Method and device for corner interferometric modulation

• US 7,515,327 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDC, LLC
• Inventors: Cummings, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/018,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20080112036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/295, 359/223, 359/224
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/122 cube corner, trihedral or triple reflector type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet

Abstract

A display is described, wherein the display includes surfaces arranged at a non-zero angle to one another. A least one of the surfaces may include an interferometric modulator. Compensation for color shift can be provided through the use of two or three surfaces arranged at an angle to one another, the surfaces having similar interferometric modulators. Methods of making such a display are also described. A brighter display can be provided through the use of three surfaces arranged orthogonally to one another, where each of the surfaces has an interferometric modulator which reflects a different color of light. Either additive or subtractive methods can be used to generate light of a particular color.

Claims

1. A display, comprising

a first light-transmissive substrate portion, said first substrate portion comprising a first surface and a second surface;

a second light-transmissive substrate portion fixed relative to the first substrate portion, said second substrate portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface of said second substrate portion is oriented at a first non-zero angle to the first surface of the first substrate portion;

at least a first reflective element supported by the second surface of the first substrate portion, wherein said first reflective element has a first reflectivity which changes in response to a first signal, wherein the first reflectivity of the first reflective element comprises a range of wavelengths reflected from said first reflective element, said range of wavelengths changing in response to said first signal; and

at least a second reflective element supported by the second surface of the second substrate portion.

2. The display of claim 1, wherein the second reflective element comprises a reflective layer on the second surface of the second substrate portion.

3. The display of claim 1, wherein the second reflective element has a second reflectivity which changes in response to a second signal.

4. The display of claim 1, wherein the first non-zero angle is approximately 90 degrees.

5. The display of claim 1, additionally comprising a third substrate portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the third substrate portion is oriented at a second non-zero angle to the first surface of the first substrate portion and at a third non-zero angle to the first surface of the second substrate portion.

6. The display of claim 5, further comprising at least a third reflective element supported by the second surface of the third substrate.

7. The display of claim 5, wherein:

the second reflective element has a second reflectivity which changes in response to a second signal; and

the third reflective element has a third reflectivity which changes in response to a third signal.

8. The display of claim 1, wherein the first reflective element comprises a reflective layer movable between at least a first position and a second position, and a partially reflective layer located between said movable reflective layer and the second surface of the first substrate portion.

9. The display of claim 8, wherein the first reflective element reflects generally white light when the movable reflective layer of the first reflective element is in the first position and white light is incident on said first reflective element.

10. A display, comprising:

a support structure, said support structure comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is fixed relative to the second surface and oriented at a first non-zero angle to the second surface;

at least a first reflective element supported by the first surface, wherein said first reflective element has a first reflectivity which changes in response to a first signal, wherein the first reflectivity of the first reflective element comprises a range of wavelengths reflected from said first reflective element, said range of wavelengths changing in response to said first signal; and

at least a second reflective element supported by the second surface.

11. The display of claim 10, wherein portions of the support structure underlying the first and second reflective elements are transmissive to light.

12. The display of claim 10, wherein the first reflective element comprises a reflective layer movable in response to the first signal.

13. The display of claim 12, wherein the first reflective element reflects a first range of wavelengths of light when the movable layer is in a first position, and a second range of wavelengths of light when the movable layer is in a second position, wherein said first range of wavelengths are different than said second range of wavelengths.

14. The display of claim 12, wherein the second reflective element has a second reflectivity which changes in response to a second signal.

15. The display of claim 14, wherein the second reflective element comprises a reflective layer movable in response to the second signal.

16. The display of claim 10, wherein the support structure additionally comprises:

a third surface, wherein said third surface is oriented at a second-non-zero angle to the first surface, and at a third non-zero angle to the second surface; and

a third reflective element supported by the third surface.

17. The display of claim 16, wherein the second reflective element has a second reflectivity which changes in response to a second signal, and wherein the third reflective element has a third reflectivity which changes in response to a third signal.

18. The display of claim 17, wherein the second reflective element comprises a reflective layer movable in response to a second signal, and wherein the third reflective element comprises a reflective layer movable in response to a third signal.

19. A device, comprising

a support structure comprising a first surface and a second surface oriented at a first non-zero angle to the first surface;

a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure supported by the first surface, wherein said MEMS structure comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode is displaceable relative to the second electrode upon application of a voltage across said first and second electrodes between a first position spaced apart from the second electrode and a second position closer to the second electrode than in the first position, wherein at least a portion of the first electrode is oriented substantially parallel to the second electrode in each of the first and second positions; and

a first reflective structure supported by the second surface.

20. The MEMS device of claim 19, wherein the support structure additionally comprises:

a third surface oriented at a second non-zero angle to the first surface and at a third non-zero angle to the second surface; and

a second reflective structure supported by the third surface.

21. The MEMS device of claim 20, wherein each of the first and second reflective structures comprise a pair of electrodes, wherein one of the electrodes of the pair of electrodes is displaceable relative to the other electrode of the pair of electrodes upon application of a voltage across said pair of electrodes.

22. The MEMS device of claim 19, additionally comprising a dielectric layer overlying the second electrode, wherein the portion of the first electrode parallel to the second electrode contacts the dielectric layer when the first electrode is in the second position.