公开(公告)号：EP0800106A3

公开(公告)日：1998-10-14

申请号：EP97302004

申请日：1997-03-25

Applicant: LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC

Inventor： KOLODNER PAUL ROBERT ,  ROUSSEAU DENNIS LAWRENCE

IPC: G02F1/23 ,  G02F1/15 ,  G02F1/19

CPC classification number: G02F1/15

Abstract: A new type of optical switching and display device (10) uses an active layer (15) comprising electrochromic protein. In essence, the device comprises a cell composed of an electroded back wall (11,12) and a transparent front wall (13) including a transparent electrode region (14). A film (15) comprising electrochromic protein is disposed between the two electrodes. In the absence of voltage between the two electrodes, the film reflects light of a first color. If a voltage is applied, the color of the reflected light changes. Because the device uses reflected light rather than transmitted light, backlighting is not required, and the device is highly efficient as compared with conventional LCDs.