Device having patterned spacers for backplates and method of making the same

• US 7,701,631 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• 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: Floyd, Philip D., Arbuckle, Brian W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US11/074,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/223, 359/224, 359/318, 359/319, 359/237, 359/238
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00269 Bonding of solid lids or wafers to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/019 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/032 Gluing
• 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

Described herein are systems, devices, and methods relating to packaging electronic devices, for example, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, including optical modulators such as interferometric optical modulators. The packaging system disclosed herein comprises a patterned spacer that, in some embodiments, is fabricated using thin-film methods. In some embodiments, the spacer together with a substrate and backplate package an electronic device.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a substrate on which an array of interferometric optical modulators is formed;

a recessed non-transparent backplater; and

a patterned spacer disposed between the substrate and the backplate to form a package, wherein the spacer circumscribes the array and prevents the external environment from entering the package.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the patterned spacer is formed on thebackplate.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the patterned spacer comprises a photoresist.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the photoresist is an epoxy-based photoresist.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent portion, and an image formed on the array of interferometric optical modulators is viewable through the substrate.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises glass.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device further comprises a desiccant inside the package.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the desiccant is calcium oxide.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device further comprises an adhesive disposed between the spacer and the substrate.

10. A method for fabricating a display device comprising:

obtaining a substrate on which an array of interferometric optical modulators is formed;

obtaining a recessed non-transparent backplate;

forming a spacer by patterning, wherein said spacer is configured to circumscribe the array and prevent the external environment from contacting the array; and

assembling the substrate, backplate, and spacer to provide the display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the patterned spacer is formed on the backplate.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the patterned spacer comprises a photoresist.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the patterned spacer is formed using a mask.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent portion, and an image formed on the array of interferometric optical modulators is viewable through the substrate.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises glass.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the display device further comprises an adhesive disposed between the spacer and the substrate.

17. A display device fabricated by a method comprising:

obtaining a substrate on which an array of interferometric modulators is formed;

obtaining a recessed non-transparent backplate;

forming a spacer by patterning, wherein said spacer is configured to circumscribe the array and prevent the external environment from contacting the array; and

assembling the substrate, backplate, and spacer to provide the display device.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein the patterned spacer is formed on the backplate.

19. The display device of claim 17, wherein the patterned spacer comprises a photoresist.

20. The display device of claim 17, wherein the patterned spacer is formed using a mask.

21. The display device of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent portion, and an image formed on the array of interferometric optical modulators is viewable through the substrate.

22. The display device of claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises glass.

23. The display device of claim 17, wherein the display device further comprises an adhesive, disposed between the spacer and the substrate.