Microelectromechanical Systems or Structures (MEMS) incorporate a set of attributes which make them uniquely suited for an expanding array of applications.The field of displays is one that has been a particular beneficiary of this class of devices. At least one display product has been introduced, and there are numerous products on the verge of being introduced or which are under development. Many segments of displays are experiencing rapid growth. Reflective displays in particular are growing in importance due to their inherent low-power consumption and ambient light performance. Unfortunately, the technical challenges for all these segments are such that traditional solutions, primarily LCD based, are limited in their ultimate performance. These are challenges for which MEMS are well suited, and there are several efforts underway to exploit this fact. One such effort, which is based on a device known as an Interferometric Modulator (IMod), is described here. A brief review of MEMS based display concepts is also included.

Date Published: 31 August 1999
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 3876, Micromachined Devices and Components V, (31 August 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.360483

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3876:
Micromachined Devices and Components V
Patrick J. French; Eric Peeters, Editor(s)