FLEXIBLE EMS DEVICE USING ORGANIC MATERIALS
This disclosure provides apparatus, systems and methods for an electromechanical systems (EMS) device made of organic materials. In one aspect, the EMS device includes a stationary electrode over a substrate and a movable electrode over the stationary electrode, where the movable electrode is configured to move across a gap between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode by electrostatic actuation. One or more layers between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode may be made of polymer material. One or more layers in the EMS device may include an optical layer made of polymer material and configured to attenuate energy of light corresponding to one or more wavelength ranges. In some implementations, the optical layer may include a plurality of absorber particles in a host material that is electrically insulating.
1 . An electromechanical systems apparatus comprising:
a substrate;
a stationary electrode over the substrate;
a movable electrode over the stationary electrode and configured to move across a gap between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode by electrostatic actuation; and
one or more organic layers over the substrate, wherein at least a first portion of the one or more organic layers is between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode and at least a second portion of the one or more organic layers includes an optical layer configured to attenuate energy of light corresponding to one or more wavelength ranges.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the one or more organic layers between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode includes a mechanical layer.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the movable electrode includes a reflective layer over the mechanical layer.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the optical layer is positioned over the reflective layer.
5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the one or more organic layers between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode includes one or more support posts.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an absorber over the movable electrode.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a substantially transparent polymer superstrate over the movable electrode.
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of optical waveguides over the absorber.
9 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the optical layer is between the movable electrode and the absorber, the optical layer having a thickness between about 1 micron and about 100 microns.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gap is substantially filled with a substantially transparent liquid.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical layer includes a plurality of particles, the particles having an average diameter between about 5 nm and about 500 nm.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the particles include at least one of: an oxide, a fluoride, and a metal.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical layer is configured to attenuate a wavelength range corresponding to green colors.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a thin film switching device between the substrate and the stationary electrode.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus forms a display, the display including:
a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and
a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display; and
a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.
17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.
18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.
19 . A method of manufacturing an electromechanical systems apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a stationary electrode over the substrate;
forming a movable electrode over the stationary electrode, wherein the movable electrode is configured to move across a gap between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode by electrostatic actuation; and
forming one or more organic layers over the substrate, wherein at least a first portion of the one or more organic layers is between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode and at least a second portion of the one or more organic layers includes an optical layer configured to attenuate energy of light corresponding to one or more wavelength ranges.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein forming the one or more organic layers includes forming the one or more organic layers with an additive processing technique.
21 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
forming the gap between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode, wherein forming the gap includes removing a sacrificial layer using an orthogonal solvent.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the sacrificial layer includes a fluorinated polymer, and wherein removing the sacrificial layer includes patterning the fluorinated polymer.
23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
forming one or more release holes in the one or more organic layers, the one or more release holes configured to permit entry of the orthogonal solvent to remove the sacrificial layer; and
covering the one or more release holes by lamination after removing the sacrificial layer.
24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first portion of the one or more organic layers between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode includes a mechanical layer and one or more support posts.
25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the optical layer includes a plurality of particles, the particles having an average diameter between about 5 nm and about 500 nm.