Abstract
Displays can present information like text, images, or videos in a different color (visible light) by activating the materials in pixels. In a display device, pixels are typically of micrometer size and filled with displaying materials that are aligned and controlled by a display driver integrated circuit. Typical reflective displays can show designed information by manipulating ambient light via the microfluidic behavior in pixels driven by electrophoresis, electrowetting, or electromechanical forces. In this review, we describe the basic working principles and device structures of three reflective displays of electrophoresis display (EPD), electrowetting display (EWD), and interferometric modulator display (IMOD). The optofluidic behavior and controlling factors relating to the display performance are summarized.
Highlights
Displays show information on demand by manipulating visible light via changing the colors of one material or moving different colored materials at the microscale pixels
The interferometric modulator display (IMOD) is based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology developed by the Iridigm Display Corporation, which is known as the Mirasol display [19,20]
In IMOD, by tuning the fluidic airgap through the applied voltage, is the displayed color selected from the ambient light, and the brightness is determined depending on the uniformity of the constructed devices [3]
Summary
Displays show information on demand by manipulating visible light via changing the colors of one material or moving different colored materials at the microscale pixels. It consists of basic components (from bottom to top) of bottom substrate → driving electrical layer (thin film transistors or electrodes) → displaying material layer (in pixels or not) → top electrode(s) → top (cover) substrate including protective and optical films. A black “E” could be shown on a white background by only driving the pixels in the “E” area to black color. From this point of view, each pixel can be regarded as an optical switch. In an interferometric modulator display (IMOD), the incident light is reflected by the metal bottom surface and the stacked film, showing the color of the constructively interfered wavelength by controlling the height of the air cavity via electromechanical force [3]
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