Method and device for selective adjustment of hysteresis window
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing an interferometric display element, wherein the interferometric display element comprises a moveable reflective layer, a partially reflective layer, and a dielectric layer positioned between the moveable reflective layer and the partially reflective layer, the moveable reflective layer being suspended away from the partially reflective layer by one or more supports so as to define a cavity between the moveable reflective layer and the dielectric layer, the method comprising:
- selecting one or more characteristics of at least one of a support thickness, a support width, a dielectric layer thickness, and a moveable layer width, wherein the selected one or more characteristics define one or more of an actuation threshold, a relax threshold, and a voltage difference between the actuation and relax thresholds of the interferometric display element;
optimizing the one or more characteristics for at least one of low power consumption, speed, and ease of manufacturing of the interferometric display element; and
manufacturing the interferometric display element to include the selected one or more characteristics.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The width and location of a hysteresis window of an interferometric modulator may be altered by adjusting various physical characteristics of the interferometric modulator. Thus, depending on the particular application for which the interferometric modulators are manufactured, the width and location of the hysteresis window may be altered. For example, in some applications, reducing the power required to operate an array of interferometric modulators may be an important consideration. In other applications, the speed of the interferometric modulators may be of more importance, where the speed of an interferometric modulator, as used herein, refers to the speed of actuating and relaxing the moveable mirror. In other applications, the cost and ease of manufacturing may be of most importance. Systems and methods are introduced that allow selection of a width and location of a hysteresis window by adjusting various physical characteristics.
35 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an interferometric display element, wherein the interferometric display element comprises a moveable reflective layer, a partially reflective layer, and a dielectric layer positioned between the moveable reflective layer and the partially reflective layer, the moveable reflective layer being suspended away from the partially reflective layer by one or more supports so as to define a cavity between the moveable reflective layer and the dielectric layer, the method comprising:
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selecting one or more characteristics of at least one of a support thickness, a support width, a dielectric layer thickness, and a moveable layer width, wherein the selected one or more characteristics define one or more of an actuation threshold, a relax threshold, and a voltage difference between the actuation and relax thresholds of the interferometric display element; optimizing the one or more characteristics for at least one of low power consumption, speed, and ease of manufacturing of the interferometric display element; and manufacturing the interferometric display element to include the selected one or more characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of manufacturing an interferometric display element, wherein the interferometric display element comprises a moveable reflective layer, a partially reflective layer, and a dielectric layer positioned between the moveable reflective layer and the partially reflective layer, the moveable reflective layer being suspended away from the partially reflective layer by one or more supports so as to define a cavity between the moveable reflective layer and the dielectric layer, the method comprising:
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selecting one or more characteristics of at least one of a moveable layer thickness, a moveable layer material, and a moveable layer stress level, wherein the selected one or more characteristics define one or more of an actuation threshold, a relax threshold, and a voltage difference between the actuation and relax thresholds of the interferometric display element; optimizing the one or more characteristics for at least one of low power consumption, speed, and ease of manufacturing of the interferometric display element; and manufacturing the interferometric display element to include the selected one or more characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. An interferometric modulator optimized for at least one of (a) low power consumption, (b) speed, and (c) ease of manufacturing, comprising:
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means for reflecting light, said light reflecting means being moveable between a first state and a second state, said light reflecting means having one or more characteristics selected to define an expected relax threshold and an expected actuation threshold of the interferometric modulator; and means for defining a gap between the light reflecting means and a dielectric layer, the gap defining means having one or more characteristics selected to define an expected relax threshold and an expected actuation threshold of the interferometric modulator. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 11)
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10. An interferometric modulator comprising:
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a moveable reflective layer; an optical stack comprising a partially reflective layer and an electrically conductive layer; a dielectric material positioned between the moveable reflective layer and the partially reflective layer; and one or more supports positioned between the moveable reflective layer and the dielectric material and configured to define a gap between the moveable reflective layer and the dielectric layer, wherein one or more characteristics of the moveable layer, partially reflective layer, electrically conductive layer, dielectric material, and one or more supports are selected to define an expected relax threshold and an expected actuation threshold of the interferometric modulator.
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12. A display element comprising:
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a reflective moveable layer; an optical stack comprising a partially reflective layer and a patterned electrically conductive layer; a dielectric material positioned between the reflective moveable layer and the partially reflective layer; and supports positioned between the reflective moveable layer and the dielectric material and configured to define a gap between the reflective moveable layer and the partially reflective layer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of manufacturing an interferometric modulator to incorporate a selected actuation threshold, the method comprising:
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selecting one or more characteristics of an area of an electrically conductive layer in an interferometric modulator to be electrically isolated, wherein selected the one or more characteristics of the electrically isolated area define an expected actuation and relax threshold of the interferometric modulator; and manufacturing the interferometric modulator by use of the one or more characteristics of the electrically isolated area such that the actuation and relax threshold of the manufactured interferometric modulator is substantially equal to the expected actuation and relax threshold. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification