Display apparatus with optical cavities
A display includes an array of light modulators that define a display plane, a light guide and front- and rear-facing reflective surfaces. The light guide includes a plurality of geometric light redirectors, and at least 50% of the light guide's rear surface is parallel to the display plane. The rear-facing reflective surface is parallel to the display plane and includes a plurality of apertures.
1. A display comprising:
an array of light modulators defining a display surface;
a light guide having front and rear surfaces and a plurality of geometric light redirectors formed therein;
a rear-facing reflective layer, positioned proximate to the display surface, wherein the rear-facing reflective surface has a plurality of apertures formed therein;
a front-facing reflective layer positioned proximate the rear surface of the light guide; and
a light injection system including a lamp and a light collimator for introducing a non-random fraction of light output by the lamp into the light guide as collimated light within a predetermined range of angles.
2. The display of claim 1 , wherein the array of light modulators comprises a plurality of MEMs-based light modulators for selectively allowing light passing through the plurality of apertures in the rear-facing reflective layer to contribute to the formation of an image.
3. The display of claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of the rear surface of the light guide is substantially parallel to the display surface.
4. The display of claim 1 , wherein the rear-facing reflective layer comprises a dielectric mirror.
5. The display of claim 1 , wherein the rear-facing reflective layer comprises a metal layer.
6. The display of claim 1 , comprising a refractive layer, having a refractive index less than that of a refractive index of the light guide, disposed between the rear-facing reflective layer and the front surface of the light guide.
7. The display of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise substantially smooth reflective surfaces.
8. The display of claim 1 , comprising a prismatic turning film positioned between the light guide and the rear-facing reflective layer.
9. The display of claim 1 , comprising a brightness enhancement film positioned between the light guide and the rear-facing reflective layer.
10. The display of claim 1 , comprising a side-facing reflective layer positioned proximate to a side of the light guide.
11. The display of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise prismatic light redirectors.
12. A display comprising:
an array of light modulators defining a display surface;
a light guide having front and rear surfaces and a plurality of geometric light redirectors formed therein;
a rear-facing reflective layer, positioned proximate to the display surface, wherein the rear-facing reflective surface has a plurality of apertures formed therein; and
a front-facing reflective layer positioned proximate the rear surface of the light guide, wherein at least 50% of light reflecting off of the rear-facing reflective layer within 40 degrees of an axis perpendicular to the display surface is redirected back towards the rear-facing reflective layer within 40 degrees of the axis.
13. The display of claim 12 , wherein at least 50% of light reflecting off of the rear-facing reflective layer within 30 degrees of an axis perpendicular to the display surface is redirected back towards the rear-facing reflective layer within 30 degrees of the axis.
14. The display of claim 12 , wherein at least 50% of light reflecting off of the rear-facing reflective layer within 20 degrees of an axis perpendicular to the display surface is redirected back towards the rear-facing reflective layer within 20 degrees of the axis.
15. The display of claim 12 , wherein at least 70% of light reflecting off of the rear-facing reflective layer within 40 degrees of an axis perpendicular to the display surface is redirected back towards the rear-facing reflective layer within 40 degrees of the axis.
16. The display of claim 12 , wherein at least 70% of light reflecting off of the rear-facing reflective layer within 30 degrees of an axis perpendicular to the display surface is redirected back towards the rear-facing reflective layer within 30 degrees of the axis.
17. The display of claim 12 , wherein the array of light modulators has a light modulator pitch, and the distance between the rear-facing reflective surface and the display surface is less than the light modulator pitch.
18. The display of claim 12 , wherein the array of light modulators is formed on a substrate, and the distance between the rear-facing reflective layer and the display surface is less than the thickness of the substrate.
19. The display of claim 12 , wherein the array of light modulators comprises a plurality of MEMs-based light modulators for selectively allowing light passing through the plurality of apertures in the rear-facing reflective layer to contribute to the formation of an image.
20. The display of claim 12 , wherein the rear-facing reflective layer comprises a dielectric mirror.
21. The display of claim 12 , wherein the rear-facing reflective layer comprises a metal layer.
22. The display of claim 12 , comprising a refractive layer, having a refractive index less than that of a refractive index of the light guide, disposed between the rear-facing reflective layer and the front surface of the light guide.
23. The display of claim 12 , wherein the light guide comprises a composite of at least first and second layers.
24. The display of claim 23 , wherein the first layer of the light guide comprises one of glass and plastic.
25. The display of claim 23 , wherein the second layer of the light guide comprises one of glass and plastic.
26. The display of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise substantially smooth reflective surfaces.
27. The display of claim 12 , wherein the rear-facing and front-facing reflective layers comprise specular reflective layers.
28. The display of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the front-facing and rear-facing reflective layers comprise substantially diffusive reflective material.
29. The display of claim 12 , comprising a light injection system including a lamp and a light collimator for introducing a non-random fraction of light output by the lamp into the light guide as collimated light within a predetermined range of angles.
30. The display of claim 12 , comprising a prismatic turning film positioned between the light guide and the rear-facing reflective layer.
31. The display of claim 12 , comprising a brightness enhancement film positioned between the light guide and the rear-facing reflective layer.
32. The display of claim 12 , comprising a side-facing reflective layer positioned proximate to a side of the light guide.
33. The display of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise prismatic light redirectors.
34. The display of claim 33 , wherein the prismatic light directors have a first surface facing a lamp and a second surface facing away from the lamp, wherein the area of the footprint of the first surface projected onto the front-facing reflective surface is greater than the area of the footprint of the second surface projected onto the front-facing reflective surface.
35. The display of claim 33 , wherein the prismatic light directors have a first surface facing a lamp and a second surface facing away from the lamp, wherein the area of the footprint of the first surface projected onto the front-facing reflective surface is substantially equal to the area of the footprint of the second surface projected onto the front-facing reflective surface.
36. The display of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise refractive light redirectors.
37. A display comprising:
an array of light modulators defining a display surface;
a light guide having front and rear surfaces and a plurality of geometric light redirectors formed therein;
a rear-facing reflective layer, positioned proximate to the display surface, wherein the rear-facing reflective surface has a plurality of apertures formed therein; and
a front-facing reflective layer positioned proximate the rear surface of the light guide,
wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise prismatic light redirectors, and wherein the prismatic light redirectors have a first surface facing a lamp and a second surface facing away from the lamp, wherein the area of the footprint of the first surface projected onto the front-facing reflective surface is greater than the area of the footprint of the second surface projected onto the front-facing reflective surface.
38. The display of claim 37 , wherein the array of light modulators comprises a plurality of MEMs-based light modulators for selectively allowing light passing through the plurality of apertures in the rear-facing reflective layer to contribute to the formation of an image.
39. The display of claim 37 , wherein at least 50% of the rear surface of the light guide is substantially parallel to the display surface.
40. The display of claim 37 , wherein at least 70% of the rear surface of the light guide is substantially parallel to the display surface.
41. The display of claim 37 , wherein at least 90% of the rear surface of the light guide is substantially parallel to the display surface.
42. The display of claim 37 , comprising a refractive layer, having a refractive index less than that of a refractive index of the light guide, disposed between the rear-facing reflective layer and the front surface of the light guide.
43. The display of claim 37 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise substantially smooth reflective surfaces.
44. The display of claim 37 , comprising a light injection system including a lamp and a light collimator for introducing a non-random fraction of light output by the lamp into the light guide as collimated light within a predetermined range of angles.
45. The display of claim 37 , comprising a prismatic turning film positioned between the light guide and the rear-facing reflective layer.
46. The display of claim 37 , comprising a brightness enhancement film positioned between the light guide and the rear-facing reflective layer.
47. The display of claim 37 , comprising a side-facing reflective layer positioned proximate to a side of the light guide.
48. The display of claim 37 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise prismatic light redirectors.
49. A display comprising:
an array of light modulators defining a display surface;
a light guide having front and rear surfaces and a plurality of geometric light redirectors formed therein;
a rear-facing reflective layer, positioned proximate to the display surface, wherein the rear-facing reflective surface has a plurality of apertures formed therein; and
a front-facing reflective layer positioned proximate the rear surface of the light guide, wherein the array of light modulators has a light modulator pitch, and the distance between the rear-facing reflective surface and the display surface is less than the light modulator pitch.
50. The display of claim 49 , wherein the array of light modulators comprises a plurality of MEMs-based light modulators for selectively allowing light passing through the plurality of apertures in the rear-facing reflective layer to contribute to the formation of an image.
51. The display of claim 49 , wherein the rear-facing reflective layer comprises a dielectric mirror.
52. The display of claim 49 , wherein the rear-facing reflective layer comprises a metal layer.
53. The display of claim 49 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise substantially smooth reflective surfaces.
54. The display of claim 49 , wherein the plurality of geometric light redirectors comprise prismatic light redirectors.
55. The display of claim 49 , wherein each aperture in the plurality of apertures allows a flux of light to pass through the aperture, and wherein the association between a respective aperture and a respective at least one light modulators comprises a relationship in which substantially the entire flux of light allowed to pass through the respective aperture is modulated by the respective at least one light modulator.
56. A display comprising:
an array of light modulators defining a display surface;
a light guide having front and rear surfaces and a plurality of geometric light redirectors formed therein;
a rear-facing reflective layer, positioned proximate to the display surface, wherein the rear-facing reflective surface has a plurality of apertures formed therein; and
a front-facing reflective layer positioned proximate the rear surface of the light guide, wherein the rear-facing and front-facing reflective layers comprise specular reflective layers.
57. A display comprising:
an array of light modulators defining a display surface;
a light guide having front and rear surfaces and a plurality of geometric light redirectors formed therein;
a rear-facing reflective layer, positioned proximate to the display surface, wherein the rear-facing reflective surface has a plurality of apertures formed therein;
a front-facing reflective layer positioned proximate the rear surface of the light guide, and
a refractive layer, having a refractive index less than that of a refractive index of the light guide, disposed between the rear-facing reflective layer and the front surface of the light guide.