Abstract: An adjustable diffractive light modulator is used to equalize the power level of wavelength multiplexed signals in wavelength division multiplexing applications. An optical channel transmits a multi-wavelength input signal through a wavelength demultiplexer. The input signal comprises a plurality of component signals defined according to a plurality of wavelengths. The de-multiplexer spatially separates the multi-wavelength input signal into its respective plurality of component signals, which are transmitted through a plurality of optical channels onto a plurality of controllable diffractive light modulators. The diffractive light modulators are advantageously comprised of grating light valves. Component signals are reflected off their respective diffractive light modulators and collected in a plurality of optical channels for re-transmission into a wavelength multiplexer. The reflected signals are combined through a multiplexing process and transmitted as an output beam.

Abstract: A laser beam attenuator and a method of attenuating a laser beam are disclosed. The laser beam attenuator includes first and second prisms, a beam dump, and a light absorbing body. An input laser beam partially refracts and partially reflects at a first surface of the first prism to form first refracted and reflected laser beams. The first reflected laser beam partially refracts and partially reflects at a second surface of the second prism to form second refracted and reflected laser beams. The beam dump and the light absorbing body absorb the first and second refracted laser beams. Thus, the second reflected laser beam forms an attenuated laser beam.

Abstract: A display apparatus projects a two dimensional image onto a display screen and includes illumination optics, a light modulator, separating optics and scanning optics. The light modulator is optically coupled to the illumination optics such that in operation the illumination optics illuminate the light modulator with an off-axis illumination and further such that the light modulator directs light onto an optic axis for a bright pixel, thereby forming on-axis light, and away from the optic axis for a dark pixel, thereby forming off-axis light. The separating optics are coupled to the light modulator and separate the off-axis and on-axis light where the on-axis light produces a real and virtual image that is displayed by the projection and scanning optics.

Abstract: An image projector projects an image onto a display screen and includes a laser source unit, an optical fiber, and a projector head. The projector head includes a light modulator and an optical projection arrangement. The optical fiber couples a laser illumination to the light modulator of the projector head from the laser source unit. The light modulator modulates the laser illumination to produce an array of pixels. The optical projection arrangement projects the array of pixels onto the display screen to produce the image on the display screen. Preferably, the image projector is a color image projector. In the color image projector, the laser source unit includes red, green, and blue lasers, which illuminate first, second, third light modulators. The first, second, and third light modulators produce red, green, and blue arrays of pixels, which the optical projection arrangement projects onto the display screen to produce a color image.

Abstract: An interferometric light modulator includes a base and a ribbon suspended above the base. The ribbon has a central region and first and second conducting regions located outside of the central region. The ribbon includes a first mirror between the first and second conducting regions. The base includes a second mirror located parallel and adjacent to the first mirror so that the first and second mirrors form an interferometric cavity. An electrical bias applied to the first and second conducting regions adjusts the interferometric cavity in order to modulate light which is incident upon the central region of the ribbon. In an alternative interferometric light modulator, the light is incident upon a second central region of the base.

Abstract: A display apparatus projects an image onto a display screen and includes a grating light valve, a focusing arrangement and a scanning device. The grating light valve is located near but not at a focal plane of a line illumination such that in operation the grating light valve produces real or virtual two dimensional images. The grating light valve is configured such that the modular members on the surface of the grating light valve are neither parallel nor perpendicular to the effective pixel are, thereby arranged diagonally across the pixel area in order to eliminate any imperfections or defects in the line illumination. A seal glass is coupled with the grating light valve and forms an air gap between itself and the grating light valve such that the line illumination must pass through the seal glass and the air gap before reaching the grating light valve.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for electrically interconnecting two integrated circuits devices includes mounting the two devices face to face. A first device is mounted for example to a substrate or lead frame. The first device includes a plurality of electrical/physical mounting structures preferably positioned along one edge. The mounting structure provide both electrical interconnection and physical mounting. A second device includes a corresponding plurality of mounting structures configured as a mirror image of the mounting structures on the first device. The mounting structures on the second device are also positioned along one of its edges so that once the mounting structures are brought together in a face to face relationship, the second device cantilevers off the edge of the first device. Under certain circumstances, a dummy block can be mounted to the substrate adjacent to the first device to act as a strut or support for the second device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to illuminating a one-dimensional spatial light modulator using an illumination system employing multiple light sources. The illumination system comprises a parallel array of light sources which provides a plurality of light outputs to an optical train. The optical train effectively combines the light sources into a single light source. The single light source provides a single light output for uniformly illuminating the spatial light modulator. The optical train includes a first optical train for receiving the light outputs from each light source, magnifying each light output, and overlaying each of the light outputs to form a single real magnified image. A mode conversion lens receives the single real magnified image, converts a mode profile of the single real magnified image into a top hat mode profile, and outputs a diverging light beam with a top hat mode profile.

Abstract: A method of treating silicon-based surfaces for reducing charge migration is disclosed. In accordance with the method, a silicon-based surface is treated with Nitrogen-rich pacifying gas environment, after the surface is actuated. The surface is actuated in a drying step, wherein residual water or moisture is removed from the surfaces at an elevated temperature and a reduced pressure. The method of the instant invention is particularly useful for the treatment of ribbon surfaces in grating light valve device, wherein after the ribbon surfaces are treated according to the current invention, surface charging remains low for several days, even in open air conditions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining light output from multiple laser diode bars is disclosed. The apparatus includes two laser diode bars and a mirror arrangement placed between the laser diode bars. The mirror arrangement reflects the light output from the laser diode bars into a preferred plane and a preferred direction. The mirror arrangement is preferably comprised of metal mirrors. Alternative mirror assemblies disclosed are based on prisms. An alternative mirror disclosed includes a cylindrically concave surface for collimating or focusing an individual laser beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing laser speckle in a laser illuminated system where a line illumination produced by a laser is scanned across a diffuse service is preferably incorporated in a display apparatus where a two dimensional image is produced on a display screen. The display apparatus includes a light modulator, a wavefront modulator, and a projection/scanning optical arrangement. The light modulator modulates a laser illumination to form a line image made up of a linear array of pixels. The wavefront modulator varies a spatial phase across a width of the line image thus forming a phase modulated wavefront. The projection/scanning optical arrangement projects the line image onto the display screen and scans the line image over the display screen. The phase modulated wavefront produces multiple speckle patterns that are averaged as the line image is scanned and, thus, produces the reduced laser speckle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of hermetically passivating a semiconductor device includes sealing a lid directly onto a semiconductor substrate. An active device is formed on the surface of the substrate and is surrounded by a substantially planar lid sealing region, which in turn is surrounded by bonding pads. A first layer of solderable material is formed on the lid scaling region. A lid is provided which has a second layer of solderable material in a configuration corresponding to the first layer. A solder is provided between the first layer and second layer of solderable materials. In the preferred embodiment, the solder is formed over the second layer. Heat is provided to hermetically join the lid to the semiconductor device without requiring a conventional package. Preferably the first and second layers are sandwiches of conventionally known solderable materials which can be processed using conventional semiconductor techniques.

Abstract: A single display device is mounted within a head-worn apparatus to produce both a left image and a right image. The left image is directed to a right eye of the user, and the right image is directed to the left eye of the user. When in the stereoscopic mode, the right and left images differ from each other such that when viewed by the user, the combined right and left images give the user a stereoscopic, three-dimensional effect. When worn on the head of the user, the device is properly aligned to provide the left image to the right eye and the right image to the left eye. Further, as the user moves, the present invention remains properly aligned such that the user can continue viewing the left image with the right eye and the right image with the left eye independent of movement by the user so long as the user keeps wearing the device. A plurality of pixels are collected as the display, wherein each pixel is formed of a grating light valve.

Abstract: An improved micro machine has at least a first element which is moveable relative to a second element such that the first and second elements can be in contact with each other. The contacting portions of both the first and second elements are protected with a long-lasting lubricant to prevent the elements from sticking or adhering to each other. The lubricant is a polar low molecular weight compound preferably applied as a vapor. This class of low molecular weight lubricants consists of acetone, ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, isopropanol, methanol, and water. According to the disclosure a lubricant has a low molecular weight if its molecular weight is less than ˜100 amu, or has a vapor pressure ≧5 Torr at room temperature. The preferred micro machine is a GLV wherein the bottom of the deformable ribbon contacts the landing electrode when the reflector is in a down position (close to the substrate).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for modulating an incident light beam for forming a two-dimensional projection image. The apparatus includes a plurality of elongated elements each having a reflective surface. The elongated elements are suspended substantially parallel to each other above a substrate with their respective ends supported, forming a column of adjacent reflecting surfaces grouped according to display elements. Alternate ones of each group are deformable by a applying a voltage with respect to the substrate. An approximately flat center section of each deformed element is substantially parallel to and a predetermined distance from a center section of each undeformed element. Limiting the predetermined distance avoids hysteresis in deforming the elements and avoids adhesion of the elements to the substrate.

Abstract: A grating light valve is configured to either reflect or diffract an incident beam of light from a light source. Each grating light valve includes a plurality of deformable reflective ribbon structures. Preferably, the grating light valve is located within a vacuum chamber. A directable low power electron gun is also positioned within the chamber. To form an image the gun is scanned across an array of grating light valves and selectably irradiates predetermined ones of the ribbons to charge each such ribbon to a predetermined level. Depending upon the amount of charge so deposited onto the ribbon, it will deflect a predetermined distance toward an underlying substrate. The ribbons are preferably erased in one of two ways. According to the preferred embodiment, each ribbon includes a path of impedance to allow the charge to bleed into the substrate. The impedance is selected to discharge a fully charged ribbon in a period of a single frame.

Abstract: A static diffracting grating display system provides a fixed image representing high digital content information. A plurality of physical diffracting features are fixed into the surface of a substrate. The diffracting features are positioned and oriented to selectively diffract or reflect a first incident beam of light which is then collected by a first display optical system. For color, preferably three light sources, red, green and blue, are used to form three incident beams of light. The period between adjacent ones of the diffracting features can be adjusted to appropriately form full-color image from the collected light. Preferably the diffracting features are formed by embossing a deformable substrate. Where the material of the deformable substrate is not reflective, a reflective coating is then applied. In some circumstances a protective overcoat applied over the reflective surface to obviate scratches or other damage to the diffracting features of the embossed surface.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for electrically interconnecting two integrated circuits devices includes mounting the two devices face to face. A first device is mounted for example to a substrate or lead frame. The first device includes a plurality of electrical/physical mounting structures preferably positioned along one edge. The mounting structure provide both electrical interconnection and physical mounting. A second device includes a corresponding plurality of mounting structures configured as a mirror image of the mounting structures on the first device. The mounting structures on the second device are also positioned along one of its edges so that once the mounting structures are brought together in a face to face relationship, the second device cantilevers off the edge of the first device. Under certain circumstances, a dummy block can be mounted to the substrate adjacent to the first device to act as a strut or support for the second device.

Abstract: Display systems employ a planar grating light-valve (GLV) array as a spatial light-modulator for representing an image to be displayed. The systems rely for image representation on the position of moveable reflective elements of the GLV array, which move through planes parallel to the plane of the array. The moveable elements provide, from an incident phase-constant wavefront, a reflected phase-modulated wavefront representing the image to be displayed. The displayed image is provided by interferometrically combining the phase-modulated wavefront with a reference wavefront also formed, directly or indirectly, from the incident phase-constant wavefront.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are used for converting a stream of incoming serial video data which is received frame by frame and is formatted with all data bits arriving together for each pixel into digital PWM video formatted as a sequence of like-weighted bits. Incoming video data is temporarily stored in a digital memory. A controller organized the data in the memory into a plurality of buffers, each buffer having only bits of like weight. The data is collected as groups within the buffers. The data is then coupled to a display device as the groups of like-weighted bits after a predetermined fraction of a frame time for producing the desired PWM signal. Since each bit of the incoming video data is stored for a fraction of a frame time, the present invention facilitates decimation of the total amount of buffer memory, compared to that of the prior art.