Method and system for packaging a display

• US 8,124,434 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• 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., Palmateer, Lauren, Floyd, Philip D., Chui, Clarence
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, JACK S J
• Application Number:
  US11/150,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,454 Days
• Field of Search: 438/106, 438/51, 359/290, 359/291
• US Class Current: 438/51
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/045 Optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0067 for controlling the passage of optical signals through the package
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0109 Bonding an individual cap on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0145 Hermetically sealing an opening in the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/019 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts
• 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

Abstract

A package structure and method of packaging for an interferometric modulator. A transparent substrate having an interferometric modulator formed thereon is provided. A backplane is joined to the transparent substrate with a seal where the interferometric modulator is exposed to the surrounding environment through an opening in either the backplane or the seal. The opening is sealed after the transparent substrate and backplane are joined and after any desired desiccant, release material, and/or self-aligning monolayer is introduced into the package structure.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a display device, comprising:

providing a transparent substrate having an interferometric modulator formed thereon; and

joining a backplane to the transparent substrate to form a package by applying a seal between the backplane and the transparent substrate, wherein the interferometric modulator is encapsulated by the package and the package has at least one opening.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing the at least one opening after joining the backplane to the transparent substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing desiccant through the at least one opening after joining the backplane to the transparent substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

depositing a sacrificial layer over the transparent substrate and interferometric modulator; and

depositing a thin film backplane over the sacrificial layer to form a package, wherein the thin film has at least one opening.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising introducing a release material through the at least one opening after joining the backplane to the transparent substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the release material is xenon difluoride.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising introducing a gas through the at least one opening and into the package after removing the sacrificial layer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sealing the at least one opening after introducing the gas.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the thin film has at least two openings.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the gas is heated.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the gas is nitrogen or argon.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a self-aligning monolayer through the at least one opening after joining the backplane to the transparent substrate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is in the backplane.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sealing the at least one opening with a metal cap.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the sealing is performed by soldering.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the seal is a continuous seal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein desiccant is applied to the backplane before joining the backplane to the transparent substrate.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method takes place in ambient conditions.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing the at least one opening with a polymer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is in the seal.