System and method of illuminating interferometric modulators using backlighting
View Patent ↗An interferometric modulator array device with backlighting is disclosed. The interferometric modulator array device comprises a plurality of interferometric modulator elements, wherein each of the interferometric modulator elements comprises an optical cavity. The interferometric modulator array includes an optical aperture region, and at least one reflecting element is positioned so as to receive light passing through the optical aperture region and reflect at least a portion of the received light to the cavities of the interferometric modulator elements. In some embodiments, the interferometric modulator elements may be separated from each other such that an optical aperture region is formed between adjacent interferometric modulator elements.
1. A method of manufacturing a spatial light modulator, comprising:
forming at least one reflecting element on a substrate; and
forming a plurality of light-modulating elements above the substrate and above the at least one reflecting element so as to form a light-modulating array, the light modulating array having at least one optically transmissive aperture region, each light modulating element comprising first and second optical surfaces that define a cavity, said second optical surface movable with respect to the first optical surface,
wherein the at least one reflecting element is configured to receive light through the at least one aperture region and reflect at least a portion of the received light into said cavity.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the at least one reflecting element comprises depositing at least one of aluminum, silver, titanium, gold, and copper.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one reflecting element is formed on a layer of material formed on said substrate.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a concealing feature on the substrate aligned with the at least one reflecting element so as to conceal the visible presence of the at least one reflecting element.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the concealing feature comprises a mask of at least one of absorbing material and a reflective material.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the concealing feature comprises a mask layer of at least one of carbon black material, a dye, chromium, and molybdenum.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the concealing feature comprises a metal film so as to form an etalon comprising the metal film and the at least one reflecting element.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the etalon has a thickness that causes the etalon to reflect a color.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the at least one reflecting element comprises forming a shaped base structure on the substrate, and depositing a reflecting material on the shaped base structure.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a cavity in the substrate, and forming the at least one reflecting element substantially in the cavity of the substrate.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the at least one reflecting element comprises depositing a layer of reflecting material on the substrate and surface treating said layer.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the at least one reflecting element comprises depositing a composite material on the substrate surface, wherein the composite material comprises reflective particles suspended in a substantially transparent material.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the composite material is deposited at discrete locations on the substrate surface so as to form a plurality of reflecting elements.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator comprises a reflective spatial light modulator.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators.