Asymmetric driving for optical modulator
AssigneeElstar Dynamics Patents B.V.
InventorsAnatolie Mitioglu, Anthony John Slack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments are directed to an electrophoretic optical modulator with asymmetric electrode driving. Electric AC signals are applied to multiple electrodes on at least two substrates to obtain an electric field between the substrates. The amplitudes of the electric AC signals are modulated causing a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes.
Claims20
An electrophoretic optical modulator with asymmetric electrode driving, the optical modulator comprising at least a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite thereto, an optical layer arranged between the first and second substrates that comprises a fluid comprising particles, the particles being electrically charged or chargeable, multiple interdigitated electrodes being arranged across each of the first and second substrate, and a controller configured to apply an electric AC signal to the multiple electrodes to obtain an electric field between the multiple electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from one of the multiple electrodes causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator, wherein
- the controller is configured to modulate the amplitudes of the electric AC signals applied to the multiple electrodes on the substrates,
- wherein
- modulating the amplitudes causes a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes, wherein the low-electric field region is a region where particle movement with respect to the electrodes is static, or
- modulating the amplitudes causes a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes, wherein an electric field strength in the low-electric field region of the optical layer is 25% or less than the maximal electric field strength in the optical layer.
A controller configured for controlling asymmetric AC signals for an electrophoretic optical modulator, the optical modulator comprising at least a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite thereto, an optical layer arranged between the first and second substrates that comprises a fluid comprising particles, the particles being electrically charged or chargeable, multiple interdigitated electrodes being arranged across each of the first and second substrate, the controller being configured to apply electric AC signals to the multiple electrodes to obtain an electric field between the multiple electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from one of the multiple electrodes causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator, wherein the controller is configured to modulate the amplitudes of the electric AC signals applied to the multiple electrodes on the substrates
- wherein
- modulating the amplitudes causes a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes, wherein the low-electric field region is a region where particle movement with respect to the electrodes is static, or
- modulating the amplitudes causes a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes, wherein an electric field strength in the low-electric field region of the optical layer is 25% or less than the maximal electric field strength in the optical layer.
A method of controlling an electrophoretic optical modulator with asymmetric electrode driving, the optical modulator comprising at least a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite thereto, an optical layer arranged between the first and second substrates that comprises a fluid comprising particles, the particles being electrically charged or chargeable, multiple interdigitated electrodes being arranged across each of the first and second substrate, the method comprising:
- causing electric AC signals to apply to the multiple electrodes to obtain an electric field between the multiple electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from one of the multiple electrodes causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator,
- modulating the amplitudes of the electric AC signals applied to the multiple electrodes on the substrates wherein
- modulating the amplitudes causes a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes, wherein the low-electric field region is a region where particle movement with respect to the electrodes is static, or
- modulating the amplitudes causes a low-electric field region to move with respect to the electrodes, wherein an electric field strength in the low-electric field region of the optical layer is 25% or less than the maximal electric field strength in the optical layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.