Display having an embedded microlens array
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a display element, the method comprising:
- forming a microlens in a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface spaced from the second surface, the microlens disposed adjacent the first surface of the substrate, the microlens having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the substrate; and
forming a light modulator over the first surface of the substrate, the light modulator disposed over the microlens, the light modulator comprising an optical cavity configured to be adjusted to interferometrically modulate light,wherein forming the light modulator includes forming an optical stack on the first surface of the substrate or on a spacer layer disposed between the first surface of the substrate and the light modulator, the optical stack being electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and apparatus for directing incident light toward central regions of interferometric modulator displays. In one aspect, a display includes an array of microlenses embedded in a substrate adjacent a first surface of the substrate. An array of light modulators can be disposed over the first surface of the substrate. A light modulator can be disposed over a corresponding microlens. The microlenses can converge or concentrate incident light onto central regions of the corresponding light modulators. The microlenses may include single-element lenses, compound lenses, and/or graded-index lenses. Various methods of manufacturing such displays are also disclosed.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a display element, the method comprising:
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forming a microlens in a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface spaced from the second surface, the microlens disposed adjacent the first surface of the substrate, the microlens having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the substrate; and forming a light modulator over the first surface of the substrate, the light modulator disposed over the microlens, the light modulator comprising an optical cavity configured to be adjusted to interferometrically modulate light, wherein forming the light modulator includes forming an optical stack on the first surface of the substrate or on a spacer layer disposed between the first surface of the substrate and the light modulator, the optical stack being electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electromechanical systems device, the device comprising:
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a substrate having a first side and a second side, the substrate having a substrate refractive index; a microlens disposed in the substrate, the microlens adjacent the first side of the substrate, the microlens comprising a first lens having a first refractive index and a second lens having a second refractive index, the second lens at least partially disposed in the first lens, the second refractive index different from the first refractive index, at least one of the first refractive index and the second refractive index different from the substrate refractive index; and a light modulator disposed over the first side of the substrate, the light modulator substantially aligned with the microlens, the light modulator comprising an optical cavity configured to be adjusted to interferometrically modulate light, the light modulator including an optical stack that is electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective, the optical stack disposed on the first side of the substrate or on a spacer layer disposed between the first side of the substrate and the light modulator. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An electromechanical systems device, the device comprising:
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means for refracting light, the refracting means disposed in a substrate having a first side and a second side and a substrate refractive index, the refracting means disposed adjacent the first side of the substrate, the refracting means comprising a first means for refracting light having a first refractive index and a second means for refracting light having a second refractive index, the second refracting means at least partially disposed in the first refracting means, the second refractive index different from the first refractive index, at least one of the first refractive index and the second refractive index different from the substrate refractive index; and means for modulating light disposed over the first side of the substrate, the light modulating means substantially aligned with the refracting means, the light modulating means comprising an optical cavity configured to be adjusted to interferometrically modulate light, the light modulating means including an optical stack that is electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective, the optical stack disposed on the first side of the substrate or on a separating means disposed between the first side of the substrate and the light modulating means. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification