SBIR Phase I: Low Cost, High Definition Display Element for Projection Display Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase I proposes using micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology to make low cost, high definition display elements in the application of digital projector display. In the proposal, the display uses electrostatically-actuated light modulators in which a beam of light is directed towards a light valve target, e.g., an array of micromirrors. The micromirrors response to a video addressing signal, imparts a modulation onto the light beam in proportion to the amplitude of the deflection of the individual reflective micromirrors. The amplitude or phase modulated beam is then passed through projection optics to form the image. The digital projector display market, including business projectors, televisions, and portable Displays, has been growing continuously, and reached the size of ~$4 billion in 2002. The key Performance criteria for displays are brightness, contrast ratio, resolution, uniformity, and optical Efficiency. The market for low cost, high brightness projection display is expected to grow at a rate of 120% until 2005. In 2005, the estimated market size is ~6 million units for home projectors only, about 60 times of the market size in 2001 (98,000 units).