Abstract: An electrocapillary color display sheet is disclosed which utilizes three spaced apart and parallel sheets in which the medial sheet has a plurality of sets of at least two reservoirs. Each reservoir in each set holds a different color polar liquid and each liquid in each reservoir has an individual electrical contact. By selectively activating each liquid in each reservoir of each set of reservoirs, the activated liquid of the set of reservoirs will flow into a space commonly shared by the liquids of that set of reservoirs to create a colored pixel. Deactivating the liquids will cause each liquid to retreat back into its reservoir which in turn clears the colored pixel.

Abstract: A multisegmented ball for an electrical twisting ball display device made up of spheroidal balls rotatably disposed in an elastomer substrate. The ball is composed of segments arrayed substantially parallel to one another, each segment being adjacent to at least one other segment and to no more than two other segments, adjacent segments being adjoined to one another at substantially planar interfaces. The segments include a first segment having a first thickness and a first optical modulation characteristic, a second segment having a second thickness and a second optical modulation characteristic, and a third segment having a thickness different from at least one of the first and second thicknesses and an optical modulation characteristic different from at least one of the first and second optical modulation characteristics.

Abstract: An external field activated display sheet is disclosed which comprises a plurality of hourglass shaped capsules for each pixel of an image. Each hourglass shaped capsule contains ink in one of its chambers. The ink in each hourglass shaped capsule is responsive to an external field being applied across the capsule for the movement from one chamber to the other. An opaque medial sheet blocks the visibility of the ink in the chambers under the medial sheet. Applying an external field across an hourglass shaped capsule causes the ink to be moved into the chamber above the medial sheet where it is visible. By applying an external field across selective hourglass shaped cavities, an image can be displayed.

Abstract: A method for producing a canted electric field for an electrical twisting ball display device made up of electrically and optically anisotropic spheroidal balls rotatably disposed in a substrate. The display has an array of addressable elements, each array element including at least one spheroidal ball. According to the method, an array element is selected. A preferred direction of orientation is selected for balls of the selected array element, the direction of orientation forming an angle with a vector normal to a planar portion of the substrate surface in a vicinity of the selected array element, the angle being greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees.

Abstract: A multisegmented ball for an electrical twisting ball display device made up of spheroidal balls rotatably disposed in an elastomer substrate. The ball is composed of segments arrayed substantially parallel to one another. Each segment is adjacent to at least one other segment and to no more than two other segments, adjacent segments being adjoined to one another at substantially planar interfaces. Each segment has an optical modulation characteristic, the optical modulation characteristics of adjacent segments being different from one another. The segments of the ball include a first exterior segment, a second exterior segment, and a transparent interior segment.

Abstract: An electrocapillary color display sheet is disclosed which utilizes a plurality of sets of different color droplets between two sheets in which each set of droplets will create a pixel of an image. Each set of droplets has at least two droplets in which each droplet has a different color. On one of the sheets there is a first type electrode for each set of droplets. Each first type electrode has at least two holes and each hole holds one second type electrode. Each second type electrode corresponds to one droplet of the corresponding set of droplets. There is also an addressable electrical connection to each droplet. By selectively activating droplets of each set of droplets and its corresponding first type electrode and second type electrode, at least one of the droplets of the set will expand in a space commonly shared by the droplets of each set to create a colored pixel.

Abstract: The present invention consists of an electroluminescent structure and method of fabrication of that structure in materials which have an indirect bandgap in their bulk form. The processing steps can all be standard VLSI methods. Quantum columns, quantum wires or quantum dots may be formed, for example in an array, by masking, reactive ion etching and oxidation. When the semiconductor core is sufficiently thin, quantum mechanical confinement effects raise the energy and the radiative recombination efficiency of injected carriers. Tuning the core diameters allows selection of individual or multiple wavelength emission bands.

Abstract: Bichromal balls have two hemispheres, typically one black and one white, each having different electrical properties. Each ball is enclosed within a spherical shell and then a space between the ball and shell is filled with a liquid to form a microsphere so that the ball is free to rotate in response to an electrical field. The microspheres can then be mixed into a substrate which can be formed into sheets or can be applied to any kind of surface. The result is a film which can form an image from an applied electrical field.

Abstract: An addressable display system including a paper-like sheet comprising a light transparent host layer loaded with a plurality of repositionable elements, the elements are movable from a first orientation in which they will present a first visual appearance, to a second orientation in which they will present a second visual appearance, and independent external addressing means relatively movable with respect to the display sheet for affecting the orientation of the repositionable elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus form a toned image on a copy sheet using a transfer layer. An imaging member is charged and a latent electrostatic image is formed on it. Subsequently, a highly viscous or non-Newtonian liquid transfer layer is applied over the latent electrostatic image. The latent electrostatic image is then developed to form a toned image, which is subsequently transferred to the copy sheet.

Abstract: A method of forming hemispheric bichromal balls, including the steps bringing together two streams of differently colored hardenable liquids for forming a single side-by-side bichromal stream, expelling said single side-by-side bichromal stream into a fluid as one or more free jets whose forward ends becomes unstable and break up into droplets which form into spherical balls, each of the balls comprising hemispheres of differently colored hardenable liquid, and finally hardening the balls.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating hemispherically bichromal balls, comprising a separator member having opposing first and second surfaces located and an edge region in contact with both surfaces, and delivery means for flowing first and second colored hardenable liquid material over the first and second surfaces, respectively, so that the liquid materials arrive at the edge at substantially the same flow rate and form a reservoir outboard of the edge region. The reservoir comprises side-by-side regions of different colors which do not intermix. Further means is provided for propelling the first and second liquid materials away from the separator member and out of the reservoir into a fluid medium as a plurality of side-by-side bichromal streams whose forward ends become unstable and break up into droplets which form into spherical balls, each of the balls comprising hemispheres of differently colored hardenable liquid, and means for collecting the bichromal balls.

Abstract: Disclosed are ionographic imaging apparatuses and processes. One apparatus comprises an imaging means, means for applying to the imaging means a liquid material capable of forming a dielectric peel layer adhering to the imaging means, ionographic writing means for generating a latent image on the peel layer, means for developing the latent image on the peel layer, and means for simultaneously transferring the peel layer bearing the developed image from the imaging means to a substrate and affixing the peel layer bearing the developed image to the substrate.

Abstract: A xerographic marking apparatus including a charge receptor member, means for creating an electrostatic latent image on the charge receptor member, means for developing the electrostatic latent image for making it visible, and means for transfering and fixing the visible image onto a transfer sheet. The means for developing comprises first means for electrostatically depositing a colorless adhesive developer material upon the electrostatic latent image, and second means for coloring the colorless adhesive developer material.

Abstract: A marking array for use in an ionographic printer in which the transport fluid entrained ions presents a highly corrosive atmosphere to the modulation electrodes. Marking electrodes formed of an alloy of aluminum and copper wherein the copper is in the range of 0.5 to 4% exhibit a remarkably extended lifetime over unalloyed aluminum electrode.

Abstract: An improved modulation structure for the marking head of an ionographic marking aparatus for increasing the effective lifetime of the modulation electrodes in the highly corrosive atmosphere of such a device. A relative bias on the order of about 10% of the ion output cut-off bias is imposed across the ion modulation region in order to inhibit the deterioration effects of the ions on the modulation electrodes.

Abstract: A fluid jet assisted ion projection and printing apparatus wherein substantially equal numbers of positive and negative ions are generated simultaneously during a series of RF arc breakdowns which take place within a fluid transport channel passing through the body of the apparatus. The rapidly moving fluid stream, passing through the channel, transports the ions which may be allowed to pass out of the body or may be neutralized within the body by ion modulation electrodes within the channel. Ions of a selected sign may be accelerated toward and deposited, in an imagewise pattern, upon a relatively moving charge receptor.

Abstract: A fluid jet assisted ion projection printing apparatus having a housing including ion generation and ion modulation regions. A bent path channel, disposed through the housing, directs transport fluid with ions entrained therein adjacent an array of modulation electrodes which control the passage of ion beams from the apparatus. The modulation electrodes are supported upon a planar substrate, and include a first portion, extending in the plane of the substrate, and a second portion, departing from the plane of the substrate by an angle of less than 45.degree.. The width of the bent channel is chosen to provide laminar flow therethrough so that ions will not be lost to the channel walls as the transport fluid negotiates its way along the bent path.

Abstract: An electrographic printing system comprises oppositely opposed print and complement electrode means to produce a dielectric breakdown through a recording medium transported in a printing gap between the electrode means. A visible mark or image is formed on the surface of the recording medium by (1) forming an aperture in a portion of the recording medium or through the recording medium, (2) ablating or eroding a minute portion of solid conductive pigment medium exposed through the formed aperture, (3) inducing the formation of a pigment aerosol from the explosive effect created during pigment ablation, (4) expulsion of the pigment aerosol through the formed aperture, and (5) confinement of the pigment aerosol to the lip of the formed aperture. The aerosol deposits in the form of a torus on the aperture lip and bonds to the surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: An optical display comprised of an array of small movable or deformable elements positioned adjacent a flat plane. Upon the application of a force field to selected ones of the deformable elements, the selected elements change their distance with respect to the flat plane. In the various embodiments disclosed, the change in physical distance is utilized to either modulate incident ambient light or generate light to provide a display having light and dark areas.