Microstructures With Assisting Optical Lenses

Abstract

A microstructure to interact with electromagnetic waves by changing optical aspect in selected areas in response to an external signal, the microstructure comprising: a plurality of responsive elements, each responsive element capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an applied external signal, a support substrate containing the responsive elements; and a plurality of assisting optical lenses each optically enlarging an image from the responsive elements associated with the assisting optical lens.

1 . A display which can communicate visual information by changing color in selected areas responsive to an electromagnetic field, the display comprising: 
 a plurality of chromatic display particles being visible on the surface of the display, each display particle capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an applied electromagnetic field, and being optically reflective and substantially non-transmissive in each of the two optical aspects;    a support substrate containing the chromatic display particles, the support substrate having a surface structure which defines receiving positions for the particles; and    an array of transparent lenses displaced parallel to the support substrate, with each lens corresponding to one receiving position and at least one particle, wherein the lens, the receiving position and the particle or particles in correspondence with lens together define a display unit;    wherein the support substrate has two major sides, one major side being opaque.    
   
   
       2 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein the opaque side of the support substrate comprises an opaque cover plate bonded to the rest of the support the substrate.  
   
   
       3 . The display of  claim 1 , further comprising a filler material at least partially surrounding each particle.  
   
   
       4 . A display which can communicate visual information by changing color in selected areas responsive to an electromagnetic field, the display comprising: 
 a plurality of chromatic display particles being visible on the surface of the display, each display particle capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an applied electromagnetic field, and being optically reflective and substantially non-transmissive in each of the two optical aspects;    a support substrate containing the chromatic display particles, the support substrate having a surface structure which defines receiving positions for the particles;    an array of transparent lenses displaced parallel to the support substrate, with each lens corresponding to one receiving position and at least one particle, wherein the lens, the receiving position and the particle or particles in correspondence with lens together define a display unit; and    a filler material at least partially surrounding each particle; wherein:    the filler material exerts a force on the particles, the force being sufficient to keep the particles bistable but not excessive as to prevent the particles from rotating upon the application of the electromagnetic field.    
   
   
       5 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the chromatic display particles have a particle size, and the receiving positions have a first viewing aperture which is smaller than the particle size.    
   
   
       6 . The display of  claim 5 , wherein each lens defines a second viewing aperture which is greater than the first viewing aperture.  
   
   
       7 . As method of making a structure to interact with electromagnetic waves, the method comprising: 
 making a substrate, the substrate having a plurality of cavities;    placing a plurality of responsive elements in the cavities, wherein the responsive elements are rotating particles, and when placed in the cavities each responsive element is optically anisotropic with respect to an electromagnetic wave, with each responsive element capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an external signals    forming an array of optical lenses directly on the substrate, each optical lens being connected to a said cavity; and    adding a filler material into each cavity, the filler material being selected and positioned so that the filler material exerts a force on the particles, the force being sufficient to keep the particles bistable but not excessive as to prevent the particles from a rotating upon the application of the electromagnetic field.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the structure is a visual display and the responsive elements are optically anisotropic with respect to a visible light.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the external signal is an electromagnetic field.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the substrate is three-dimensionally micro fabricated.  
   
   
       11 . The method  claim 7 , wherein each lens is a converging lens.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each optical lens enlarges an image from at least a portion of the visible side of a said display element associated with the optical lens.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of forming an array of lenses comprises: 
 placing a top layer over the cavities, the top layer comprising a lens-forming layer; and    forming an array of lenses from the lens-forming layer.    
   
   
       14 . A method of making a visual display apparatus, the method comprising: 
 making a substrate, the substrate having a plurality of cavities;    placing a plurality of optically anisotropic display elements in the cavities, and when placed in the cavities, each display element having a visible side each display element capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an external signal;    directly forming an array of optical lenses on the substrate, each optical lens being individually connected to a display unit, each optical lens further enlarging an image from at least a portion of the visible side of each element belong to the corresponding display unit; and    making the visual display apparatus optically non-transmissive.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the display elements are rotating particles.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the particles are spheroid balls,  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the substrate is three-dimensionally micro fabricated.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each lens is a converging lens.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 making the visual display apparatus optically non-transmissive comprises adding an opaque bottom layer or plate to a side of the substrate.    
   
   
       20 . A method of making a visual display apparatus, the method comprising: 
 making a substrate, the substrate having a plurality of cavities;    placing a plurality of optically anisotropic display elements in the cavities, and when placed in the cavities, each display element having a visible side each display element capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an external signal;    adding an array of optical lenses on the substrate, each optical lens being individually connected to a display unit, each optical lens further enlarging an image from at least a portion of the visible side of each element belong to the corresponding display unit; and    adding an opaque bottom layer or plate to a side of the substrate to make the visual display apparatus optically non-transmissive.