Semi-transparent/transflective lighted interferometric devices

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a device is provided that utilizes both interferometrically reflected light and transmitted light. Light incident on the device is interferometrically reflected from a plurality of layers of the device to emit light in a first direction, the interferometrically reflected light having a first color. Light from a light source is transmitted through the plurality of layers of the device to emit from the device in the first direction, the transmitted light having a second color.

1 . A device comprising:
 a substrate that is at least partially optically transparent;   a first layer that is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the first layer being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first layer;   a second layer disposed such that the first layer is between the substrate and the second layer, the second layer being partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first layer to the second layer; and   a light source configured to emit a third portion of light, the light source disposed to emit the third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction and disposed such that the second layer is between the light source and the first layer;   wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer has a thickness in the range of 30 to 300 Angstroms. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the second layer comprises aluminum and has a thickness less than 300 Angstroms 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer is selectively movable so as to change a spacing between the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of light and the second portion of light interfere to produce light of a color that is different than a color of the third portion of light. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is responsive to a signal by changing from emitting light of a first selected color to emitting light of a second selected color that is different than the first selected color. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is configured to reflect in a second direction a fourth portion of light that is incident on the second layer and transmitted through the second layer to the first layer. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the second layer is configured to reflect in the second direction a fifth portion of light that is incident on the second layer. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the second direction is generally opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the fourth portion of light comprises light emitted by the light source. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the fifth portion of light comprises light emitted by the light source. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a third layer over the substrate and spaced from the first layer and from the second layer, wherein the third layer is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, and wherein the third layer is between the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a thickness in the range of 50 to 60 Angstroms. 
     
     
         14 . A device comprising;
 a substrate;   first means for partially absorbing light, partially reflecting light, and partially transmitting light, the first means being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first means;   second means for partially absorbing light, partially reflecting light, and partially transmitting light, the second means being disposed such that the first means is between the substrate and the second means, the second means configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first means to the second layer; and   means for generating light, the light generating means configured to emit a third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction and disposed such that the second means is between the first means and the light generating means,   wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light generating means emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light generating means does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the light generating means comprises a light source responsive to a signal and disposed relative to the substrate such that the first means and the second means are between the light source and the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first means comprises a first layer having a thickness in the range of 50 to 60 Angstroms. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the second means comprises a second layer having a thickness in the range of 30 to 300 Angstroms. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion of light and the second portion of light interfere to produce light of a color that is different than a color of the third portion of light. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first means is configured to reflect in a second direction a fourth portion of light that is incident on the second means and transmitted through the second means to the first means. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the second means is configured to reflect in the second direction a fifth portion of light that is incident on the second means. 
     
     
         21 . A method of displaying an image, the method comprising:
 providing a device comprising
 a substrate that is at least partially optically transparent, 
 a first layer that is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the first layer being configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that is incident on the substrate and transmitted through the substrate to the first layer, and 
 a second layer disposed such that the first layer is between the substrate and the second layer, the second layer being partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, the second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that is incident on the substrate and passes through the substrate and the first layer to the second layer; 
   emitting from a light source a third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction,   wherein the light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising sending a signal to the light source, the signal controlling the emission of the third portion of light from the light source. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first layer has a thickness in the range of 50 to 60 Angstroms. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second layer has a thickness in the range of 30 to 300 Angstroms. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the second layer comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first layer is configured to reflect in a second direction a fourth portion of light that is incident on the second layer and transmitted through the second layer to the first layer. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the second layer is configured to reflect in the second direction a fifth portion of light that is incident on the second layer. 
     
     
         28 . A device comprising:
 a substrate;   an interferometric modulator having a first layer configured to reflect in a first direction a first portion of light that passes through the substrate and is incident on the first layer and a second layer configured to reflect in the first direction a second portion of light that passes through the substrate and is incident on the second layer, the first layer being between the substrate and the second layer; and   a light source disposed such that the interferometric modulator is between the substrate and the light source, the light source configured to emit a third portion of light through the substrate in the first direction in response to a signal,   wherein a light emitted from the device in the first direction is of a first color when the light source emits the third portion of light and is of a second color when the light source does not emit the third portion of light, the second color being different from the first color.   
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the second layer has a thickness in the range of 30 to 300 Angstroms. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the second layer comprises aluminum and has a thickness less than 300 Angstroms 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 28 , further comprising a dielectric layer located between the first layer and the second layer, the dielectric layer at least partially optically transparent. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer is selectively movable so as to change a spacing between the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first portion of light and the second portion of light interfere to produce light of a color that is different than a color of the third portion of light. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the light source is responsive to a signal by changing from emitting light of a first selected color to emitting light of a second selected color that is different than the first selected color. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first layer is configured to reflect in a second direction a fourth portion of light that is incident on the second layer and transmitted through the second layer to the first layer. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the second layer is configured to reflect in the second direction a fifth portion of light that is incident on the second layer. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 28 , further comprising a third layer over the substrate and spaced from the first layer and from the second layer, wherein the third layer is partially optically absorptive, partially optically reflective, and partially optically transmissive, and wherein the third layer is between the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the first layer has a thickness in the range of 50 to 60 Angstroms.