Paper white direct view display

A direct-view display, comprising:

• a background;
• an array of micromirrors, each micromirror has a top surface that absorbs light and a bottom surface that reflects light;
• an array of hinges that are adapted to rotate and switch the respective micromirrors between two stable states, a first state in which the micromirror covers a portion of the background thereby exposing the micromirror's top surface and a second state in which the micromirror substantially uncovers and exposes the portion of the background, wherein said background reflects ambient light, said micromirrors being configured in pairs that switch together so that, in said first state, their top surfaces absorb ambient light and, in said second state, their top surfaces face each other to reduce the absorption of ambient light and their bottom surfaces are exposed to reflect ambient light to and from the background;
• and
• a stability mechanism that causes said micromirrors to remain in either stable state unless and until the actuating force applied to the micromirrors is sufficient to overcome an actuation threshold.

A bistable direct-view display, comprising:

• a background;
• an array of micromirrors, each micromirror has a top surface that absorbs light and a bottom surface that reflects light;
• an array of hinges that are adapted to rotate and switch the respective micromirrors between two stable states, a first state in which the micromirror covers a portion of the background thereby exposing the micromirror's top surface and a second state in which the micromirror substantially uncovers and exposes the portion of the background, wherein said background reflects ambient light, said micromirrors being configured in pairs that switch together so that, in said first state, their top surfaces absorb ambient light and, in said second state, their top surfaces face each other to reduce the absorption of ambient light and their bottom surfaces are exposed to reflect ambient light to and from the background;
• a bistable mechanism that causes said micromirrors to remain in either stable state unless and until an actuating force is applied to the micromirrors that is sufficient to overcome an actuation threshold;
• and
• a controller that applies a first potential to the micromirrors a row at a time to enable that row and applies a second potential to each column of micromirrors to produce an actuating force on the micromirrors in the enabled row that exceeds the actuation threshold and actuate the enabled mirrors between their two stable states, the actuating forces on the micromirrors in the remaining non-enabled rows being insufficient to overcome the actuation threshold so that the non-enabled mirrors remain in their current stable state.