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Electronics Teaching | The School of Engineering and Electronics |
The Applied Optics Group and the Silicon Technology Research Group at The University of Edinburgh has been active in the field of liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulators for 15 years. Group personnel work in the Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Electronics & Electrical Engineering. Recently a new theme has developed in the group of applying the SLMs in miniature colour display systems.
Some of the group's achievements include
A brief summary of some of the projects the team has been involved with are detailed below.
The SLIMDIS (Silicon LIquid crystal Miniature DIsplay System) project was funded by the DTI LINK Scheme in Optoelectronics from 1995 to 1997. The partners were GEC Marconi Resesearch Labs, The University of Edinburgh, Admit Design Systems, Swindon Silicon Systems and Davin Optical Holdings.
The SLIMDIS display utilised pulsed illumination from red, green and blue LEDs and fast switching ferroelectric liquid crystal to produce a sequential colour microdisplay of 15mm diagonal, 16 bit colour, and XGA resolution. This display is in being commercialised by Micropix, a company setup by some of the partners and more information about the background of this available.
A picture of the SLIMDIS display
An image on SLIMDIS display
The Scottish Collaborative Initiative in Optoelectronic Sciences has been funded by the EPSRC from 1990 until 1999. It involves the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot Watt and Saint Andrews. Much of the work carried out in Edinburgh has been to improve the optical quality of lqiuid crystal on silicon SLMs. In particular a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) technique has been developed which produces an extremely flat surface on which to deposit the mirrors. This allows the pixel to have a large flat fill factor. Work continues on the development of metal polishing (Damascene) techniques.
Before and after pictures of planarisation
The MINDIS (Miniature INformation DIsplay System) project is funded by the EC from 1998 to 2000. The partners are CRL, SIM2, Saab Ericsson, The University of Madrid and The University of Edinburgh. The aim is to produce a SXGA microdisplay incorporating fast switching analogue antiferroelectric liquid crystal.
Picture of Display
Looking at the PACkaging and MANufacturability of microdisplays in collaboration with Micropix Ltd, CRL and Admit Design Systems, this EPSRC funded project runs for 36 months from September 1998. It is investigating techniques for die flattening, surface preparation, cell assembly, device construction and display characterisation. the underlying themes are to use existing technology where appropriate, to develop batch and wafer scale processes and for all processes to be, as far as possible, automated.
Cross section of SLM
In order to Enhance the LInk between TEst and Design of miniature displays, this EPSRC funded project in collaboration with Micropix Technologies, GEC Marconi Research Centre, Domain Solutions and Avant! is primarily concerned with making a link between design and production by developing an optoelectronic model of a microdisplay, measuring the model parameters in production and feeding back the model parameters into a display simulator containing the model. This allows the simulator to predict the performance of future designs or of manufacturing variations in current designs. The project will run for 36 months starting early in 1999.
Pixel circuit diagram
Acknowledgement. Some of the images originate from our collaborating partners.
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