Light guide including optical scattering elements and a method of manufacture
View Patent ↗A method and system for fabricating a light guide is disclosed. The method and system comprise providing a light guide element which includes a plurality of scattering elements located therein and adjusting at least a portion of the scattering elements to maintain their optical scattering character. The present invention provides a system and method for fabricating a front light technology that is inexpensive and can compete on a cost basis with LCD backlight technologies while maintaining reasonable performance.
1. A method for fabrication on an interferometric modulator system comprising:
providing a light guide element which includes a plurality of scattering elements located therein;
providing an interferometric modulator disposed with respect to the light guide to receive light therefrom; and
applying ultra-violet (UV) light to at least a portion of a coating on at least a portion of said scattering elements, thereby masking at least a portion of said scattering elements,
wherein the applying step comprises:
activating the coating on a first side by providing UV light to the first side at a first wavelength; and
deactivating the coating on a second side substantially opposite the first side to maintain the optical scattering character of the scattering elements.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the light guide element is provided utilizing any of injection molding, compression molding, spincasting, extrusion molding and blow molding.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least a portion of the scattering elements are provided in a randomly distributed fashion within the light guide element.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least a portion of the scattering elements are provided with a portion of the scattering elements protruding from the top portion of the light guide element.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein all of the scattering elements are provided in a distributed fashion within the top portion of the light guide element.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a photochromic material.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an adhesive layer on the interferometric modulator.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the light guide element is placed on the adhesive layer.
9. An interferometric modulator system comprising:
a light guide element including a plurality of scattering elements therewithin, at least a portion of said scattering elements masked by a photochromic material, said material on a first side configured to be activated by application of ultra-violet (UV) light at a first wavelength, said material on a second side configured to be deactivated by application of UV light at a second wavelength; and
an interferometric modulator disposed with respect to the light guide to receive light therefrom.
10. The interferometric modulator system of claim 9 wherein a top portion of each of the at least one portion of the plurality of scattering elements are masked.
11. The interferometric modulator system of claim 9 wherein the at least a portion of the masked scattering elements are distributed in a random fashion within the light guide element.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein a portion of the scattering elements protrude from the top portion of the light guide element.
13. The system of claim 9 wherein the scattering elements are provided in a distributed fashion within the top portion of the light guide element.
14. The system of claim 9 further comprising:
a display comprising the interferometric modulator;
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.
15. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to said display.
16. The system as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
a controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said driver circuit.
17. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.
18. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.
19. The system as recited in claim 17 , further comprising:
an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.
20. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an adhesive layer on the interferometric modulator.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the light guide element is placed on the adhesive layer.
22. The system of claim 9 , wherein the material comprises a coating.