Patent ID: 7567372
Filing Date: 2009-07-28
Classification: G09G,H03D

Abstract:
1. An electrically controlled light modulator device comprising at least one cell, each cell having two deformable dielectric layers which meet at an interface, at least one of said layers consisting of a viscoelastic relief forming material, a support electrode structure arranged on one side of the dielectric layers, a signal electrode structure opposing the support electrode structure such that said layers are located between the support electrode structure and the signal electrode structure, an enhancement electrode structure composed of one or more separate electrode zones arranged in the proximity of the signal electrode structure, a signal supplier for applying a signal voltage between said support and signal electrode structures to generate an electric field passing at least partly through the two deformable dielectric layers in order to create a surface relief on the viscoelastic material layer, and an enhancement signal supplier for applying an enhancement signal voltage between the enhancement electrode structure and the signal electrode structure for enhancing the deformation of the viscoelastic material layer, wherein the signal electrode and the enhancement electrode structure are capable of storing electrical charges, the enhancement signal supplier being arranged to transfer electric charge between the signal electrode structure and the enhancement electrode structure in a temporally controlled charge transfer process, and wherein the enhancement signal voltage is generated using substantially only the electrical charge transferred from the signal electrode structure to the enhancement electrode structure.