Patent ID: 7274417

Claim:
An optical display device comprising: a substrate comprising a source of light, the light from the source of light including a plurality of primary colors; a modulation array comprising a plurality of modulation elements arranged to modulate light received from the source of light; a reflective color filter array comprising a plurality of color filters, each of the plurality of color filters arranged to correspond to a respective element of the modulation array, each of the plurality of color filters transmitting light having one of the primary colors and reflecting light of the remaining light having other of the primary colors back to the substrate, the reflective color filter array arranged relative to the substrate such that there are no layers which substantially absorb light of the primary colors between the substrate and the reflective color filter array, wherein the modulation array comprises an optically absorptive linear polarizer disposed over the reflective color filter array; and a reflective panel which reflects the reflected light having the primary colors back towards the reflective color filter array, wherein the modulation array comprises a reflective linear polarizer disposed between the reflective color filter array and the substrate, wherein the optically absorptive linear polarizer and the reflective linear polarizer have polarization directions oriented at 90° relative to each other.