Patent ID: 8605351

Claim:
A visible spectrum modulator comprising: wavelength/4 transparent dielectric layers corresponding to a specific color range, the dielectric layers having a relatively low index of refraction which is greater than the index of refraction of air; wavelength/2 thin film transparent conductive oxide layers with a high index of refraction relative to the dielectric index of refraction; a first wavelength/4 transparent dielectric layer formed with a first wavelength/2 transparent conductive oxide layer to form a dielectric/oxide pair of layers; a flexible transparent substrate layer formed between a first dielectric/oxide pair and a second, complementary dielectric/oxide pair, the flexible layer including glass-type springs; a glass-type substrate formed with a dielectric/oxide pair; wavelength/4 air gaps between the flexible substrate and the glass-type substrate to provide for a reflective state for light rays of the specific color range in the visible spectrum; wherein stacking the dielectric/oxide layers together to pull in and completely remove the air gaps and forming λ/2 dielectric layers provides for a transparent state for light rays in the visible spectrum.