MINIATURE HIGH RESOLUTION VIEWSCREEN CANTILEVER I.C.

CIRCUIT INTEGRE FLEXIBLE MINIATURE POUR ECRAN A HAUTE DEFINITION

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A miniature single
monolithic chip is to be used
to create a viewscreen for
computers, television or
video applications. The image
is formed by the bending of
individual cantilever arms
configured in a two
dimensional array. The
bending is activated with
heat caused by the
application of electricity on
a heating or piezoelectric
element which has been
deposited on the arm.
Advantages of this system
are higher contrast, greater
viewing angle, and capablity
of being reflected onto
another viewing surface.

Claims

general and specific features
of the invention herein
described, and all
statements of the scope of
the invention which, as a
matter of language, might be
said to fall therebetween.
1. To have invented a
monolithic high density, high
resolution display chip.
2. To have invented an array
of heating elements in this
chip which can be addressed
by matrix.
3. To have each pixel element
change colour of light
reflecting from, or being
passed through miniature
cantilever arms, with
miniature vertical walls
called shutters, fins or other
vertical components whose
angle changes with the
bending of the cantilever
arm.
4. To have made an optical
system with the ability to
enlarge the above mentioned
high resolution image.
CLAIMS:
It is understood that the
following claims are
intended to cover all of the

Description

2~17~
poor display by the bending
of a hi ghl y ref 1 ecti ve
cantilever arm ~hich stops
ref 1 ecti ng 1 i ght by
positioning shutters, fins or
other vertical components,
that are deposited vertically
on the arms, in the way of
the reflective part of the
arm. When the arm i s ~t a
rest the light is reflected
fully between the shutter
~lements and the display is
at i ts bri ghtest. Non-
ref l ecti ng shutters are
mounted vertically on the
arm and do not normally
obstruct the reflection of
light ~s they are very thin.
On the surf ace of the arm
there is a heating element
SPEC I F I CAT I QN usually resistive in nature,
that wh0n heated b~ the
This invention relates to an application of electricity
apparatus and a method for causes the arm to bend. This
producing a display from a bending causes the shutters
single miniature high lncat0d on the arm to
resolution monolithic chip obstruct the light path since
using wafer fabrication type they are now at an angle to
technology. A normal high- that light path while still
contrast type viewscreen being perpendicular to the
(like a cathode ray tube in a bent arm. These arms are
TV),while giving good display very srnall and many are
characteristic's is large ~nd utilized to cons~ruct an
bulky. On the the other hand a image. An image is formedliquid crystal display is very when some of these arms are
portable and narrow but completely bent to their
suf f ers f rom l ow contrast rnaxi mum l i rni t, others are
¦ and poor viewing angle. This bent only a variety of
invention solves the problem distances and others are bent
i ~ of bulky construction and not at all. The tiny arms are
i
;',

2 ~ 7 ~
arranged in rows and a projection type display
columns forming a matrix. where the light source is
posi ti oned behi nd the chi p
Each pixel (or arm) can be and light passes through a
a d d re s s e d b y a p p 1 y i n 9 transl ucent or transparent
electric~ty through the cantilever arm and between
individual wires of the rows the vertical shutters. To
and columns. The cantilver produce ~ black dot the
arms are arranged in a 2 cantilever arm bends and th0
dimensional srray and can shutters cut off the light.
produce a miniature screen This h~s simular advantages
which can be magnified in an as to the above LCD and other
apparatus to produce a much projection type displays.
larger imoge for viewing.
Two intergrated circuits DRAWINGS
might even be used and
magnified for each eye to Reference is first made to
produce 2 ~ 3 dimensional Fig. 1 which illustrates the
affects. The advantage of basic layout of the apparatus
this over a LCD type in accordance with the
magnified image (ie: virtual invention. The monolithic die
reality type goggle or other (1) is shown to consist of an
apparatus) are that the array of heating or resistor
intergrated circuit of this elements layed out on
invention will be much cantilever arms (2). These
cheaper to produce since it resistors would be matrix
can be mass produced using addressed (3) by means of
waf0r fabrication type shift resistors (4). The
technology, while LCD must cantilever arms (7) are
use liquid crystals mounted or etched with
sandwhiched between 2 vertical shutters-~(5). When
panes of transparent the arm is bent (8) the
materi al . shutters (5) are angl ed i nto
the light path (9) thus
This also requires the LCD cutting off the reflection of
display to have a much larger light (6).
sized display pixel while the
pixel size of this invention Fig.2 gives 8 general idea as
can be made much smaller,ie: to the layout of the invention
it is only limited to the as described herein. A lens
re s o l u t i o n o f t h e system ( 1 ) is implemented to
lithographic technology. This magnify the image of the
screen could also be used as
''''.' ,''' " ' ';'' ' . :: ~ ; ~ ,- , " , ~ ' :
' .' ;, , , : ' '.'. : ,

2n~l74
monol i thi c di e (2) thus
creating an im~ginary image.
Fig.3 shows how a projection
is done showing a side view
in which the light source (3)
is going through the
transparent arm ( 1 ) (when
the shutters (4) are not
obstructing the light (3)
and is blocked when the arm
is bent (2).
Fig.4 shows just some of
the possible array
configurations. The top view
(1) shows the cantilever arm
(2) placed over a cavity
(3).Shutters maybe mounted
as shown on top of the arm.
The arm and/or cavity maybe
translucent or transparent
depending on whether it is
being wsed in a projection
type di spl ay. Another
possible configuration shows
how the arms (2~ can be
interwoven. Many patterns
can be formed and are not
limited to these sparticular
schemes.
~. ,:. ~, ;.. .. . . .

Representative Drawing