Micro-electromechanical based bistable color display sheets

A method of forming a micro-electromechanical shutter assembly comprising:

• patterning a first conductive layer with vertical sidewalls which form a cavity;
• patterning a second conductive layer located below the vertical sidewalls into the form of a shutter, the shutter having at least two shutter segments connected to a shutter body through springs which allow for movement of the segments;
• forming a spacer layer below the second conductive layer;
• providing an electrically insulating bottom layer below the spacer layer such that a gap is formed between the second conductive layer and the bottom layer;
• forming an electrode terminal on the first conductive layer in order to supply a bias voltage, the bias voltage causing at least one of the shutter segments to move from a horizontal position at substantially 0 degrees to a vertical position at substantially 90 degrees;
• and
• forming addressing lines on at least one of the shutter and bottom layer to supply addressing signals, the addressing signals selectively causing at least one of the shutter segments in the vertical position at substantially 90 degrees to be moved to the horizontal position at substantially 0 degrees.

A shutter assembly array for use in a display device, the shutter assembly array comprising:

• a plurality of shutter assemblies including,
• a transparent face plate layer provided to protect the shutter assemblies from environmental effects,
• a first conductive layer located below the transparent face plate, patterned with vertical sidewalls which define a cavity,
• a second conductive layer located below the first conductive layer patterned in the shape of a shutter including shutter segments suspended by springs, the shutter formed near the bottom of the cavity,
• a spacer layer located below the second conductive layer, and
• an electrically insulating bottom layer located below the spacer layer, whereby the spacer layer defines a gap between the second conductive layer and the bottom layer;
• an electrical terminal which provides a selectively actuated bias voltage to each shutter assembly, wherein the first conductive layer of each shutter assembly is common to each other shutter assembly of the array;
• row address lines connected to the shutters of each shutter assembly of the array, to provide row address signals to selected shutter assemblies of the array;
• and
• column address lines carried on the bottom layer of each shutter assembly of the array, to provide column address signals to selected shutter assemblies of the array.

A micro-electromechanical shutter assembly display comprising:

• a conductive cavity having substantially planar conductive sidewalls;
• a plurality of shutter segments located within the cavity, the shutter segments being substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls when in a first position;
• a conductive electrode film located below the shutter segments, in a position substantially parallel to the shutter segments in the first position;
• wherein when no voltage is applied the sidewalls, shutter segments and the conductive electrode film of the shutter segments remain in the first position;
• wherein when a critical bias voltage is applied between the sidewall and shutter segments the shutter segments are moved to a second position substantially parallel and into contact with the sidewalls;
• and
• wherein when the critical bias voltage is applied between the sidewall and shutter segments, and a critical segments voltage is applied to selected shutter segments, the selected shutter segments are maintained or moved to the first position, and the shutter segments which were not selected are maintained or moved to the second position.