Light modulation element, array-type light modulation element, and flat-panel display unit

A light modulation element comprising:

• a transparent substrate transparent for modulated light;
• a fixed wall being placed upright on said transparent substrate and having electrical conductivity;
• a shield film being placed with an opening as a light modulation area left outside the area where said fixed wall is placed upright on said transparent substrate;
• a needle being supported movably in a roughly horizontal direction above the opening and having a shield property and electrical conductivity;
• and
• needle move means for applying a voltage to a space between said fixed wall and said needle, thereby moving said needle by an electrostatic force for changing the shield area covering the opening, characterized in that
• as said needle is moved, a transmission factor of light passing through the light modulation area is changed for executing light modulation.

A light modulation element comprising:

• a transparent substrate transparent for modulated light;
• a plurality of needles having electric conductivity being placed with a predetermined spacing on a plane opposed to said transparent substrate, parts of said needles being supported on said transparent substrate;
• first shield portions each being provided for each of said needles;
• second shield portions being placed with openings left in light modulation areas over-lapping said needles above said transparent substrate;
• and
• needle move means for applying voltage to said needles, thereby attracting and moving said adjacent needles by an electrostatic force, characterized in that
• as said needles are moved, a transmission factor of light passing through the light modulation area is changed for executing light modulation.

A light modulation element comprising:

• a transparent substrate transparent for modulated light;
• a plurality of needles having electric conductivity being placed with a predetermined spacing on a plane opposed to said transparent substrate, parts of said needles being supported on said transparent substrate;
• first shield portions each being provided for each of said needles;
• second shield portions having electric conductivity being placed with openings left in light modulation areas overlapping said needles above said transparent substrate;
• and
• needle move means for applying voltage to said needles and said second shield portions, thereby moving said needles to positions overlapping said second shield portions roughly in parallel with said transparent substrate by an electrostatic force, characterized in that as said needles are moved, a transmission factor of light passing through the light modulation area is changed for executing light modulation.

A light modulation element comprising:

• a transparent substrate transparent for modulated light;
• a moving grid comprising a plurality of slits formed by arranging a plurality of grid plates, each having a shield property and spaced from each other, said moving grid having at least a part having electrical conductivity;
• support members that movably support said moving grid over said transparent substrate in an arrangement direction of said grid plates;
• shield film strips formed on said transparent substrate;
• electrodes electrically connected to said moving grid;
• and
• an actuator that moves said moving grid in the arrangement direction of the grid plates by an electrostatic force generated by applying drive voltages to said electrodes;
• and wherein as said moving grid is moved, a transmission factor of light passing through said slits is changed for executing light modulation.

A light modulation element comprising:

• a transparent substrate transparent for modulated light;
• a plurality of needles having electric conductivity arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a plane opposed to said transparent substrate, and movable in an arrangement direction of said needles;
• first shield portions, one provided for each of said needles;
• second shield portions arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a plane substantially parallel to the plane in which said needles are arranged;
• and wherein a relative movement between said first shield portions and second shield portions in an arrangement direction of said needles changes a transmission factor of light passing through said light modulation element;
• and
• an actuator that moves said needles in the arrangement direction of said needles by an electrostatic force generated by applying voltages to said needles.