Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To minimize diffracted light in a switching direction with respect to a mobile micromirror and a micromirror array in a projection display device or the like. SOLUTION: A micromirror being not rectangular is adopted in order to minimize diffraction of light in the switching direction, namely, diffraction of light to a light receiving cone of a light condensing system. In order to minimize the cost of an irradiation system and the size of a display unit, a light source is arranged perpendicularly to rows (or columns) of an array or perpendicularly to a side of a frame demarcating an effective area of the array. Incident light is not practically perpendicular to side surfaces of individual micromirrors in the array. Perpendicular side surfaces diffract incident light in the direction of micromirror switching. This light diffraction decreases the contrast ratio of the micromirror, and thus an improved and more compact system is obtained. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide micromirrors to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of a collection optics. SOLUTION: In the present invention, a light source is placed orthogonal to the rows (or columns) of an array, and/or the light source is placed orthogonal to a side of the frame defining the active area of the array. An incident light beam, though orthogonal to the sides of the active area, is not however, orthogonal to any substantial portion of sides of the individual micromirrors in the array. Orthogonal sides cause incident light to diffract along the direction of micromirror switching, and result in minimum light leakage into 'on' state even if the micromirrors are in the 'off' state to thereby improve a contrast ratio. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide micromirrors which are not rectangular to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of a collection optics. SOLUTION: A light source 114 is placed orthogonal to the rows (or columns) of the array, and/or the light source 114 is placed orthogonal to a side of the frame defining the active area 94 of the array. An incident light beam 116, though orthogonal to the sides of the active area, is not substantially orthogonal to any side surface of the individual micromirrors in the array. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide micromirrors which are not rectangular to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of a collection optics. SOLUTION: A light source is placed orthogonal to the rows (or columns) of the array, and/or the light source is placed orthogonal to a side of the frame defining the active area of the array. An incident light beam, though orthogonal to the sides of the active area, is not however, orthogonal to any substantial portion of sides of the individual micromirrors in the array. This structure and design suppress the light diffraction and improve contrast ratio, and the arrangement of the light source to micromirror array results in a more compact system. The micromirrors pivot in opposite direction to on and off positions, where the movement to the on position is greater than movement to the off position. A package has a window that is not parallel to the substrate upon which the micromirrors are formed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
A micro-mirror (24) is connected to a substrate (10) via a post (21), a hinge (18c), a post (16c) and metal areas (12a) and an array of the micro-mirrors is disposed in a rectangular shape with a capability of rotation around a switching axis between on and off states corresponding to pixels in a viewed image. Light is directed from a source to the mirrors non-perpendicularly to at least two sides of each mirror, while reflected light is received from collection optics. Independent claims are included for an array of movable micro-mirrors, for a method of positioning an image on a target, for a method of spatially modulating light beams, for an optical micro-mirror element, for a packaged micro-electromechanical device and for a method of making a micro-mirror.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for producing a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) grayscale or color image using a binary spatial light modulator. By staggering and re-quantizing the PWM intervals to a clock of a period based on the frame time divided by number of rows in the display, the system's peak bandwidth requirements are optimized for displays of arbitrary resolution and arbitrary choice of PWM waveform. Additionally, a gating circuit increases the optical efficiency of a spatial light modulator using this PWM method in a field-sequential color system by reducing the duration of the blanking period between color fields.
Abstract:
Micromirrors are provided which are not rectangular in order to minimize light diffraction along a direction of switching and into the acceptance cone of collection optics (115). A light source (114) is placed orthogonal to rows and columns of an array (94) though not orthogonal to any substantial portion of the sides of the micromirrors in the array. The micromirrors of the present invention result in an improved contrast ratio and the light source position results in a more compact system. The micromirrors have the ability to pivot in opposite direction to on and off positions where the movement to the on position is greater than the movement to the off position.
Abstract:
In order to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction onto the acceptance cone of the collection optics, in the present invention, micromirrors are provided which are not rectangular. Also, in order to minimize the cost of the illumination optics and the size of the display unit of the present invention, the light source is placed orthogonal to the rows (or columns) of the array, and/or the light source is placed orthogonal to a side of the frame defining the active area of the array. The incident light beam, though orthogonal to the sides of the active area, is not however, orthogonal to any substantial portion of sides of the individual micromirrors in the array. Orthogonal sides cause incident light to diffract along the direction of micromirror switching, and result in light 'leakage' into the 'on' state even if the micromirror is in the 'off' state. This light diffraction decreases the contrast ratio of the micromirror. The micromirrors of the present invention result in an improved contrast ratio, and the arrangement of the light source to micromirror array in the present invention results in a more compact system. Another feature of the invention is the ability of the micromirrors to pivot in opposite direction to on and off positions (the on position directing light to collection optics), where the movement to the on position is greater than movement to the off position. A further feature of the invention is a package for the micromirror array, the package having a window that is not parallel to the substrate upon which the micromirrors are formed. One example of the inveniton includes all the above features.