Abstract: A device, an electrode configuration and a sequence for activating those electrodes for the purpose of switching device states quickly with minimum flicker during bi-stable image reset. The disclosure addresses the constraints of electrofluidic technology: 1) the polar fluid can be attracted to a position with voltage, but it cannot be repelled, and 2) because the polar fluid translates, changing its area against an electrode and thereby changing the capacitance, the time to discharge the capacitor formed by area contact with a polar fluid is significantly smaller than the time to charge a capacitor, which requires translation of the fluid. Setting the grayscale is based on discharging, not charging, when possible. In addition, the use of pixel-level partial reset states reduces the appearance of flicker further by minimizing the change in pixel state during data write/update.

Abstract: A device and method of making and using the same. The device includes first and second substrates that are spaced to define a fluid space. Polar and non-polar fluids occupy the fluid space. A first electrode, with a dielectric layer, is positioned on the first substrate and electrically coupled to at least one voltage source, which is configured to supply an electrical bias to the first electrode. The fluid space includes at least one fluid splitting structure that is configured to facilitate the movement of the non-polar fluid into a portion of the polar fluid. Fluid splitting structure assisted movement of the non-polar fluid splits the polar fluid.