Display device with openings between sub-pixels and method of making same

• US 8,270,056 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tao, Yi, Zhong, Fan, Mignard, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): FONT, FRANK G
• Application Number:
  US12/409,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/223, 359/224, 359/295, 359/578, 359/579, 359846-850
• US Class Current: 359/224.1
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/047 Optical MEMS not provided for in B81B2201/042 - B81B2201/045
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/053 Translation according to an axis perpendicular to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/053 of movable structures
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0086 Electrical characteristics, e.g. reducing driving voltage, improving resistance to peak voltage
• 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

An electromechanical systems device includes a plurality of supports disposed over a substrate and a deformable reflective layer disposed over the plurality of supports. The deformable reflective layer includes a plurality of substantially parallel columns extending in a first direction. Each column has one or more slots extending in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction. The slots can be created at boundary edges of sub-portions of the columns so as to partially mechanically separate the sub-portions without electrically disconnecting them. A method of fabricating an electromechanical device includes depositing an electrically conductive deformable reflective layer over a substrate, removing one or more portions of the deformable layer to form a plurality of electrically isolated columns, and forming at least one crosswise slot in at least one of the columns.

Claims

1. An electromechanical systems device comprising:

a substrate; and

a plurality of deformable electrodes over the substrate, each deformable electrode comprising a deformable layer and a reflective layer in substantially continuous contact with the deformable layer, each deformable layer extending in a first direction, each deformable electrode being supported along opposing edges by a plurality of supports, each deformable electrode having at least one opening extending through the deformable layer and the reflective layer, each opening being defined by a first dimension and a second dimension greater than the first dimension, the second dimension extending in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1 wherein the deformable electrodes are electrically isolated from one another.

3. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the opening is disposed generally between independently actuatable sub-portions of the deformable electrode.

4. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein each opening extends generally between a pair of the supports.

5. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein each opening has a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed over a portion of a first support, the second end being disposed over a portion of a second support.

6. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the second dimension is substantially equal to a distance between a pair of the supports.

7. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the second dimension is slightly greater than a distance between a pair of the supports.

8. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein a pair of consecutive openings in a deformable electrode defines a sub-portion of the deformable electrode.

9. The electromechanical systems device of claim 8, wherein the second dimension is selected to substantially eliminate cross-talk between adjacent sub-portions of the deformable electrode.

10. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, further comprising a second reflective layer disposed over the substrate.

11. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a MEMS device.

12. The electromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an interferometric modulator.

17. A display device comprising the electromechanical systems device of claim 1.

18. The display device of claim 17, further comprising:

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

a memory device that is configured to communicate with said processor.

19. The display device as recited in claim 18, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to said display.

20. The display device as recited in claim 19, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said driver circuit.

21. The display device as recited in claim 18, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

22. The display device as recited in claim 21, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

23. The display device as recited in claim 18, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

13. An electromechanical systems device comprising:

a substrate;

means for reflecting light, the reflecting means being electrically conductive and deformable towards the substrate;

means for supporting the reflecting means over the substrate; and

means for reducing cross-talk between adjacent sub-portions of the reflecting means while maintaining electrical conductivity through the reflecting means, the means for reducing cross-talk including one or more openings extending through the reflecting means.

14. The electromechanical systems device of claim 13, wherein the reflecting means comprises a deformable layer.

15. The electromechanical systems device of claim 13, wherein the reflecting means comprises a dielectric layer.

16. The electromechanical systems device of claim 13, wherein the supporting means comprises a plurality of supports, each support being disposed near a corner region of a sub-portion of the reflecting means.