SEMI-TRANSPARENT/TRANSFLECTIVE LIGHTED INTERFEROMETRIC DEVICES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a substrate that is at least partially optically transparent;
a first layer that is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the first layer being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first layer;
a second layer disposed such that the first layer is between the substrate and the second layer, the second layer being partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first layer to the second layer; and
a light source configured to emit a third portion of light, the light source disposed to emit the third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction and disposed such that the second layer is between the light source and the first layer;
wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color.
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Abstract
In certain embodiments, a device is provided that utilizes both interferometrically reflected light and transmitted light. Light incident on the device is interferometrically reflected from a plurality of layers of the device to emit light in a first direction, the interferometrically reflected light having a first color. Light from a light source is transmitted through the plurality of layers of the device to emit from the device in the first direction, the transmitted light having a second color.
129 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a substrate that is at least partially optically transparent; a first layer that is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the first layer being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first layer; a second layer disposed such that the first layer is between the substrate and the second layer, the second layer being partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first layer to the second layer; and a light source configured to emit a third portion of light, the light source disposed to emit the third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction and disposed such that the second layer is between the light source and the first layer; wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A device comprising;
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a substrate; first means for partially absorbing light, partially reflecting light, and partially transmitting light, the first means being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first means; second means for partially absorbing light, partially reflecting light, and partially transmitting light, the second means being disposed such that the first means is between the substrate and the second means, the second means configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first means to the second layer; and means for generating light, the light generating means configured to emit a third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction and disposed such that the second means is between the first means and the light generating means, wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light generating means emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light generating means does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of displaying an image, the method comprising:
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providing a device comprising a substrate that is at least partially optically transparent, a first layer that is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the first layer being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first layer, and a second layer disposed such that the first layer is between the substrate and the second layer, the second layer being partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first layer to the second layer; emitting from a light source a third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction, wherein the light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color.
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28. A device comprising:
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a substrate; an interferometric modulator having a first layer configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that passes through the substrate and is incident on the first layer and a second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that passes through the substrate and is incident on the second layer, the first layer being between the substrate and the second layer; and a light source disposed such that the interferometric modulator is between the substrate and the light source, the light source configured to emit a third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction in response to a signal, wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification