Title: Methods and apparatus for transparent display using scattering nanoparticles

Abstract

Transparent displays enable many useful applications, including heads-up displays for cars and aircraft as well as displays on eyeglasses and glass windows. Unfortunately, transparent displays made of organic light-emitting diodes are typically expensive and opaque. Heads-up displays often require fixed light sources and have limited viewing angles. And transparent displays that use frequency conversion are typically energy inefficient. Conversely, the present transparent displays operate by scattering visible light from resonant nanoparticles with narrowband scattering cross sections and small absorption cross sections. More specifically, projecting an image onto a transparent screen doped with nanoparticles that selectively scatter light at the image wavelength(s) yields an image on the screen visible to an observer. Because the nanoparticles scatter light at only certain wavelengths, the screen is practically transparent under ambient light. Exemplary transparent scattering displays can be simple, inexpensive, scalable to large sizes, viewable over wide angular ranges, energy efficient, and transparent simultaneously.

Inventors:

Hsu, Chia Wei; Qiu, Wenjun; Zhen, Bo; Shapira, Ofer; Soljacic, Marin

Issue Date:

2016-05-10

Research Org.:

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1252426

Patent Number(s):

9335027

Application Number:

14/067,471

Assignee:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

H - ELECTRICITY H04 - ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE H04N - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03B - APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM

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H - ELECTRICITY H04 - ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE H04N - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

H04N9/3173 - {wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability}

G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03B - APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM

G03B21/62 - Translucent screens

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02F - DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH IS MODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THE DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY, COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g. SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING

G02F1/0126 - {by another light beam, i.e. opto-optical modulation

H - ELECTRICITY H04 - ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE H04N - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

H04N9/3129 - {scanning a light beam on the display screen

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

B82Y20/00 - Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals

G - PHYSICS G09 - EDUCATION G09F - DISPLAYING

G09F13/00 - Illuminated signs

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B32 - LAYERED PRODUCTS B32B - LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

B32B17/10036 - {comprising two outer glass sheet}

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

G02B2027/0145 - {creating an intermediate image}

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B32 - LAYERED PRODUCTS B32B - LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

B32B17/10623 - {Whitening agents reflecting visible light}

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

G02B2027/0112 - {comprising device for genereting colour display}
G02B5/0242 - {by means of dispersed particles}
G02B2027/0196 - {having transparent supporting structure for display mounting, e.g. to a window or a windshield}
G02B27/0172 - {characterised by optical features}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

Y10S977/773 - Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

G02B2027/0194 - {with combiner of laminated type, for optical or mechanical aspects}

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F21 - LIGHTING F21V - FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF

F21V9/12 - with liquid-filled chambers
F21V9/08 - for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

G02B2027/0147 - {comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image}
G02B5/0278 - {used in transmission}

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DOE Contract Number:  

SC0001299

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2013 Oct 30

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY