Patent ID: 7113339

Claim:
An interferometric modulator comprising: a transparent substrate having a refractive index of n 0 ; an optical thin film having a complex index of refraction of N 1 =n 1 −i·k 1 , where n 1 is the refractive index of the optical thin film and k 1 is the extinction coefficient of the optical thin film, and provided on said transparent substrate; and an absorber layer having a complex index of refraction of N s =n s −i·k s , where n s is the refractive index of the absorber layer and k s is the extinction coefficient of the absorber layer, and opposed to said optical thin film; wherein a gap having a distance to said optical thin film is variable; and the following relation is satisfied, n 1 n 0 , k 1 ≅0 and n s >n 0 .