Claims
- 1. A liquid crystal transmission display comprising:
- an optically transmissive substrate positioned to receive light incident from a light source;
- an array of pixel electrodes bonded to the optically transmissive substrate with an adhesive layer, each electrode being connected to a pixel circuit;
- a light transmitting liquid crystal material positioned in close proximity to the pixel electrodes such that an electric field generated by each pixel electrode alters a light transmitting property of the liquid crystal material;
- an array of microlenses positioned to receive light incident from the light source, each microlens converges and delivers light through the adhesive layer and a corresponding pixel electrode; and
- a light shield array positioned between the pixel circuits and the array of microlenses.
- 2. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 1 in which the array of microlenses is made up of a plurality of individual lenses.
- 3. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 1 in which the array of microlenses is formed onto a single substrate.
- 4. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 3 in which the array of microlenses is bonded to the array of pixel electrodes with an adhesive layer.
- 5. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 3 further comprising a polarizing element bonded to the optically transmissive substrate, the polarizing element being disposed between the optically transmissive substrate and the array of microlenses.
- 6. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 1 in which a dye is added to the array of microlenses.
- 7. An active matrix display panel comprising:
- an active matrix array of pixel circuits and pixel electrodes bonded to an optically transmissive substrate with an adhesive layer;
- a light shield array extending over each pixel circuit and positioned between each respective circuit and the adhesive layer;
- a light transmitting liquid crystal material positioned in close proximity to the pixel electrodes such that an electric field generated by each pixel element alters a light transmitting property of the liquid crystal material; and
- an array of microlenses positioned to receive light incident from the light source, each microlens converges and delivers the light to a corresponding pixel electrode and through the adhesive layer.
- 8. The display of claim 7 in which the array of microlenses is made up of a plurality of individual lenses.
- 9. The display of claim 7 in which the array of microlenses are formed in a single substrate.
- 10. The display of claim 7 in which the array of microlenses is bonded to the array of pixel electrodes with the adhesive, the array of microlenses comprising a stepped frensel structure.
- 11. The display of claim 7 further comprising a polarizing element bonded to the optically transmissive substrate, the polarizing element being disposed between the optically transmissive substrate and the array of microlenses.
- 12. The display of claim 7 in which a dye is added to the array of microlenses to provide a color filter.
- 13. A liquid crystal projection display comprising:
- an array of pixel electrodes bonded to the optically transmissive substrate with an adhesive layer;
- an array of pixel circuits formed in a single crystal silicon material, each pixel circuit being connected to a pixel electrode;
- a light source optically coupled to the array of pixel electrodes;
- a light transmitting liquid crystal material positioned in close proximity to the pixel electrodes such that an electric field generated by each pixel electrode alters a light transmitting property of the liquid crystal material;
- a projection optical system for projecting light transmitted through the liquid crystal material onto a viewing surface;
- an array of microlenses in or adjacent to the optically transmissive substrate positioned to receive light incident from the light source, each microlens converges and delivers the incident light to a corresponding pixel electrode and through the adhesive layer; and
- a light shield positioned between the microlens array and the array of pixel circuits.
- 14. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 in which the array of microlenses is made up of a plurality of individual lenses.
- 15. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 in which the array of microlenses is formed onto a single substrate.
- 16. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 in which the array of microlenses is bonded to the array of pixel electrodes with adhesive.
- 17. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 further comprising a polarizing element bonded to the optically transmissive substrate, the polarizing element being disposed between the optically transmissive substrate and the array of microlenses.
- 18. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 in which a dye is added to the array of microlenses to form a color filter.
- 19. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 further comprising a color filter layer formed on a surface of each microlens.
- 20. The liquid crystal transmission display of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of color filters dyes, each microlens having one dye to form a color filter element.
- 21. A method of fabricating a microlens active matrix display comprising:
- forming an array of pixel circuits in a layer of single crystal silicon;
- forming an array of pixel electrodes that are each connected to one of the pixel circuits;
- forming a light shield array over the array of pixel circuits;
- providing a microlens array in an optically transmissive substrate;
- bonding the microlens array to the array of pixel circuits and the array of pixel electrodes with an optically transmissive adhesive layer to provide a laminated structure such that light directed through the microlens array is directed through the adhesive layer onto either the light shield array or the array of pixel electrodes.
- 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a polarizer positioned between the microlens array and the adhesive layer.
- 23. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing an second optically transmissive substrate positioned between the microlens array and the adhesive.
- 24. The method of claim 21 further comprising forming a cavity for a liquid crystal material adjacent to the array of pixel electrodes and inserting a liquid crystal material into the cavity.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/971,403 filed Nov. 4, 1992, which is now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/944,207 filed Sep. 11, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,557 and of Ser. No. 07/823,858 filed Jan. 22, 1992 (Abandoned) and of Ser. No. 07/872,297 filed Apr. 22, 1992 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,436) which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/839,241 filed Feb. 20, 1992 (Abandoned) which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/636,602 filed Dec. 31, 1990 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,749).
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Related Publications (2)
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823858 |
Jan 1992 |
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872297 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
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971403 |
Nov 1992 |
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Continuation in Parts (3)
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Number |
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944207 |
Sep 1992 |
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Parent |
839241 |
Feb 1992 |
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Parent |
636602 |
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