Electro-optical measurement of hysteresis in interferometric modulators
AssigneeIdc, LLC
InventorsWilliam Cummings, Brian Gally
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for testing interferometric modulators. The interferometric modulators may be tested by applying a time-varying voltage stimulus and measuring the resulting reflectivity from the modulators.
Claims38
A method of testing a plurality of interferometric modulators, comprising:
- applying a triangular voltage waveform to the interferometric modulators;
- and
- detecting reflectivity of light from the interferometric modulators.
A method of determining electrical parameters for driving a plurality of inteferometric modulators, comprising:
- applying a time-varying voltage stimulus to the interferometric modulators;
- detecting reflectivity of light from the interferometric modulators;
- and
- determining one or more electrical parameters from said reflectivity of light in response to said time-varying voltage stimulus, the electrical parameters indicative of electrical parameters sufficient to cause a change in state of the interferometric modulators.
A method of testing a plurality of interferometric modulator structures, comprising:
- applying a time-varying voltage waveform to the interferometric modulators;
- detecting reflectivity of light from the interferometric modulators;
- determining reflectivity of light as a function of voltage;
- and
- identifying the plurality of interferometric modulators as of sufficient quality for use in a display based on said determining.
A system for testing a plurality of interferometric modulators, comprising:
- an illumination source adapted to provide incident light to a plurality of interferometric modulators;
- a voltage source adapted to apply enough voltage to the interferometric modulators so as to change their state;
- and
- an optical detector adapted to detect light reflected from the plurality of interferometric modulators.
A method of testing a plurality of inteferometric modulators, comprising:
- applying a time-varying voltage waveform to the interferometric modulators;
- detecting reflectivity of light from the interferometric modulators;
- repeating said applying and detecting steps one or more times;
- averaging at least a portion of the detected reflectivity;
- and
- determining one or more electrical parameters from said averaged reflectivity.
A method of testing a color interferometric modulator display, the display comprising a plurality of sub-pixel types, each sub-pixel type corresponding to a different color, the method comprising:
- applying a time-varying voltage waveform to one sub-pixel type;
- detecting reflectivity of light from said sub-pixel type;
- determining one or more electrical parameters from said detecting;
- and
- repeating said applying, detecting, and determining steps for another sub-pixel type.
A method of testing a plurality of interferometric modulators, comprising:
- a means for applying a time-varying voltage waveform to the interferometric modulators;
- a means for detecting reflectivity of light from the interferometric modulators;
- and
- a means for determining one or more parameters based on said detected reflectivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.