RESONANT MEMBRANE SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS

THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN HIGH SPEED, LOW COST SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS WITH APPLICATIONS INCLUDING OPTICAL PROCESSING, HOLOGRAPHIC MEMORIES, HDTV, AND FLAT-PANEL DISPLAYS. THESE SLMS ARE MICRO-MECHANICAL AND WILL BE FABRICATED ON GLASS OR PLASTIC SUBSTRATES USING EFFICIENT DIELECTRIC MATERIALS AND MATURE, LOW-COST/HIGH VOLUME VACUUM COATING TECHNOLOGIES. CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDE SUB-MICROSECOND SPEEDS, PIXEL SIZES OF 20 MICRONS, OPTICAL EFFICIENCIES >95%, AND SUBSTRATES > 1 METER IN SIZE. TRANSISTORS WILL NOT BE REQUIRED AT EACH PIXEL, REALIZING TWO MAJOR ADVANTAGES. FIRST, YIELDS FOR LARGE SCANNED DISPLAYS, SUCH AS THOSE USED IN LAPTOPS, ARE INCREASED TENFOLD. SECOND, THE NEED FOR MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR OPTICAL STEPPERS REQUIRED FOR AMLCDS IS ELIMINATED. HIGH OPTICAL EFFICIENCIES WILL PRECLUDE THE USE OF BACKLIGHTING AND MAKE POSSIBLE DAZZLINGLY BRIGHT ARRAYS RANGING IN SIZE FROM "WATCHMEN" TO BILLBOARDS, IN INDOOR AMBIENT OR RAW SUNLIGHT CONDITIONS.