Switchable grating based on electrophoretic particle system
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsMark Thomas Johnson, Sander Jurgen Roosendaal, Patrick John Bsesjou, Dirk Kornelis Gerhardus De Boer
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Abstract
A switchable optical component (10) includes a substrate (18) forming a cavity (14). The substrate (18) is configured with a structured surface (24, 26) adjacent to the cavity, and the substrate has a first index of refraction. A fluid (16) contacts the structured surface. Particles (12) are selectively dispersible in the fluid such that a first concentration of particles in the fluid enables the structured surface to provide an optical effect, and a second concentration of particles in the fluid disables the optical effect.
Claims28
A switchable optical component, comprising:
- a substrate (18) forming a cavity (14), the substrate being configured with a structured surface (24, 26) adjacent to the cavity and the substrate having a first index of refraction;
- a fluid (16) in contact with the structured surface;
- and
- particles (12) selectively dispersible in the fluid such that a first concentration of particles in the fluid enables the structured surface to provide an optical effect and a second concentration of particles in the fluid disables the optical effect.
A switchable diffraction grating, comprising:
- a substrate (18) forming a cavity (14), the substrate being configured with a diffraction grating profile (24, 26) adjacent to the cavity and the substrate having a first index of refraction;
- a fluid (16) in contact with the grating profile;
- electrophoretic particles (12) selectively dispersible in the fluid such that a first concentration of particles in the fluid enables the grating profile to provide an optical effect and a second concentration of particles in the fluid disables the optical effect;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes (20, 22, or 102, 104) disposed adjacent to the cavity wherein the particles are dispersed in the fluid by altering voltages on the electrodes.
A method for operating a switchable optical component, comprising:
- providing (402) an in-plane electrophoretic device having a substrate forming a cavity where the substrate is configured with a grating profile adjacent to the cavity and the substrate has a first index of refraction;
- contacting (406) the grating profile with a fluid;
- and
- selectively dispersing particles (410) in the fluid such that a first concentration of particles in the fluid enables the grating profile to provide an optical effect and a second concentration of particles disables the optical effect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.