Patent ID: 8040588

Claim:
A light-modulating array comprising: a first light-modulating element comprising a first reflective surface situated above a substrate and a second reflective surface spaced from the first reflective surface of the first light-modulating element; a second light-modulating element comprising a first reflective surface situated above the substrate and a second reflective surface spaced from the first reflective surface of the second light-modulating element; a light source situated over a side of the first and second light-modulating elements, the side opposite to a viewing side from which the light-modulating array is configured to be viewed; an optical aperture region between the first light-modulating element and the second light-modulating element, light propagating from the light source configured to pass through the optical aperture region; and a reflecting element configured to reflect at least a portion of the passed light towards at least one of the first and second light-modulating elements, wherein the portion of the passed light is reflected off a reflecting surface of the reflecting element, said reflecting surface of the reflecting element being sloped with respect to the substrate.