substrate, each device comprising a primary mirror, a first insulator, and a secondary mirror, wherein a portion of one of the primary mirror, the first insulator, and the secondary mirror comprises a portion of the deposited material; and

forming a transistor on the substrate, the transistor comprising a gate, a second insulator, and an electrode, wherein a portion of one of the gate, the second insulator, and the electrode comprises a portion of the deposited material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transistor comprises a thin film transistor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising connecting the thin film transistor to a voltage source.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the electromechanical devices comprise a pixel.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the substrate comprises a plastic material.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising a cavity between the primary mirror and the secondary mirror, wherein forming the cavity comprises removing a sacrificial layer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein removing the sacrificial layer comprises etching the sacrificial layer.

23. The display device of claim 14, wherein the electromechanical devices comprise interference modulators.

31. The method of claim 14, wherein the substrate comprises a glass material.