Integrated imods and solar cells on a substrate

• US 8,094,363 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sasagawa, Teruo, Kogut, Lior, Tung, Ming-Hau
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector, David N
• Application Number:
  US12/544,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20090308452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 345/32, 345/84, 345/85, 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/295, 438/694, 438/758, 438/761
• US Class Current: 359/292
• 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: H01L 27/142 Energy conversion devices photovoltaic modules or arrays of single photovoltaic cells comprising bypass diodes integrated or directly associated with the devices H01L31/0443; photovoltaic modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate H01L31/046
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/072 the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0725 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to interferometric display devices comprising an interferometric modulator and a solar cell and methods of making thereof. In some embodiments, the solar cell is configured to provide energy to the interferometric modulator. The solar cell and the interferometric modulator may be formed above the same substrate. A layer of the solar cell may be shared with a layer of the interferometric modulator.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an optical device, comprising:

forming at least two interferometric devices over a substrate, wherein the forming the at least two interferometric devices comprises depositing multiple layers over the substrate; and

forming a solar cell over the substrate, wherein the forming the solar cell comprises depositing multiple layers over the substrate, and wherein the solar cell is located between the at least two interferometric devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one material of the interferometric devices is the same as at least one material of the solar cell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the at least two interferometric devices comprises:

forming a first electrode layer over the substrate;

forming a sacrificial layer over the first electrode;

forming an electrode layer over the sacrificial layer; and

removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the solar cell comprises:

forming a p-doped layer over the substrate;

forming an intrinsic layer over the p-doped layer; and

forming an n-doped layer over the intrinsic layer.

5. An electromechanical device fabricated by the method of claim 1.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the at least two interferometric devices comprises forming an array of interferometric devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the array of interferometric devices comprises at least two interferometric modulators.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising forming a shared layer that is shared by both the solar cell and at least one of the at least two interferometric devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared layer is an operational layer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared layer comprises indium tin-oxide.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared layer comprises an electrode layer of the at least two interferometric devices.

12. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

providing a display comprising the at least two interferometric devices;

providing a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and

providing a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.

13. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising providing an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

14. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising providing a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

15. The method of claim 14, additionally comprising providing a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

16. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising providing an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the image source module comprises providing at least one of a receiver, a transceiver, and a transmitter.