Display apparatus and methods for manufacture thereof

• US 7,999,994 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pixtronix, Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, Roger W., Gandhi, Jignesh, Payne, Richard S., Fijol, John J., Steyn, Jasper Lodewyk, Hagood, Nesbitt W. IV, Brosnihan, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; William C
• Application Number:
  US12/483,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 359/198.1, 359/199.2, 359/224.1, 359290-292, 359/295, 359/298
• 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 26/04 by periodically varying the intensity of light, e.g. using choppers shutters, diaphragms for cameras G03B9/00; devices for eliminating or reducing the effect of flicker in projection systems G03B21/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1821 for rotating or oscillating mirrors

Abstract

Display devices incorporating shutter-based light modulators are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such devices. The methods are compatible with thin-film manufacturing processes known in the art and result in displays having lower power-consumption.

Claims

1. A microelectromechanical device comprising:

a first component defining a plane; and

a beam including at least one amorphous silicon layer suspended over the first component, wherein a dimension of the beam normal to the defined plane is at least 1.4 times at least one dimension of the beam in a plane parallel to the defined plane, wherein the beam comprises at least one additional layer composed of a material other than amorphous silicon.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam is a sidewall beam.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second component that is movable in relation to the first component, wherein the second component is suspended above the first component at least in part by the beam.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam comprises at least one surface normal to the defined plane, and wherein the beam exhibits residual stress normal to the surface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is part of a display assembly.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the second component is a mechanical shutter.

7. The device of claim 1, comprising an actuator which includes the beam.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the beam is part of a shutter mechanism.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the amorphous silicon layer is conductive.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the amorphous silicon layer is non-conductive.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam is electrically connected to the first component by an indium-tin-oxide interconnects.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one additional layer comprises an elastic material.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional layer comprises a conductive material.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional layer comprises an opaque material.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional layer comprises a dielectric material.

16. The device or claim 1, wherein the at least one additional layer comprises an optically absorptive material.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional layer is an anti-stiction material.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the dimension of the beam within the defined plane is less than 2 microns.