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AssigneeE Ink Corporation
InventorsJoseph M. Jacobson, Anthony E. Pullen, Thomas H. Whitesides, Paul S. Drzaic, Ian D. Morrison, Jianna Wang, Caprice L. Gray
Estimating the term…
An electrophoretic display comprises a fluid and a plurality of nanoparticles having diameters substantially less the wavelengths of visible light such that, when the nanoparticles are in a dispersed state and uniformly dispersed throughout the fluid, the fluid presents a first optical characteristic, but when the nanoparticles are in an aggregated state in which they are gathered into aggregates substantially larger than the individual nanoparticles, the fluid presents a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic. The electrophoretic display further comprises at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the nanoparticle-containing fluid and thereby move the nanoparticles between their dispersed and aggregated states. Various compound particles comprising multiple nanoparticles, alone or in combination with larger objects, and processes for the preparation of such compound particles, are also described.
A nanoparticle assembly comprising a nanoparticle, a second particle and a tether connecting the nanoparticle to the second particle, the tether having first and second states differing in electrical conductivity such that at least one optical characteristic of the nanoparticle assembly changes when the tether is varied from its first state to its second state.
An electro-optic medium comprising:
A nanoparticle assembly comprising a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in a polymeric medium or gel, the medium or gel having first and second states differing in electrical conductivity such that at least one optical characteristic of the nanoparticle assembly changes when the medium or gel is varied from its first to its second state.
An electrophoretic display comprising a fluid containing a plurality of nanoparticles and at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the fluid and thereby move the nanoparticles through the fluid the nanoparticles having diameters substantially less than the wavelengths of visible light, the diameters of the nanoparticles being such that, when the nanoparticles are in a dispersed state and uniformly dispersed throughout the fluid they display a low level of light scattering so that the fluid presents a first optical characteristic, but when the nanoparticles are in an aggregated state in which they are gathered into aggregates substantially larger than the individual nanoparticles, the nanoparticles display a substantially increased level of light scattering so that the fluid presents a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic, the electric field being effective to move the nanoparticles between their dispersed and aggregated states.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.