Method of making a reflective display device using thin film transistor production techniques
OwnerClarence Chuiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
MEMS devices (such as interferometric modulators) may be fabricated using thin film transistor (TFT) manufacturing techniques. In an embodiment, a MEMS manufacturing process includes identifying a TFT production line and arranging for the manufacture of MEMS devices on the TFT production line. In another embodiment, an interferometric modulator is at least partially fabricated on a production line previously configured for TFT production.
Claims42
A MEMS manufacturing process, comprising:
- identifying a thin film transistor production line at a first manufacturing plant;
- and
- arranging for the first manufacturing plant to manufacture a partially fabricated interferometric modulator on the thin film transistor production line.
A method of making an interferometric modulator, comprising:
- at least partially fabricating a thin film transistor on a production line;
- reconfiguring the production line to form a reconfigured production line;
- and
- at least partially fabricating an interferometric modulator on the reconfigured production line.
A method of making an interferometric modulator, comprising:
- receiving a partially fabricated interferometric modulator at a second production line, the partially fabricated interferometric modulator having been made on a first production line configured for at least partially fabricating a non-interferometric device;
- and
- subjecting the partially fabricated interferometric modulator to at least one manufacturing step on the second production line.
A method for making an interferometric modulator, comprising fabricating a partially fabricated interferometric modulator on a reconfigured production line, the reconfigured production line having been previously configured for at least partially fabricating a thin film transistor.
A method of manufacturing a plurality of partially fabricated interferometric modulators, comprising:
- depositing a first electrode onto a glass substrate, the first electrode being substantially free of indium tin oxide;
- depositing an insulating layer onto the first electrode, depositing a sacrificial layer onto the insulating layer;
- and
- depositing a second electrode onto the sacrificial layer;
- the first electrode being patterned into rows and the second electrode being patterned into columns that overlap the rows, the rows and columns having an overlap area of at least about 50%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.