Patent ID: 7050126

Claim:
A display device comprising: a first substrate having a first side and an opposing second side; a plurality of beam blockers adjacent the first side of the first substrate, the beam blockers spaced from each others; and a second substrate having a third side and an opposing fourth side, wherein the third side of the second substrate is spaced from the second side of the first substrate to form a gap therebetween for forming a plurality of pixel cells, each cell comprising: a first interface on the second side of the first substrate; a second interface on the third side of the second substrate; a first electrode layer adjacent the first interface; a second electrode layer adjacent the second interface, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of electrode strips spaced from each other at a predetermined period; and a layer of deformable material disposed between the first and second electrode layers for affecting a light beam traveling from the second substrate toward the second side of the first substrate and then to the first side of the first substrate, wherein the first and second electrode layers are capable of providing an electric field, operable in a first state and in a second state, for influencing the deformable material, such that when the electric field is in the first state, the deformable material causes the light beam to encounter one of the beam blockers, and when the electric field is in the second state, the deformable material forms ripples on its surface substantially corresponding to the predetermined period, thereby causing the light beam to diffract at least partially for providing a plurality of spatially shifted beams toward the first side of the first substrate in such a way that at least a portion of the shifted beams is directed away from said beam blocker.