Infrared and dual mode displays

1. A display, comprising:

a display element comprising

a partially reflective fixed layer,

a reflective movable layer movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position, and

an optical resonant gap having a length defined between the fixed layer and the movable layer,

wherein the optical resonant gap length is configured to have, when the movable layer is in the unactuated position, a gap length that allows the display element to reflect light with a first order reflective response of a first wavelength in the infrared range and a second order reflective response of a second wavelength in the visible range.

2. The display of claim 1 , wherein the display element forms a pixel.

3. The display of claim 1 , wherein the display element forms an interferometric modulator.

4. The display of claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength of the first order reflective response is within the range of approximately 800 to 1200 nm.

5. The display of claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength of the first order reflective response is approximately 1900 nm.

6. The display of claim 1 , wherein the display element is further configured to reflect light of a third and fourth wavelength in the visible range, and wherein reflecting light of a second, third, and fourth wavelength collectively and operatively displays light of an approximately white hue.

7. The display of claim 6 , wherein the first wavelength is within the range of approximately 3 to 12 μm.

8. The display of claim 1 , further comprising a filter located between the display element and a viewer, the filter being transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.

9. The display of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to work in a visible mode and an infrared mode, and the display is configured to be driven by a different driving scheme in each mode.

10. The display of claim 9 , wherein the display configured to switch to the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

11. The display of claim 9 , further comprising an infrared detector configured to detect infrared illumination and send a signal to switch the display into the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

12. The display of claim 11 , wherein the infrared detector comprises a phototransistor or a photodiode.

13. The display of claim 1 , further comprising:

a processor that is configured to communicate with said display element, said processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with said processor.

14. The display of claim 13 , further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display elements.

15. The display of claim 14 , further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

16. The display of claim 13 , further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

17. The display of claim 16 , wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

18. The display of claim 13 , further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

19. A color display, comprising:

a pixel comprising at least three reflective display elements, each display element being configured to selectively reflect light of a different wavelength in the visible range, each display element comprising

a partially reflective fixed layer,

a reflective movable layer movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position, and

an optical resonant gap having a length defined between the fixed layer and the movable layer; and

wherein the gap length of at least one of the three reflective display elements is configured to have, when the movable layer is in the unactuated position, a gap length that reflects light with a first order reflective response of a first wavelength in the infrared range and a second order reflective response of a second wavelength in the visible range.

20. The display of claim 19 , wherein each display element forms a subpixel.

21. The display of claim 19 , wherein the three display elements form a pixel.

22. The display of claim 19 , wherein each display element forms an interferometric modulator.

23. The display of claim 19 , wherein each display element is configured to selectively reflect light of approximately a different one of the three primary colors: red, blue, and green.

24. The display of claim 19 , wherein at least two of the three reflective display element is further configured to selectively reflect light of a wavelength in the infrared range.

25. The display of claim 19 , wherein the display is configured to work in a visible mode and an infrared mode, and the display is driven by a different driving scheme in each mode.

26. The display of claim 25 , wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

27. The display of claim 25 , wherein one or more of the three display elements which is not configured to reflect light of a wavelength in the infrared range is not driven by image data, while the display operates in infrared mode.

28. The display of claim 25 , further comprising an infrared detector configured to detect infrared illumination and send a signal to switch the display into the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

29. The display of claim 28 , wherein the infrared detector comprises a phototransistor or a photodiode.

30. A display, comprising:

a display element comprising means for selectively reflecting light of a wavelength in the visible range and light of a wavelength in the infrared range, the selectively reflecting means comprising an optical resonant gap between a reflective movable layer and a partially reflective fixed layer, the optical resonant gap configured such that the display element has a first order reflective response of a first wavelength in the infrared range when the movable layer is in an unactuated position, and to have second order reflective response of a second wavelength in the visible range; and

means for sending at least one signal to the reflecting means.

31. The display of claim 30 , wherein the reflecting means comprises an interferometric modulator.

32. The display of claim 30 , wherein the sending means comprises a driver circuit.

33. The display of claim 30 , further comprising means for blocking or absorbing light outside the infrared range.

34. The display of claim 33 , wherein the blocking means comprises a light filter.

35. The display of claim 30 , wherein the display is configured to work in a visible mode and an infrared mode, and the display is driven by a different driving scheme in each mode.

36. The display of claim 35 , further comprising means for detecting infrared illumination.

37. The display of claim 36 , wherein the display is configured to switch to the infrared mode when the detecting means detects infrared illumination.

38. The display of claim 36 , wherein the detecting means comprises a phototransistor or a photodiode.

39. A method of operating a display, comprising:

driving a display with a drive scheme associated with a visible spectrum mode, the display including a display element having an optical resonant gap between a partially reflective movable layer and a partially reflective fixed layer, the optical resonant gap being configured to have, when the movable layer is in an unactuated position, a gap length that allows the display element to reflect light with a first order reflective response of a first wavelength in the infrared range and a second order reflective response of a second wavelength in the visible range;

receiving a signal to switch the display driving mode from a visible mode to an infrared mode;

switching the display from a visible mode to an infrared mode; and

driving the display with a scheme associated with the infrared mode.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the display is configured to provide an infrared image in the infrared mode by interferometrically modulating received infrared illumination.

41. The method of claim 39 , wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode in response to a signal received from a user request to switch to the infrared mode.

42. The method of claim 39 , further comprising detecting infrared illumination, and sending a signal to switch the display driving mode in response to the detecting infrared illumination.

43. A display, comprising:

a first display element configured to selectively reflect light of a first range of wavelengths and a second range of wavelengths, wherein each of the first and second ranges are within one of the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectrums, the first display element comprising

a partially reflective fixed layer,

a reflective movable layer movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position, and

an optical resonant gap having a length defined between the fixed layer and the movable layer; and

wherein the optical resonant gap length is configured to have, when the movable layer is in the unactuated position, a gap length that allows the display element to reflect light with a first order reflective response of a first wavelength within one of the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectrums, and a second order reflective response of a second wavelength within another of the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectrums.

44. The display of claim 43 , wherein the first range is within the ultraviolet spectrum and the second range is within either the visible or infrared spectrums.

45. The display of claim 43 , wherein the first range is within the visible spectrum and the second rangy is within either the ultraviolet or infrared spectrums.

46. The display of claim 43 , further comprising a second display element configured to selectively reflect light of a third range of wavelengths and a fourth range of wavelengths, wherein the first and third range are within the visible spectrums, and the second and fourth range are within the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums respectively.