Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080268620 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROTECTING INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATORS FROM ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE - A MEMS device such as an interferometric modulator includes an integrated ESD protection element capable of shunting to ground an excess current carried by an electrical conductor in the MEMS device. The protection element may be a diode and may be formed by depositing a plurality of doped semiconductor layers over the substrate on which the MEMS device is formed. | 10-30-2008 |
20090218312 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR XENON FLUORIDE ETCHING WITH ENHANCED EFFICIENCY - Provided herein is an apparatus and a method useful for manufacturing MEMS devices. An aspect of the disclosed apparatus provides a substrate comprising an etchable material exposed to a solid-state etchant, wherein the substrate and the solid-state etchant are disposed in an etching chamber. In some embodiments, the solid state etchant is moved into close proximity to the substrate. In other embodiments, a configurable partition is between the substrate and the solid-state etchant is opened. The solid-state etchant forms a gas-phase etchant suitable for etching the etchable material. In some preferred embodiments, the solid-state etchant is solid xenon difluoride. The apparatus and method are advantageously used in performing a release etch in the fabrication of optical modulators. | 09-03-2009 |
20090296191 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING WHITE IN AN INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATOR DISPLAY - Various embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems for generating the color white in displays created from interferometric modulators and more specifically, to the generation of the color white through the use of reflected light at two wavelengths. In one embodiment, a display device displays the color white. The color white is generated by reflecting light from two pluralities of interferometric modulator types. The first modulator type reflects colored light at a specific wavelength. The second modulator type reflects colored light selected to be at a wavelength complementary to the first. The combined light reflected from the two types appears white in the display. | 12-03-2009 |
20100079849 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MODIFYING ACTUATION VOLTAGE THRESHOLDS OF A DEFORMABLE MEMBRANE IN AN INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATOR - By varying the spacing between a partially-reflective, partially-transmissive surface and a highly reflective surface positioned behind the partially-reflective, partially-transmissive surface, an interferometric modulator selectively creates constructive and/or destructive interference between light waves reflecting off the two surfaces. The spacing can be varied by applying a voltage to create electrostatic attraction between the two surfaces, which causes one or both surfaces to deform and move closer together. In the absence of such attraction, the surfaces are in a relaxed position, where they are farther apart from one another. A actuation voltage is needed to create sufficient electrostatic attraction to cause a surface to deform. The actuation voltage can be modified by implanting ions in a dielectric layer attached to one or both surfaces. Upon the application of a voltage, the ions create a baseline level of repulsion or attraction between the two surfaces, which thus require more or less voltage, respectively, to cause a surface to deform. The degree of ion implantation can be chosen to set the actuation voltage as desired, or the surfaces can be made to deform at a given voltage by appropriately selecting the degree of ion implantation. | 04-01-2010 |
20100080890 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING SLIPPAGE BETWEEN STRUCTURES IN AN INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATOR - A support structure within an interferometric modulator device may contact various other structures within the device. Increased bond strengths between the support structure and the other structures may be achieved in various ways, such as by providing roughened surfaces and/or adhesive materials at the interfaces between the support structures and the other structures. In an embodiment, increased adhesion is achieved between a support structure and a substrate layer. In another embodiment, increased adhesion is achieved between a support structure and a moveable layer. Increased adhesion may reduce undesirable slippage between the support structures and the other structures to which they are attached within the interferometric modulator. | 04-01-2010 |
20100085626 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING SLIPPAGE BETWEEN STRUCTURES IN AN INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATOR - A support structure within an interferometric modulator device may contact various other structures within the device. Increased bond strengths between the support structure and the other structures may be achieved in various ways, such as by providing roughened surfaces and/or adhesive materials at the interfaces between the support structures and the other structures. In an embodiment, increased adhesion is achieved between a support structure and a substrate layer. In another embodiment, increased adhesion is achieved between a support structure and a moveable layer. Increased adhesion may reduce undesirable slippage between the support structures and the other structures to which they are attached within the interferometric modulator. | 04-08-2010 |
20110260956 | ACTIVE MATRIX CONTENT MANIPULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for sharing image data between interconnected pixels in a display device. Some implementations of a display device may include an array of pixels, where each pixel includes a display element, a memory element, one or more data interconnect lines connecting the pixel to one or more other pixels, one or more switches positioned in one or more of the interconnect lines and one or more scroll data lines connected to one or more of the switches. Some implementations may enable scrolling of image data on a display without writing new image data to the display. Further, in some implementations, the display element may be an interferometric modulator (IMOD). Some other implementations may additionally include a display, a processor configured to communicate with the display and a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor. | 10-27-2011 |
20110261037 | ACTIVE MATRIX PIXELS WITH INTEGRAL PROCESSOR AND MEMORY UNITS - This disclosure provides methods, systems and apparatus for storing and processing image data at the pixel using augmented active matrix pixels. Some implementations of a display device may include a substrate, an array of display elements associated with the substrate and configured to display an image, an array of processor units associated with the substrate, wherein each processor unit is configured to process image data for a respective portion of the display elements and an array of memory units associated with the array of processor units, wherein each memory unit is configured to store data for a respective portion of the display elements. Some implementations may enable color processing image data at the pixel, layering of image data at the pixel or temporal modulation of image data at the pixel. Further, in some implementations, the display element may be an interferometric modulator (IMOD). Some other implementations may additionally include a display, a processor configured to communicate with the display and a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor. | 10-27-2011 |
20110261046 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PIXEL-LEVEL VOLTAGE BOOSTING - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for displaying an image using voltage shifting. In one aspect, a display device includes an array of display elements, each display element configurable into one of a plurality of states upon application of one of a plurality of voltages, and an array of voltage shifters, each voltage shifter associated with one or more of the display elements and configured to receive at least one input voltage from a display driver circuit and output at least one output voltage different than the input voltage to the associated one or more display elements. The voltage shifters can include, for example, at least one of an amplifier, a differential amplifier, an operational amplifier, a charge pump, a level shifter and a digital-to-analog converter. | 10-27-2011 |
20120127556 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PACKAGING A DISPLAY - A package structure and method of packaging for an interferometric modulator. A transparent substrate having an interferometric modulator formed thereon is provided. A backplane is joined to the transparent substrate with a seal where the interferometric modulator is exposed to the surrounding environment through an opening in either the backplane or the seal. The opening is sealed after the transparent substrate and backplane are joined and after any desired desiccant, release material, and/or self-aligning monolayer is introduced into the package structure. | 05-24-2012 |
20140084137 | SWITCHABLE SUBSTRATES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO ENHANCEMENT APPLICATIONS - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus relating to implementations of a switchable substrate that can be used in an imaging device. In one aspect, the switchable substrate includes a plurality of pixels, with each pixel having at least one switchable element. The switchable element can be switched between a first optical state and a second optical state. In the first optical state, a first spectral band of broadband light is reflected from the switchable element while a second spectral band is transmitted through the switchable element. In the second optical state, the first spectral band of the broadband light is transmitted through the switchable element while the second spectral band is reflected from the switchable element. | 03-27-2014 |
20140261622 | SUN-TRACKING PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CONCENTRATOR PANEL - Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed, including a light collector having a plurality of focusing elements and a plurality of light redirecting features that is optically coupled to one or more photovoltaic (PV) cells. In one aspect, the light collector includes half-cylinder shaped lenses that can focus light incident at various angles onto an elongate v-groove in the light guide such that a first portion of the incident light is diverted to one or more PV cells and a second portion of the incident light is transmitted through the light collector to provide illumination. | 09-18-2014 |