Micro Fabry Perot light modulator for flat panel display

Abstract

A new type of Fabry Perot light modulator for displays based on micro-electro-mechanical system technology is proposed. Multiple beam interference theory is used to design the modulator and analyze its characteristics. If Fabry Perot cavity length is one-quarter of the incident wavelength, the transmitted light is blocked by the modulator, and the modulator, which is illuminated from its backside, appears black. If the Fabry Perot cavity length is 0 or one-half of the incident wavelength, light may transmit the Fabry Perot modulator from its backside, and the modulator appears bright. Hence, the modulator may be used for flat panel displays. In this paper one Fabry Perot light modulator based on surface micromachining technology is introduced. The designed modulator has a contrast ratio of 150 and can theoretically be driven by a voltage of 2.4 V.

Keywords

optical micro-electro-mechanical system (optical MEMS) / Fabry Perot light modulator / interference / display

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2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg