CA2094174A1

CA2094174A1 - Miniature high resolution viewscreen cantilever i.c.

Info

Publication number: CA2094174A1
Application number: CA 2094174
Authority: CA
Inventors: Raja Singh Tuli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-04-16
Filing date: 1993-04-16
Publication date: 1994-10-17

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A miniature single monolithic chip is to be used to create a viewscreen for computers, television or video applications. The image is formed by the bending of individual cantilever arms configured in a two dimensional array. The bending is activated with heat caused by the application of electricity on a heating or piezoelectric element which has been deposited on the arm.
Advantages of this system are higher contrast, greater viewing angle, and capablity of being reflected onto another viewing surface.

Description

2~17~

poor display by the bending of a hi ghl y ref 1 ecti ve cantilever arm ~hich stops ref 1 ecti ng 1 i ght by positioning shutters, fins or other vertical components, that are deposited vertically on the arms, in the way of the reflective part of the arm. When the arm i s ~t a rest the light is reflected fully between the shutter ~lements and the display is at i ts bri ghtest. Non-ref l ecti ng shutters are mounted vertically on the arm and do not normally obstruct the reflection of light ~s they are very thin.

On the surf ace of the arm there is a heating element SPEC I F I CAT I QN usually resistive in nature, that wh0n heated b~ the This invention relates to an application of electricity apparatus and a method for causes the arm to bend. This producing a display from a bending causes the shutters single miniature high lncat0d on the arm to resolution monolithic chip obstruct the light path since using wafer fabrication type they are now at an angle to technology. A normal high- that light path while still contrast type viewscreen being perpendicular to the (like a cathode ray tube in a bent arm. These arms are TV),while giving good display very srnall and many are characteristic's is large ~nd utilized to cons~ruct an bulky. On the the other hand a image. An image is formedliquid crystal display is very when some of these arms are portable and narrow but completely bent to their suf f ers f rom l ow contrast rnaxi mum l i rni t, others are ¦ and poor viewing angle. This bent only a variety of invention solves the problem distances and others are bent i ~ of bulky construction and not at all. The tiny arms are i ;', 2 ~ 7 ~

arranged in rows and a projection type display columns forming a matrix. where the light source is posi ti oned behi nd the chi p Each pixel (or arm) can be and light passes through a a d d re s s e d b y a p p 1 y i n 9 transl ucent or transparent electric~ty through the cantilever arm and between individual wires of the rows the vertical shutters. To and columns. The cantilver produce ~ black dot the arms are arranged in a 2 cantilever arm bends and th0 dimensional srray and can shutters cut off the light.
produce a miniature screen This h~s simular advantages which can be magnified in an as to the above LCD and other apparatus to produce a much projection type displays.
larger imoge for viewing.
Two intergrated circuits DRAWINGS
might even be used and magnified for each eye to Reference is first made to produce 2 ~ 3 dimensional Fig. 1 which illustrates the affects. The advantage of basic layout of the apparatus this over a LCD type in accordance with the magnified image (ie: virtual invention. The monolithic die reality type goggle or other (1) is shown to consist of an apparatus) are that the array of heating or resistor intergrated circuit of this elements layed out on invention will be much cantilever arms (2). These cheaper to produce since it resistors would be matrix can be mass produced using addressed (3) by means of waf0r fabrication type shift resistors (4). The technology, while LCD must cantilever arms (7) are use liquid crystals mounted or etched with sandwhiched between 2 vertical shutters-~(5). When panes of transparent the arm is bent (8) the materi al . shutters (5) are angl ed i nto the light path (9) thus This also requires the LCD cutting off the reflection of display to have a much larger light (6).
sized display pixel while the pixel size of this invention Fig.2 gives 8 general idea as can be made much smaller,ie: to the layout of the invention it is only limited to the as described herein. A lens re s o l u t i o n o f t h e system ( 1 ) is implemented to lithographic technology. This magnify the image of the screen could also be used as ''''.' ,''' " ' ';'' ' . :: ~ ; ~ ,- , " , ~ ' :

' .' ;, , , : ' '.'. : , 2n~l74 monol i thi c di e (2) thus creating an im~ginary image.

Fig.3 shows how a projection is done showing a side view in which the light source (3) is going through the transparent arm ( 1 ) (when the shutters (4) are not obstructing the light (3) and is blocked when the arm is bent (2).
Fig.4 shows just some of the possible array configurations. The top view (1) shows the cantilever arm (2) placed over a cavity (3).Shutters maybe mounted as shown on top of the arm.
The arm and/or cavity maybe translucent or transparent depending on whether it is being wsed in a projection type di spl ay. Another possible configuration shows how the arms (2~ can be interwoven. Many patterns can be formed and are not limited to these sparticular schemes.

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Claims

1. To have invented a monolithic high density, high resolution display chip.

2. To have invented an array of heating elements in this chip which can be addressed by matrix.

3. To have each pixel element change colour of light reflecting from, or being passed through miniature cantilever arms, with miniature vertical walls called shutters, fins or other vertical components whose angle changes with the bending of the cantilever arm.

4. To have made an optical system with the ability to enlarge the above mentioned high resolution image.

CLAIMS:
It is understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the