Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for supporting a bezel region of a display device. A display device can include a first substrate and a second substrate coupled by an edge seal. An array of shutter-based display elements can be positioned within an image forming region between the first and second substrates. A plurality of mechanical supports can be positioned within a bezel region outside of the image-rendering region and within the edge seal. Along a side of the bezel region that extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction of shutter motion, adjacent mechanical supports can be separated from one another by a gap that is longer than each of the mechanical supports in the direction perpendicular to the direction of shutter motion.

Abstract: This disclosure provides devices and methods of reducing stiction during a fluid-filling process. A device can include two substrates with movable MEMS components on at least one of the substrates. The device can include a fluid between the two substrates and surrounding or at least partially surrounding the movable MEMS components, where the fluid can serve as a lubricant for the movable MEMS components. The fluid can be a liquid solution doped with a surface energy modifier, where the surface energy modifier includes a nonpolar functional group R. In some implementations, the nonpolar functional group R can be selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, aryl and naphthenic.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for packaging a display device, such as an electromechanical systems (EMS) device, with a seal. In one aspect, the display device includes a seal or sealant surrounding a display region of the display device in contact with and between two substrates. The sealant can include an epoxy matrix with a plurality of first spacers and a plurality of second spacers. In some implementations, the first spacers can be about the same size and define a substrate-to-substrate gap between the two substrates. In some implementations, each of the second spacers can be smaller than the first spacers, where the second spacers have a water vapor transmission rate less than the epoxy.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for displaying images and for manufacturing display devices. Such displays can be fabricated in part by joining two substrates via a conductive seal. A substantially planar contact pad on at least one of the substrates can be exposed through a passivation layer via laser ablation, enabling the conductive seal to make contact with circuitry formed on the substrate.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing multi-level multi-state shutter assemblies. The shutter assembly includes at least a first shutter at a first height over a substrate and a second shutter at a second height over the substrate. Both the first shutter and the second shutter can be operated in an open or closed state for passing or partially blocking light propagating through an aperture. In some implementations, the shutter assembly can operate in four states: a fully transmissive state, a fully obstructive state and two partially transmissive states based on the open or closed states of the first and second shutters.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for modulating light to form an image on a display, as well as methods manufacturing such apparatus. The display apparatus includes shutters having asymmetric light obstructing portions extending out from opposing sides of a shutter aperture along an axis of motion of the shutter. Actuators move the shutters laterally along the axis of motion to move the shutter between fully closed, partially open, and fully open states to modulate light, thereby forming an image.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for generating images using dual-shutter shutter assemblies. Such shutter assemblies include two shutters that move over a common aperture to selectively obstruct the passage of light there through. In the closed position, portions of one of the shutters overlaps a portion of the other shutter to provide such light obstruction without the two shutters needing to come into contact.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for generating images using dual-shutter shutter assemblies. Such shutter assemblies include two shutters that move over a common aperture to selectively obstruct the passage of light there through. In the closed position, portions of one of the shutters overlaps a portion of the other shutter to provide such light obstruction without the two shutters needing to come into contact.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for displaying images. One such apparatus includes a substrate, an elevated aperture layer (EAL) defining a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, a plurality of anchors for supporting the EAL over the substrate and a plurality of display elements positioned between the substrate and the EAL. Each of the display elements may correspond to at least one respective aperture of the plurality of apertures defined by the EAL. Each display element also includes a movable portion supported over the substrate by a corresponding anchor supporting the EAL over the substrate. In some implementations, one or more light dispersion elements may be disposed in optical paths passing through the apertures defined by the EAL.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for modulating light to form an image on a display, as well as methods manufacturing such apparatus. The display apparatus includes shutters having asymmetric light obstructing portions extending out from opposing sides of a shutter aperture along an axis of motion of the shutter. Actuators move the shutters laterally along the axis of motion to move the shutter between fully closed, partially open, and fully open states to modulate light, thereby forming an image.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for displaying images. Some such apparatus include a transparent substrate, a display element formed on the substrate, a light blocking elevated aperture layer (EAL) supported over the substrate by an anchor formed on the substrate, and an electrical interconnect disposed on the EAL for carrying an electrical signal to the display element. The electrical interconnect can include one or more of a data voltage interconnect, a scan-line interconnect or a global interconnect. In some implementations, a dielectric layer can separate the electrical interconnect from the EAL. The EAL can include an aperture formed through it that corresponds to the display element. In some implementations, a second electrical interconnect disposed on the substrate can be electrically coupled to a plurality of display elements.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing multi-level multi-state shutter assemblies. The shutter assembly includes at least a first shutter at a first height over a substrate and a second shutter at a second height over the substrate. Both the first shutter and the second shutter can be operated in an open or closed state for passing or partially blocking light propagating through an aperture. In some implementations, the shutter assembly can operate in four states: a fully transmissive state, a fully obstructive state and two partially transmissive states based on the open or closed states of the first and second shutters.

Abstract: This invention relates to display apparatuses having an array of light modulators and a plurality of apertures formed in a layer of material. Each light modulator corresponds to one or more apertures and has a portion which may overlap a corresponding aperture, where the size of the overlap is proportional to a distance between the array and the layer of material.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to a method of fabricating a three-dimensional structure from an etchable substrate. The method includes steps of specifying a unit cell size for a plurality of unit cells. Each unit cell corresponds to an area on a mask. Generating a plurality of measurement values is another step of the method. Each measurement value corresponds to a portion of the structure. Further, each measurement value is associated with a specific unit cell. The steps of the method also include converting the plurality of measurement values to a plurality of unit cell fill factor values and generating a gray tone data set in response to the unit cell fill factor values. The gray tone data set includes a plurality of distinct rectangular areas and distinct square areas, each distinct area corresponding to a unique gray tone level.