Method and device for providing illumination to interferometric modulators
First Claim
1. A spatial light modulator comprising:
- a light-modulating array including a plurality of light-modulating elements each including an optical cavity defined by first and second reflective surfaces that produce optical interference, said first and second reflective surfaces moveable with respect to each other to alter said optical cavity and enable modulation of said optical interference, said plurality of light-modulating elements having a front side for viewing light modulated by said light-modulating array; and
at least one reflecting element disposed so as to reflect light propagating from a rear side of the plurality of light-modulating elements into at least one of said optical cavities for modulation,wherein said at least one reflecting element is disposed over the front side of said plurality of light-modulating elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An Interferometric Modulator (IMod) is a microelectromechanical device for modulating light using interference. The colors of these devices may be determined in a spatial fashion, and their inherent color shift may be compensated for using several optical compensation mechanisms. Brightness, addressing, and driving of IMods may be accomplished in a variety of ways with appropriate packaging, and peripheral electronics which can be attached and/or fabricated using one of many techniques. The devices may be used in both embedded and directly perceived applications, the latter providing multiple viewing modes as well as a multitude of product concepts ranging in size from microscopic to architectural in scope.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a light-modulating array including a plurality of light-modulating elements each including an optical cavity defined by first and second reflective surfaces that produce optical interference, said first and second reflective surfaces moveable with respect to each other to alter said optical cavity and enable modulation of said optical interference, said plurality of light-modulating elements having a front side for viewing light modulated by said light-modulating array; and at least one reflecting element disposed so as to reflect light propagating from a rear side of the plurality of light-modulating elements into at least one of said optical cavities for modulation, wherein said at least one reflecting element is disposed over the front side of said plurality of light-modulating elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A spatial light modulator comprising:
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a plurality of means for interferometrically modulating light, each interferometric light-modulating means including means for producing optical interference, the plurality of interferometric light-modulating means having a front side for viewing light modulated by the plurality of interferometric light-modulating means; at least one means for reflecting light disposed so as to reflect light propagating from a rear side of the plurality of interferometric light-modulating means into at least one of the optical interference-producing means; wherein the at least one reflecting means is disposed over the front side of the plurality of interferometric light-modulating means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of manufacturing a spatial light modulator, the method comprising:
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disposing a plurality of light-modulating elements over a substrate so as to form a light-modulating array, the light-modulating elements each including an optical cavity defined by first and second reflective surfaces that produce optical interference, the first and second reflective surfaces movable with respect to each other to alter the optical cavity and enable modulation of the optical interference, the plurality of light-modulating elements having a front side for viewing light modulated by the light-modulating array; and disposing at least one reflective element over the front side of the plurality of light-modulating elements so as to reflect light propagating from a rear side of the plurality of light-modulating elements into at least one of the optical cavities for modulation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification