Method and system for packaging a display

Abstract

A package structure and method of packaging for an interferometric modulator. A transparent substrate having an interferometric modulator formed thereon is provided. A backplane is joined to the transparent substrate with a seal where the interferometric modulator is exposed to the surrounding environment through an opening in either the backplane or the seal. The opening is sealed after the transparent substrate and backplane are joined and after any desired desiccant, release material, and/or self-aligning monolayer is introduced into the package structure.

1 . A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based device, comprising:
 a transparent substrate;   modulating means for modulating light transmitted through the transparent substrate;   covering means for covering the modulating means; and   sealing means for joining the covering means to the transmissive means to form a package, and wherein either the covering means or the sealing means includes an aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the covering means includes a backplane. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the backplane is a thin-film backplane. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing means includes an adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one desiccant injected into the package through the aperture before the aperture is sealed. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the covering means has desiccant applied on an interior surface. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is formed of at least one of a metal cap, a polymer or a solder. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is formed of a material having a lower viscosity than that of the sealing means. 
     
     
         9 . A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based device, comprising:
 a transparent substrate having a MEMS device formed thereon;   a backplane; and   a seal configured to join the backplane to the transparent substrate to encapsulate the microelectromechanical device within a package, wherein either the backplane or seal has an aperture.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  further comprising a desiccant injected into the package through the aperture before the aperture is sealed. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the backplane has desiccant applied on an interior surface. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the aperture is formed of at least one of a metal cap, a solder or a polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the aperture is formed of a material having a lower viscosity than that of the seal. 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a display device, comprising:
 providing a transparent substrate having a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device formed thereon;   joining a backplane to the transparent substrate to form a package by applying a seal between the backplane and the transparent substrate, wherein the MEMS device is encapsulated by the package and the package has at least one aperture; and   reducing water content in the package by introducing a gas through the at least one aperture.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising sealing the at least one aperture after introducing the gas. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the package has at least two apertures, and wherein water vapor exits the package through one of the at least two apertures. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the gas is an inert gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein reducing water content further comprises removing water vapor from the package through the at least one aperture prior to introducing the gas. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein removing water vapor from the package includes providing at least a partial vacuum around the package. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one aperture is in the seal, the backplane, or the transparent substrate. 
     
     
         21 . A display device made by the method of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         22 . A display device, comprising:
 a transparent substrate;   modulating means for modulating light transmitted through the transparent substrate;   covering means for covering the modulating means; and   sealing means for joining the covering means to the transparent substrate to encapsulate the modulating means within a package, wherein the package has at least one endseal, and wherein the at least one endseal is configured to allow gas to flow therethrough to remove moisture content prior to the at least one endseal being sealed.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the endseal is in the transparent substrate. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the covering means includes a backplane. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the backplane is a thin-film backplane. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the sealing means includes an adhesive. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the package has at least two endseals and one of the endseals is configured to allow an inert gas to be introduced into the package and another of the endseals is configured to allow water vapor to exit the package prior to the endseals being sealed. 
     
     
         28 . A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based device, comprising:
 a transparent substrate having a MEMS device formed thereon;   a backplane; and   a seal joining the backplane to the transparent substrate to encapsulate the MEMS device within a package, wherein the seal is applied between the backplane and the transparent substrate and the package has at least one endseal, wherein the at least one endseal is configured to allow gas to flow therethrough to remove moisture content within the package prior to the at least one endseal being sealed.   
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one endseal is in the seal or in the transparent substrate. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the package has at least two endseals and one of the endseals is configured to allow an inert gas to be introduced into the package and another of the endseals is configured to allow water vapor to exit the package prior to the endseals being sealed.