Patent Application
20130135620
This disclosure relates to devices and methods for non-invasive testing of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices.
Electromechanical systems include devices having electrical and mechanical elements, actuators, transducers, sensors, optical components (e.g., mirrors) and electronics. Electromechanical systems can be manufactured at a variety of scales including, but not limited to, microscales and nanoscales. For example, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices can include structures having sizes ranging from about a micron to hundreds of microns or more. Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) devices can include structures having sizes smaller than a micron including, for example, sizes smaller than several hundred nanometers. Electromechanical elements may be created using deposition, etching, lithography, and/or other micromachining processes that etch away parts of substrates and/or deposited material layers, or that add layers to form electrical and electromechanical devices.
One type of electromechanical systems (EMS) device is called an interferometric modulator (IMOD). As used herein, the term interferometric modulator or interferometric light modulator refers to a device that selectively absorbs and/or reflects light using the principles of optical interference. In some implementations, an interferometric modulator may include a pair of conductive plates, one or both of which may be transparent and/or reflective, wholly or in part, and capable of relative motion upon application of an appropriate electrical signal. In an implementation, one plate may include a stationary layer deposited on a substrate and the other plate may include a reflective membrane separated from the stationary layer by an air gap. The position of one plate in relation to another can change the optical interference of light incident on the interferometric modulator. Interferometric modulator devices have a wide range of applications, and are anticipated to be used in improving existing products and creating new products, especially those with display capabilities.
Because of the small scale and complexity of EMS devices such as interferometric modulators, non-invasive methods of testing the EMS devices are useful at multiple stages across the lifetime of the device. In particular, non-invasive methods of testing that can provide information regarding EMS devices sealed within a hermetic package can be used to provide information regarding the state of the device and the surrounding environment without disturbing the hermetic seal, prolonging the lifetime of the EMS device.
The systems, methods and devices of the disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein.
One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a testing apparatus for measuring the resonant frequency of an electromechanical systems (EMS) device, the apparatus including a laser emitting device configured to emit a laser beam, a first beam directing optic configured to redirect the laser beam towards an EMS device, a first focusing optic configured to focus the laser beam onto the EMS device, a second beam directing optic configured to redirect a light pattern reflected from the EMS device, and a light detection sensor configured to sense the reflected light pattern.
The apparatus can also include a processor, where the processor is configured to analyze the reflected light pattern sensed by the light detection sensor, and determine a resonant frequency of the EMS device based at least in part on the reflected light pattern. The processor can be further configured to determine a pressure within a package encapsulating the EMS device based at least in part on the resonant frequency of the EMS device. The processor can be further configured to determine a temperature within a package encapsulating the EMS device based at least in part on the resonant frequency of the EMS device.
The second beam directing optic can include an aperture, where the first beam directing optic is configured to direct the laser beam along a first laser path between the first beam directing optic and the EMS device, the first laser path passing through the aperture in the second beam directing optic. The laser emitting device can emit a monochromatic laser beam.
Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a testing apparatus for measuring the resonant frequency of an electromechanical systems (EMS) device, the apparatus including a laser emitting device configured to emit a laser beam a first beam directing optic configured to redirect the laser beam towards an EMS device, a first focusing optic configured to focus the laser beam onto the EMS device, a second beam directing optic configured to redirect a light pattern reflected from the EMS device, and means for sensing the reflected light pattern.
The sensing means can include a light detection sensor configured to sense the reflected light pattern. The testing apparatus can also include a processor configured to analyze the reflected light pattern sensed by the light detection sensor, and determine a resonant frequency of the EMS device based at least in part on the reflected light pattern. The laser emitting device can emit a monochromatic laser beam.
Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a method of testing an electromechanical systems (EMS) device to determine a resonant frequency of the EMS device, the method including directing a laser beam at an EMS device, driving the EMS device with a periodic electrical signal to cause movement of at least one portion of the EMS device relative to other portions of the EMS device, varying the frequency of the periodic electrical signal, and analyzing a plurality of light patterns reflected from the EMS device when driven at a plurality of driving frequencies to determine a resonant frequency of the EMS device.
The method can also include sensing the plurality of light patterns reflected from the EMS device with a light detection sensor. Determining the resonant frequency of the EMS device can include determining a frequency response of the EMS device at each of the plurality of driving frequencies based at least in part on the light pattern reflected from the EMS device when driven at each of the plurality of driving frequencies, and determining a resonant frequency based at least in part on the frequency response at each of the plurality of driving frequencies.
The EMS device can be encapsulated within a package, and the method can also include determining at least one of a pressure within the package based on the resonant frequency of the EMS device and a temperature within the package based at least in part on the resonant frequency of the EMS device.
Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computer to perform a method including directing a laser beam at an EMS device, driving the EMS device with a periodic electrical signal to cause movement of at least one portion of the EMS device relative to other portions of the EMS device, varying the frequency of the periodic electrical signal, and analyzing a plurality of light patterns reflected from the EMS device when driven at a plurality of driving frequencies to determine a resonant frequency of the EMS device.
Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. Note that the relative dimensions of the following figures may not be drawn to scale.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
The following detailed description is directed to certain implementations for the purposes of describing the innovative aspects. However, the teachings herein can be applied in a multitude of different ways. The described implementations may be implemented in any device that is configured to display an image, whether in motion (e.g., video) or stationary (e.g., still image), and whether textual, graphical or pictorial. More particularly, it is contemplated that the implementations may be implemented in or associated with a variety of electronic devices such as, but not limited to, mobile telephones, multimedia Internet enabled cellular telephones, mobile television receivers, wireless devices, smartphones, Bluetooth® devices, personal data assistants (PDAs), wireless electronic mail receivers, hand-held or portable computers, netbooks, notebooks, smartbooks, tablets, printers, copiers, scanners, facsimile devices, GPS receivers/navigators, cameras, MP3 players, camcorders, game consoles, wrist watches, clocks, calculators, television monitors, flat panel displays, electronic reading devices (e.g., e-readers), computer monitors, auto displays (e.g., odometer display, etc.), cockpit controls and/or displays, camera view displays (e.g., display of a rear view camera in a vehicle), electronic photographs, electronic billboards or signs, projectors, architectural structures, microwaves, refrigerators, stereo systems, cassette recorders or players, DVD players, CD players, VCRs, radios, portable memory chips, washers, dryers, washer/dryers, parking meters, packaging (e.g., MEMS and non-MEMS), aesthetic structures (e.g., display of images on a piece of jewelry) and a variety of electromechanical systems devices. The teachings herein also can be used in non-display applications such as, but not limited to, electronic switching devices, radio frequency filters, sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, motion-sensing devices, magnetometers, inertial components for consumer electronics, parts of consumer electronics products, varactors, liquid crystal devices, electrophoretic devices, drive schemes, manufacturing processes, and electronic test equipment. Thus, the teachings are not intended to be limited to the implementations depicted solely in the Figures, but instead have wide applicability as will be readily apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Systems and methods are provided for non-invasive measurement of various characteristics of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices through the use of a laser directed at or adjacent an EMS device being driven by a periodic driving voltage. In some implementations, an EMS device driven by a periodic driving voltage will result in back and forth motion of a movable component of the EMS device relative to a substantially fixed component of the EMS device. Light reflected off the EMS device will undergo constructive and/or destructive interference due to the phase delay introduced by displacement of the movable component of the EMS device relative to a fixed component, and the far field intensity of the reflected light will be directly related to the amount of displacement. The reflected light pattern can be directed towards a light detector, which can analyze one or both of the intensity and the phase shift of the response.
When the frequency of the driving voltage is varied across a range of frequencies, the reflected light response at each of the driving frequencies can be analyzed to identify a resonant frequency of the EMS device or a damping force acting on the EMS device. The resonant frequency or damping forces can then be used to provide information regarding a characteristic of the EMS device. For example, the resonant frequency can be used to determine a stress of a film, a film stack, or a plurality of films within the EMS device. The resonant frequency can also be used in conjunction with calibration information to determine the pressure to which the EMS device is exposed, or to determine the temperature within a package encapsulating the EMS device.
Particular implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. The systems and methods discussed herein allow accurate, non-invasive measurement of EMS devices. In addition, the measurements can be performed through a display substrate or other substrate, allowing the measurement of characteristics of EMS devices hermetically sealed within packages without disturbing the hermetic seal. The measurements can also be performed with respect to a single EMS element or a plurality of EMS elements within an array of EMS elements, and allow for measurement of multiple locations within the EMS array by redirecting the laser to the portions of the EMS array to be tested. The systems and methods discussed herein also allow very accurate measurement of properties such as pressure and temperature, and allow direct measurement of stress within one or more films within the EMS device.
An example of a suitable MEMS device, to which the described implementations may apply, is a reflective display device. Reflective display devices can incorporate interferometric modulators (IMODs) to selectively absorb and/or reflect light incident thereon using principles of optical interference. IMODs can include an absorber, a reflector that is movable with respect to the absorber, and an optical resonant cavity defined between the absorber and the reflector. The reflector can be moved to two or more different positions, which can change the size of the optical resonant cavity and thereby affect the reflectance of the interferometric modulator. The reflectance spectrums of IMODs can create fairly broad spectral bands which can be shifted across the visible wavelengths to generate different colors. The position of the spectral band can be adjusted by changing the thickness of the optical resonant cavity, i.e., by changing the position of the reflector.
The IMOD display device can include a row/column array of IMODs. Each IMOD can include a pair of reflective layers, i.e., a movable reflective layer and a fixed partially reflective layer, positioned at a variable and controllable distance from each other to form an air gap (also referred to as an optical gap or cavity). The movable reflective layer may be moved between at least two positions. In a first position, i.e., a relaxed position, the movable reflective layer can be positioned at a relatively large distance from the fixed partially reflective layer. In a second position, i.e., an actuated position, the movable reflective layer can be positioned more closely to the partially reflective layer. Incident light that reflects from the two layers can interfere constructively or destructively depending on the position of the movable reflective layer, producing either an overall reflective or non-reflective state for each pixel. In some implementations, the IMOD may be in a reflective state when unactuated, reflecting light within the visible spectrum, and may be in a dark state when actuated, reflecting light outside of the visible range (e.g., infrared light). In some other implementations, however, an IMOD may be in a dark state when unactuated, and in a reflective state when actuated. In some implementations, the introduction of an applied voltage can drive the pixels to change states. In some other implementations, an applied charge can drive the pixels to change states.
The depicted portion of the pixel array in
In
The optical stack 16 can include a single layer or several layers. The layer(s) can include one or more of an electrode layer, a partially reflective and partially transmissive layer and a transparent dielectric layer. In some implementations, the optical stack 16 is electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective, and may be fabricated, for example, by depositing one or more of the above layers onto a transparent substrate 20. The electrode layer can be formed from a variety of materials, such as various metals, for example indium tin oxide (ITO). The partially reflective layer can be formed from a variety of materials that are partially reflective, such as various metals, e.g., chromium (Cr), semiconductors, and dielectrics. The partially reflective layer can be formed of one or more layers of materials, and each of the layers can be formed of a single material or a combination of materials. In some implementations, the optical stack 16 can include a single semi-transparent thickness of metal or semiconductor which serves as both an optical absorber and conductor, while different, more conductive layers or portions (e.g., of the optical stack 16 or of other structures of the IMOD) can serve to bus signals between IMOD pixels. The optical stack 16 also can include one or more insulating or dielectric layers covering one or more conductive layers or a conductive/absorptive layer.
In some implementations, the layer(s) of the optical stack 16 can be patterned into parallel strips, and may form row electrodes in a display device as described further below. As will be understood by one having skill in the art, the term “patterned” is used herein to refer to masking as well as etching processes. In some implementations, a highly conductive and reflective material, such as aluminum (Al), may be used for the movable reflective layer 14, and these strips may form column electrodes in a display device. The movable reflective layer 14 may be formed as a series of parallel strips of a deposited metal layer or layers (orthogonal to the row electrodes of the optical stack 16) to form columns deposited on top of posts 18 and an intervening sacrificial material deposited between the posts 18. When the sacrificial material is etched away, a defined gap 19, or optical cavity, can be formed between the movable reflective layer 14 and the optical stack 16. In some implementations, the spacing between posts 18 may be approximately 1-1000 um, while the gap 19 may be less than 10,000 Angstroms (Å).
In some implementations, each pixel of the IMOD, whether in the actuated or relaxed state, is essentially a capacitor formed by the fixed and moving reflective layers. When no voltage is applied, the movable reflective layer 14 remains in a mechanically relaxed state, as illustrated by the pixel 12 on the left in
The processor 21 can be configured to communicate with an array driver 22. The array driver 22 can include a row driver circuit 24 and a column driver circuit 26 that provide signals to, e.g., a display array or panel 30. The cross section of the IMOD display device illustrated in
In some implementations, a frame of an image may be created by applying data signals in the form of “segment” voltages along the set of column electrodes, in accordance with the desired change (if any) to the state of the pixels in a given row. Each row of the array can be addressed in turn, such that the frame is written one row at a time. To write the desired data to the pixels in a first row, segment voltages corresponding to the desired state of the pixels in the first row can be applied on the column electrodes, and a first row pulse in the form of a specific “common” voltage or signal can be applied to the first row electrode. The set of segment voltages can then be changed to correspond to the desired change (if any) to the state of the pixels in the second row, and a second common voltage can be applied to the second row electrode. In some implementations, the pixels in the first row are unaffected by the change in the segment voltages applied along the column electrodes, and remain in the state they were set to during the first common voltage row pulse. This process may be repeated for the entire series of rows, or alternatively, columns, in a sequential fashion to produce the image frame. The frames can be refreshed and/or updated with new image data by continually repeating this process at some desired number of frames per second.
The combination of segment and common signals applied across each pixel (that is, the potential difference across each pixel) determines the resulting state of each pixel.
As illustrated in
When a hold voltage is applied on a common line, such as a high hold voltage VCHOLD
When an addressing, or actuation, voltage is applied on a common line, such as a high addressing voltage VCADD
In some implementations, hold voltages, address voltages, and segment voltages may be used which always produce the same polarity potential difference across the modulators. In some other implementations, signals can be used which alternate the polarity of the potential difference of the modulators. Alternation of the polarity across the modulators (that is, alternation of the polarity of write procedures) may reduce or inhibit charge accumulation which could occur after repeated write operations of a single polarity.
During the first line time 60a: a release voltage 70 is applied on common line 1; the voltage applied on common line 2 begins at a high hold voltage 72 and moves to a release voltage 70; and a low hold voltage 76 is applied along common line 3. Thus, the modulators (common 1, segment 1), (1,2) and (1,3) along common line 1 remain in a relaxed, or unactuated, state for the duration of the first line time 60a, the modulators (2,1), (2,2) and (2,3) along common line 2 will move to a relaxed state, and the modulators (3,1), (3,2) and (3,3) along common line 3 will remain in their previous state. With reference to
During the second line time 60b, the voltage on common line 1 moves to a high hold voltage 72, and all modulators along common line 1 remain in a relaxed state regardless of the segment voltage applied because no addressing, or actuation, voltage was applied on the common line 1. The modulators along common line 2 remain in a relaxed state due to the application of the release voltage 70, and the modulators (3,1), (3,2) and (3,3) along common line 3 will relax when the voltage along common line 3 moves to a release voltage 70.
During the third line time 60c, common line 1 is addressed by applying a high address voltage 74 on common line 1. Because a low segment voltage 64 is applied along segment lines 1 and 2 during the application of this address voltage, the pixel voltage across modulators (1,1) and (1,2) is greater than the high end of the positive stability window (i.e., the voltage differential exceeded a predefined threshold) of the modulators, and the modulators (1,1) and (1,2) are actuated. Conversely, because a high segment voltage 62 is applied along segment line 3, the pixel voltage across modulator (1,3) is less than that of modulators (1,1) and (1,2), and remains within the positive stability window of the modulator; modulator (1,3) thus remains relaxed. Also during line time 60c, the voltage along common line 2 decreases to a low hold voltage 76, and the voltage along common line 3 remains at a release voltage 70, leaving the modulators along common lines 2 and 3 in a relaxed position.
During the fourth line time 60d, the voltage on common line 1 returns to a high hold voltage 72, leaving the modulators along common line 1 in their respective addressed states. The voltage on common line 2 is decreased to a low address voltage 78. Because a high segment voltage 62 is applied along segment line 2, the pixel voltage across modulator (2,2) is below the lower end of the negative stability window of the modulator, causing the modulator (2,2) to actuate. Conversely, because a low segment voltage 64 is applied along segment lines 1 and 3, the modulators (2,1) and (2,3) remain in a relaxed position. The voltage on common line 3 increases to a high hold voltage 72, leaving the modulators along common line 3 in a relaxed state.
Finally, during the fifth line time 60e, the voltage on common line 1 remains at high hold voltage 72, and the voltage on common line 2 remains at a low hold voltage 76, leaving the modulators along common lines 1 and 2 in their respective addressed states. The voltage on common line 3 increases to a high address voltage 74 to address the modulators along common line 3. As a low segment voltage 64 is applied on segment lines 2 and 3, the modulators (3,2) and (3,3) actuate, while the high segment voltage 62 applied along segment line 1 causes modulator (3,1) to remain in a relaxed position. Thus, at the end of the fifth line time 60e, the 3×3 pixel array is in the state shown in
In the timing diagram of
The details of the structure of interferometric modulators that operate in accordance with the principles set forth above may vary widely. For example,
As illustrated in
In implementations such as those shown in
The process 80 continues at block 84 with the formation of a sacrificial layer 25 over the optical stack 16. The sacrificial layer 25 is later removed (e.g., at block 90) to form the cavity 19 and thus the sacrificial layer 25 is not shown in the resulting interferometric modulators 12 illustrated in
The process 80 continues at block 86 with the formation of a support structure e.g., a post 18 as illustrated in
The process 80 continues at block 88 with the formation of a movable reflective layer or membrane such as the movable reflective layer 14 illustrated in
The process 80 continues at block 90 with the formation of a cavity, e.g., cavity 19 as illustrated in
The dynamic behavior of an electromechanical (EMS) device in response to a driving voltage is dependent upon both the structure of the EMS device itself and the environment in which the EMS device is located. For example, both the resonant frequency and the amount of damping on the EMS device are affected by factors such as the stress within a movable component of the EMS device and the pressure to which the EMS device is exposed. The resonant frequency of an EMS device can therefore be used, either by itself or in conjunction with additional information or measurements, to provide information about several aspects of the EMS device and its surrounding environment. Information regarding the damping force acting on the EMS device can also be used similarly.
For convenience and consistency, the EMS device may be described herein as including certain components of interferometric modulators discussed above, although other EMS devices may include different or additional components. In an implementation in which the EMS device 200 is an interferometric modulator such as the modulator of
The movable component 220 may be displaced a distance x from a resting position by application of an electrostatic force Fel caused by application of a potential difference between the movable component 220 and an electrode 210. Electrode 210 may be a fixed electrode such as the conductive absorber 16a of the interferometric modulator of
In addition to the effect of the restoring force of the membrane, EMS devices 200 will experience additional resistance when driven in a non-vacuum environment, due to squeeze film damping. Squeeze film damping occurs when movement of the movable component 220 towards the electrode 210 results in evacuation and/or compression of the gas located in the cavity between the movable component 220 and the fixed electrode 210. Similarly, movement of the movable component 220 away from the electrode 210 results in expansion of the gas within the cavity and/or intake of additional gas to fill the increased size of the cavity. For example, when the movable component 220 is a square plate, such as in a parallel plate capacitor, a dimensionless squeeze number σ representative of the effect of squeeze film damping for a given system can be defined as follows:
where Pa is the pressure of the gas, μg is the viscosity of the gas, l is the characteristic length of the plate, ω is the driving frequency, and h0 is the gap height at equilibrium. Similar squeeze numbers can be derived for plates of different shapes, such as rectangular or trapezoidal plates. The frequency and amplitude at which the EMS device 200 is driven will determine whether the resistance is due primarily to expansion/compression of gas or introduction/evacuation of gas. For each EMS device 200, a critical frequency ωc can be identified based on the properties of both the ambient gas and the structure of the EMS device 200. For a EMS device 200 having a movable component in the form of a square plate, the critical frequency ωc can be estimated as:
For driving frequencies below the critical frequency ωc, the movable component 220 moves slowly enough that there is sufficient time for air to be sucked into and pushed out of the cavity as the gap size changes. At these lower driving frequencies, viscous damping of the membrane will be the dominant effect on the behavior of the device, and the viscous damping will be proportional to the velocity of the movable component 220. For driving frequencies above the critical frequency ωc, the movable component 220 moves quickly enough that there the air cannot escape or be pulled into the cavity, and the air is instead compressed and expanded as the movable component 220 moves. At these higher driving frequencies, elastic damping of the membrane will be the dominant effect on the behavior of the device, and the elastic damping will be proportional to the displacement of the movable component 220.
For high aspect ratio EMS devices such as interferometric modulators, the gap height h0 at equilibrium will typically be small compared to the characteristic length/of the movable component 220. Such devices will typically have a resonant frequency ωa which is well above the critical frequency ωc, and the gas between the movable component 200 and the electrode 210 will effectively increase the stiffness of the movable component 200, altering the resonant frequency ωa of the EMS device 200. In particular, where the EMS device 200 is operated at high driving frequencies near the resonant frequency, the effect of the squeeze film damping on the EMS device 200 can be modeled as another spring having a spring constant ke, operating additively with the spring constant k0, such that the spring 240 of
When the EMS device 200 is driven by a periodic voltage having a driving frequency ω, the motion of the system is given by the following balance of forces:
where m is the mass of the movable component, cd is a damping constant, and F(t) is the electrostatic force acting on the EMS device 200 as a function of time. When the EMS device 200 is a parallel plate capacitor, and the static component is ignored, the equation of motion is given by:
The steady state response gives the following value for the displacement x:
In the above relationships, Fo is a constant representing the magnitude of the electrostatic force, φ is the phase shift between the driving force and the measured response, ω0 is the resonant frequency of the EMS device 200 in the absence of squeeze film damping, and ωa is the resonant frequency of the EMS device 200. Note that the above relationships are applicable for a range of displacement x which is less than roughly ⅓ of the distance h0 between the movable component 220 in an unactuated position and electrode 210, as electrostatic forces which cause additional displacement may cause the movable component 220 of the EMS device to snap down against the electrode 210. With that constraint, and based on the above relationships, the resonant frequency of the EMS device 200 can be determined in at least two different ways. It can be seen that the amplitude of the response, or the displacement x, will have a peak as the frequency of the driving force, ω, matches the resonant frequency ωa of the EMS device. Alternately, the resonant frequency can be identified based upon the phase shift φ between the driving force and the measured response. As the frequency of the driving voltage increases from a frequency well below the resonant frequency to a frequency well above the resonant frequency, the phase shift φ first increases from 0° to 90°, and undergoes a 180° phase shift at resonance after which φ will be −90° just above the resonant frequency ωa. Increasing driving frequency will result in the phase shift gradually returning to 0°.
Because the magnitude of the squeeze film damping is dependent in part upon the pressure of the gas being compressed, an increase in gas pressure will increase the effective stiffness of the movable component 220, increasing the resonant frequency of the device. Thus, a change in the resonant frequency of an EMS device provides an indication of the gas pressure to which an EMS device 200 is exposed. Similarly, an increase in the temperature of an EMS device 200 will alter the resonant frequency of the device. An increase in temperature could soften the mechanical layer, reducing the stiffness and therefore the resonant frequency of the device. This softening of the mechanical layer will occur if the thermal coefficient of expansion of the mechanical layer is higher then that of the substrate. However, if the EMS device 200 is sealed within a package, an increase in temperature will also increase the gas pressure within the package, increasing the effective stiffness of the layer due to an increase in the effect of squeeze film damping. For a sealed package, the increase in effective stiffness due to the pressure increase will outweigh the decrease in stiffness due to the softening of the movable layer.
When light of a wavelength λ is incident upon the EMS device 200, and the movable component 220 is displaced from the fixed component 230 by a distance x, a first beam of light reflecting off of the movable component 220 will have a relative phase delay compared to a second beam of light reflecting off of the fixed component 230. In an implementation where the light is incident in a direction substantially normal to the surfaces of the movable component 220 and the fixed component 230, these beams will interfere to an intensity I in the far field given by the following relationship:
where I1 is the intensity of the first beam and I2 is the intensity of the second beam. Where the reflectance of the movable component 220 and the fixed component 230 are similar to one another, and I1 is equal to I2, the relationship simplifies further to:
Thus, it can be seen from Equations (10) and (11) that the intensity of the reflected light is a direct measure of the displacement x of the movable component 220 relative to the fixed component 230. A similar relationship can be derived for more complex implementations in which there are multiple movable and/or fixed components which have different resting positions relative to one another, such as a multicolor interferometric modulator array in which the movable components of interferometric modulators of different colors may come to rest at different heights in their unactuated states. In an implementation in which there are three components at different heights, a first beam having an intensity I1 is reflected off the first component, a second beam of light having an intensity I2 is reflected off the second component, and a third beam of light having an intensity I3 is reflected off the third component. The difference in height between the first component and the second component is given by Δ12, the difference in height between the first component and the third component is given by Δ13, and difference in height between the second component and the third component is given by Δ23. In an implementation in which only the first is being driven, the difference in height between the second and third component Δ23 may remain constant, so long as the driving of the first component does not introduce movement in one of the other components. The far field intensity I of the reflected light pattern in such an implementation may be given by:
The first beam directing optic 320 is configured to direct the laser beam along a path 314 towards a focusing optic 330 which is configured to focus the laser beam on a specific portion of an electromechanical systems (EMS) device 390. The incident laser beam is reflected from the EMS device 390 in a light pattern which is indicative of the relative position of certain portions of the EMS device relative to one another, and back through the first focusing optic 330. In particular, when the light source is a monochromatic layer, the reflected light pattern may vary in intensity across the pattern, forming a reflected light intensity pattern. In other implementations, light sources which are not substantially monochromatic may alternately be used, and other aspects of the light pattern such as wavelength, may be analyzed. After the reflected light pattern passes back through the first focusing optics 330, the light is reflected by second beam directing optics 340 towards a light detecting sensor 350. In one implementation, the second beam directing optics 340 include a reflector having an aperture formed therein which allows the laser beam to pass therethrough before impinging on the EMS device 390.
In one implementation, the EMS device 390 is an EMS device having a component which is movable relative to a substantially fixed component, such as EMS device 200 of
The first beam directing optic 420 is configured to redirect the laser beam along a path 414 towards a first focusing optic 430 which is configured to focus the laser beam on a specific portion of an electromechanical systems (EMS) device 490. As can be seen in
The incident laser beam is reflected from the EMS device 490 and back through the first focusing optic 430 in a light pattern which is indicative of the relative position of certain portions of the EMS device relative to one another. The light pattern is then reflected by the portions of the second beam directing optic 440 which surround the aperture 442, and towards a second focusing optic 432.
The second focusing optic 432 directs the reflected light pattern through a filter 460. In the illustrated implementation, the filter 460 is a pinhole, although alternate filtering structures may also be used. In one implementation, the filter 460 may include an aperture having an adjustable size. The filter 460 can be used to filter out non-collimated light and higher order interference modes, improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the reflected light pattern. After passing through the filter 460, the reflected light pattern is directed through a third focusing optic 434 which condenses the light pattern onto the light detector 450. In one implementation, the light detector 450 is a silicon switchable gain detector available from THORLABS as product PDA36A, although other suitable light detectors may also be used.
The light detector may be in electrical communication with a processor 470 which is configured to analyze an aspect of the reflected light pattern. As discussed above, a determination of resonant frequency may in some implementations include identification of a driving frequency which results in a peak intensity of the reflected light pattern. The processor 470 may be configured to record the peak intensity of the reflected light pattern for each of a plurality of driving frequencies and store them for later analysis. In other implementations, a phase shift between the driving force and the light pattern response may be measured, corresponding to the phase shift between the driving force and the movement of the movable component of the EMS device 490 in response to the driving force. This phase shift information may be determined for each of a plurality of driving frequencies, and stored for later analysis.
The testing device 400 may also include a camera 480 aligned along a camera axis 482 extending between the camera and the electromechanical device. In one implementation, the camera axis 482 extends parallel to but offset from the beam path 414. In one implementation, the camera axis passes through the focal point of first focusing optic 430. Although the first beam directing optic 420 is disposed along the camera path 482 between the camera 480 and the EMS device 490, the use of a dichroic reflector as the first beam directing optic 420 allows the transmission of certain wavelengths of light through the first beam directing optic 420, such that the camera 480 can view the EMS device 490 through the first beam directing optic 420. The camera 480 can be used to align the testing device 400 with a particular portion of the EMS device 490 to be tested, and can also be used to record visual information during the testing process. In some implementations, the EMS device 490 may be an array of individual EMS elements, and the camera 484 can be used to align the testing device 400 with a particular EMS element or group of EMS elements to be tested.
In addition to directing the laser beam at a particular portion of the EMS device 490, control over the specific portion of the EMS device 490 being tested may also be provided by varying the spot size of the laser incident on the EMS device 490. In one implementation, the first focusing optic 430 may be mounted to allow translation of the first focusing optic 430 along the path 414 of the laser beam to change the distance between the first focusing optic 430 and the EMS device 490, focusing or defocusing the laser. In an implementation in which the EMS device 490 is an array of individual EMS elements, the spot size of the laser may be varied to test either a single EMS element or a plurality of adjacent EMS elements simultaneously.
As can be seen in
The method 500 then proceeds to a block 510, where the EMS device to be tested is driven by a periodic electrical signal. As discussed above, the periodic driving electrical signal causes a movable component within the EMS device to move relative to a substantially fixed component within the EMS device, resulting in a phase delay between light reflected off of the fixed component and light reflected off the movable component. This phase delay alters a light pattern reflected from the EMS device. This reflected light pattern can be directed to a light detector, where an aspect of the reflected light pattern can be measured.
The method 500 then proceeds to a block 515 where the frequency of the periodic electrical signal is varied. In particular, the frequency of the periodic electrical signal can be varied over a selected range, and an aspect of the reflected light pattern can be measured at each frequency. For example, the maximum intensity of the reflected light pattern, representing the greatest displacement of the movable component relative to the fixed component, may be recorded for each particular driving frequency. In another implementation, the phase shift between the driving force and the response of the movable component may be measured. The step size between frequencies can be selected to provide a desired level of accuracy in determining the resonant frequency of the EMS device.
The method 500 then proceeds to a block 520 where the plurality of light patterns reflected from the EMS device when driven at the plurality of driving frequencies are analyzed to determine a resonant frequency of the EMS device. As discussed above, in one implementation, the driving frequency which results in the peak intensity of the reflected light pattern is identified as the resonant frequency of the EMS device. In another implementation, the frequency at which phase shift between the driving force and the measured response flips from +90° to −90°, or from leading to lagging signal response is identified as the resonant frequency of the EMS device.
where t, L, and W are the thickness, length, and width, respectively, of the layer 612, m1 is the mass of the movable component 610 which includes the layer 612, m2 is the mass of the movable component 620 which omits the layer 612, ω1 is the resonant frequency of the movable component 610, and ω2 is the resonant frequency of the movable component 620.
The method 650 proceeds to a block 660, where a laser beam is directed at the first region of the EMS device. The method 650 proceeds to a block 665, where the EMS device is sequentially driven by a periodic voltage at a plurality of driving frequencies. As discussed above, the laser beam is reflected in a light pattern indicative of the movement of the movable component within the first region of the EMS device. The method 650 then proceeds to a block 670, wherein the plurality of light patterns reflected from the first region of the EMS device when driven at the plurality of driving frequencies are analyzed to determine a resonant frequency of the movable component within the first region of the EMS device.
The method 650 then proceeds to a block 675, where a laser beam is directed at the second region of the EMS device. The method 650 proceeds to a block 680, where the EMS device is sequentially driven by a periodic voltage at a plurality of driving frequencies. As discussed above, the laser beam is reflected in a light pattern indicative of the movement of the movable component within the second region of the EMS device. The method 650 then proceeds to a block 685, wherein the plurality of light patterns reflected from the second region of the EMS device when driven at the plurality of driving frequencies are analyzed to determine a resonant frequency of the movable component within the second region of the EMS device.
After the resonant frequencies of the movable components within the first and second regions of the EMS device have been determined, the method 650 proceeds to a block 690 where a stress within the layer to be tested is determined based at least in part on the resonant frequencies of the movable components within the first and second regions of the EMS device. This determination may be based, for example, on the relationship of Equation (13) discussed above.
The method 700 proceeds to a block 720, where the ambient pressure is changed to a second ambient pressure. Then, the method 700 proceeds to a block 725, where the EMS device is sequentially driven by a periodic voltage at a plurality of driving frequencies. The method then proceeds to a block 730 where the light pattern reflected at each of the plurality of driving frequencies is analyzed to determine the resonant frequency of the movable component within the EMS device at the second ambient pressure.
In some implementations, the process 700 may include further repetition of the above steps at additional ambient pressures. Eventually, the process 700 proceeds to a block 735 where the stress within the movable component of the EMS device is determined based at least in part upon the measured resonant frequencies measured at each of the plurality of ambient pressures. In an implementation in which the movable component is a movable film stack including i layers, each having a thickness t and a stress σ, the sum of the product of the stresses σ and the thickness t of each of the films is given by the following relationship, where the resonant frequency ωa at each of two ambient pressures Pa1 and Pa2 is known:
Based upon the above relationships or a similar model for a given EMS device, the total stress within a movable component formed of a thin film stack including i sublayers can be determined based upon a determination of the resonant frequency of the movable component at each of a plurality of different pressures.
The method 800 then proceeds to a block 815 where information regarding the reflected light patterns is analyzed in order to characterize an aspect of the dynamic behavior of the EMS device. In one implementation, the peak intensity of the reflected light pattern at each of the plurality of driving frequencies may be used to determine the resonant frequency of the movable component within the EMS device. In another implementation, the phase shift at each of the plurality of driving frequencies may be used to determine the resonant frequency of the movable component within the EMS device. In another implementation, the peak intensity at each of the peak intensity of the reflected light pattern at each of the plurality of driving frequencies may be used to characterize the displacement of the movable component within the EMS device.
The method 800 then proceeds to a block 820, where the pressure to which the EMS device is exposed is determined based at least in part on the characterized aspect of the dynamic behavior of the EMS device. In one implementation, the resonant frequency of the movable component within the EMS device is compared with calibration data regarding a previously measured resonant frequency of the EMS device at a known data point. In a particular implementation, the measured frequency may be used in conjunction with a predictive model of resonant frequency as a function of pressure. In another implementation, the measured frequency can be compared to prior measurements at known pressures of the EMS device or a similar EMS device to determine the pressure to which the EMS device is exposed. In some implementations, the measured frequency can be used in conjunction with a lookup table, where the lookup table can be based either on a predictive model or algorithm or on actual test data.
Similarly, the maximum displacement of the movable component can be determined based on the peak intensity of the reflected light pattern at each of the plurality of driving frequencies. This maximum displacement at each of a plurality of driving frequencies can be used in conjunction with a model of the dynamic behavior of the EMS device to determine the damping forces acting on the movable component of the EMS device, such as by determining the damping coefficient cd of Equation (5) above. The determined damping forces can be used in conjunction with calibration data based on measurements at a known pressure to determine the current pressure to which the EMS device is exposed. As above, the pressure may be determined using a lookup table which correlates damping information with pressure, and the lookup table may be populated using either predicted or measured data.
In other implementations, the process 800 may omit certain steps described above, or may include alternate steps. For example, in certain implementations, the pressure to which the EMS device is exposed is not calculated. In one implementation, the damping forces acting on the EMS device or other information regarding the damping of the EMS device, such as the damping coefficient cd, may be determined based at least in part on the resonant frequency of the movable component within the EMS device.
In another implementation, the difference between the current values of the resonant frequency or the damping forces and the values of the resonant frequency or the damping forces at a known pressure are calculated. If the difference exceeds a particular threshold, it can be determined that an EMS device package has suffered a loss of hermeticity. In a particular implementation, the hermeticity of the package may be tested by placing a hermetically sealed package within a chamber and changing the pressure within the chamber to be either higher or lower than the pressure within the package. The resonant frequency or information regarding the damping forces can be determined shortly after the change in pressure, and then at one or more additional points in time, after the package has been exposed to the pressure differential. If the resonant frequency or the damping forces acting on the EMS device have changed, the pressure within the EMS device package has changed, and the package can be identified as not hermetically sealed, even without determining the current pressure within the EMS device package.
The process 850 then proceeds to a block 870 where the temperature within the package encapsulating the EMS device is determined based at least in part on the characterized aspect of the dynamic behavior of the EMS device. As discussed above with respect to determination of the pressure to which an EMS device is exposed, a predictive model of the behavior of the EMS device as a function of temperature may be used in conjunction with calibration data measured at a known temperature to determine the current value of the temperature within the package encapsulating the EMS device. As discussed above with respect to
Testing devices such as the testing devices 300 and 400 of
The display device 40 includes a housing 41, a display 30, an antenna 43, a speaker 45, an input device 48, and a microphone 46. The housing 41 can be formed from any of a variety of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, and vacuum forming. In addition, the housing 41 may be made from any of a variety of materials, including, but not limited to: plastic, metal, glass, rubber, and ceramic, or a combination thereof. The housing 41 can include removable portions (not shown) that may be interchanged with other removable portions of different color, or containing different logos, pictures, or symbols.
The display 30 may be any of a variety of displays, including a bi-stable or analog display, as described herein. The display 30 also can be configured to include a flat-panel display, such as plasma, EL, OLED, STN LCD, or TFT LCD, or a non-flat-panel display, such as a CRT or other tube device. In addition, the display 30 can include an interferometric modulator display, as described herein.
The components of the display device 40 are schematically illustrated in
The network interface 27 includes the antenna 43 and the transceiver 47 so that the display device 40 can communicate with one or more devices over a network. The network interface 27 also may have some processing capabilities to relieve, e.g., data processing requirements of the processor 21. The antenna 43 can transmit and receive signals. In some implementations, the antenna 43 transmits and receives RF signals according to the IEEE 16.11 standard, including IEEE 16.11(a), (b), or (g), or the IEEE 802.11 standard, including IEEE 802.11a, b, g or n. In some other implementations, the antenna 43 transmits and receives RF signals according to the BLUETOOTH standard. In the case of a cellular telephone, the antenna 43 is designed to receive code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), GSM/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), 1xEV-DO, EV-DO Rev A, EV-DO Rev B, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), Long Term Evolution (LTE), AMPS, or other known signals that are used to communicate within a wireless network, such as a system utilizing 3G or 4G technology. The transceiver 47 can pre-process the signals received from the antenna 43 so that they may be received by and further manipulated by the processor 21. The transceiver 47 also can process signals received from the processor 21 so that they may be transmitted from the display device 40 via the antenna 43.
In some implementations, the transceiver 47 can be replaced by a receiver. In addition, the network interface 27 can be replaced by an image source, which can store or generate image data to be sent to the processor 21. The processor 21 can control the overall operation of the display device 40. The processor 21 receives data, such as compressed image data from the network interface 27 or an image source, and processes the data into raw image data or into a format that is readily processed into raw image data. The processor 21 can send the processed data to the driver controller 29 or to the frame buffer 28 for storage. Raw data typically refers to the information that identifies the image characteristics at each location within an image. For example, such image characteristics can include color, saturation, and gray-scale level.
The processor 21 can include a microcontroller, CPU, or logic unit to control operation of the display device 40. The conditioning hardware 52 may include amplifiers and filters for transmitting signals to the speaker 45, and for receiving signals from the microphone 46. The conditioning hardware 52 may be discrete components within the display device 40, or may be incorporated within the processor 21 or other components.
The driver controller 29 can take the raw image data generated by the processor 21 either directly from the processor 21 or from the frame buffer 28 and can re-format the raw image data appropriately for high speed transmission to the array driver 22. In some implementations, the driver controller 29 can re-format the raw image data into a data flow having a raster-like format, such that it has a time order suitable for scanning across the display array 30. Then the driver controller 29 sends the formatted information to the array driver 22. Although a driver controller 29, such as an LCD controller, is often associated with the system processor 21 as a stand-alone Integrated Circuit (IC), such controllers may be implemented in many ways. For example, controllers may be embedded in the processor 21 as hardware, embedded in the processor 21 as software, or fully integrated in hardware with the array driver 22.
The array driver 22 can receive the formatted information from the driver controller 29 and can re-format the video data into a parallel set of waveforms that are applied many times per second to the hundreds, and sometimes thousands (or more), of leads coming from the display's x-y matrix of pixels.
In some implementations, the driver controller 29, the array driver 22, and the display array 30 are appropriate for any of the types of displays described herein. For example, the driver controller 29 can be a conventional display controller or a bi-stable display controller (e.g., an IMOD controller). Additionally, the array driver 22 can be a conventional driver or a bi-stable display driver (e.g., an IMOD display driver). Moreover, the display array 30 can be a conventional display array or a bi-stable display array (e.g., a display including an array of IMODs). In some implementations, the driver controller 29 can be integrated with the array driver 22. Such an implementation is common in highly integrated systems such as cellular phones, watches and other small-area displays.
In some implementations, the input device 48 can be configured to allow, e.g., a user to control the operation of the display device 40. The input device 48 can include a keypad, such as a QWERTY keyboard or a telephone keypad, a button, a switch, a rocker, a touch-sensitive screen, or a pressure- or heat-sensitive membrane. The microphone 46 can be configured as an input device for the display device 40. In some implementations, voice commands through the microphone 46 can be used for controlling operations of the display device 40.
The power supply 50 can include a variety of energy storage devices as are well known in the art. For example, the power supply 50 can be a rechargeable battery, such as a nickel-cadmium battery or a lithium-ion battery. The power supply 50 also can be a renewable energy source, a capacitor, or a solar cell, including a plastic solar cell or solar-cell paint. The power supply 50 also can be configured to receive power from a wall outlet.
In some implementations, control programmability resides in the driver controller 29 which can be located in several places in the electronic display system. In some other implementations, control programmability resides in the array driver 22. The above-described optimization may be implemented in any number of hardware and/or software components and in various configurations.
The various illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules, circuits and algorithm steps described in connection with the implementations disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. The interchangeability of hardware and software has been described generally, in terms of functionality, and illustrated in the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and steps described above. Whether such functionality is implemented in hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.
The hardware and data processing apparatus used to implement the various illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or, any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some implementations, particular steps and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function.
In one or more aspects, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, digital electronic circuitry, computer software, firmware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents thereof, or in any combination thereof. Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification also can be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, encoded on a computer storage media for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus.
If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. The steps of a method or algorithm disclosed herein may be implemented in a processor-executable software module which may reside on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that can be enabled to transfer a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that may be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessed by a computer. Also, any connection can be properly termed a computer-readable medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Additionally, the operations of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and instructions on a machine readable medium and computer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computer program product.
Various modifications to the implementations described in this disclosure may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with this disclosure, the principles and the novel features disclosed herein. The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Additionally, a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, the terms “upper” and “lower” are sometimes used for ease of describing the figures, and indicate relative positions corresponding to the orientation of the figure on a properly oriented page, and may not reflect the proper orientation of the IMOD as implemented.
Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations also can be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation also can be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Further, the drawings may schematically depict one more example processes in the form of a flow diagram. However, other operations that are not depicted can be incorporated in the example processes that are schematically illustrated. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the illustrated operations. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. Additionally, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results.
