Patent ID: 6570700
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A structure to interact with electromagnetic waves by changing optical aspects in selected areas responsive to an external signal, the structure comprising:a substrate comprising a two-dimensional array of cavities; a plurality of responsive elements disposed in the cavities, and when so placed, each responsive element capable of presenting at least two different optical aspects and changing between the optical aspects based on an applied external signal; and an optical structure containing a plurality of assisting optical elements, each assisting optical element being formed directly on the substrate and associated with a display unit, and each assisting optical element improving a presented optical aspect from at least a portion of each responsive element belong to the corresponding display unit, wherein: the optical structure is a surface structure, each assisting optical element comprising a reflective corona reflecting an electromagnetic wave from the responsive element or responsive elements associated with the assisting optical element, and wherein the reflective corona has a corona surface, the corona surface and a surrounding medium form a contacting interface, the corona surface further has a conical angle which opens upward, the angle being such that total internal reflection is formed at the interface with respect to a viewer viewing from above at a substantially normal angle.