June 2 - 4, 2009 in San Antonio/USA

Booth of Germany, Booth no. 101-4

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS carries out customer specific developments in fields of microelectronic and microsystems technology in Dresden, serving as a business partner that supports the transition of  innovative ideas into new products. The Fraunhofer IPMS develops and fabricates innovative MEMS technology products in its own clean room facilities, up to small pilot series production. With modern equipment and about 240 scientists, the range of projects and expertise covers sensor and actuator systems, microscanner, spatial light modulators, lifetronics and organic materials and systems. At the SID DisplayWeek 2009 show the Fraunhofer IPMS presents:

1. Bidirectional Microdisplay (OLED on CMOS)

For the first time ever, OLEDs and OLED-on-CMOS integration offer the possibility to integrate highly efficient light sources with photo detectors on a single CMOS chip. This enables monolithically integrated optoelectronic applications based on standard silicon. Besides classic optoelectronic sensor applications, this also enables innovative solutions for personalized information systems. One of them is the so called Bidirectional Microdisplay, i.e. an element that displays an image and acts as a camera at the same time by interleaving display pixels and photo detectors in a mosaic style. This allows to provide visual information to the user, at the same time the device is capable of sensing eye movements of the user. Using some sort of modified eyeglasses the user will perceive her or his environment the usual way, additional optical information will be provided using the information system (Augmented Reality). This information may be adapted to the overall context, both unconsciously and by intent. Without using the hands or spoken commands the user can control the presented information just with movement or actions of the eyes. At SID DisplayWeek 2009, Fraunhofer IPMS presents an advanced version of such a Bidirectional Microdisplay as well as a possible application in a Head-Mounted Display.

2. OLED-based backlights for autostereoscopic 3D displays

Fraunhofer IPMS, a leading innovator in the field of OLED based lighting and microsystems solutions, is working for some time now on innovative autostereoscopic 3D displays with OLEDs as patterned backlight. At SID DisplayWeek 2009, an improved version of a 3,5″ sized 3D QVGA display is shown that combines advantages of that technology like:

• Large-area display OLED backlight (about 80 x 60 mm, supplying a 3.5″ LCD modulator)
• Highly-efficient and fast-response OLED top-emitter
• Striped patterned backlight (stripe width 28 µm)
• Individual electronic driving for adaptive backlight control (double-layer wiring integrated on the substrate)
• 3D mobile display application demonstrated (PDA-like, microoptics and front modulator integrated)

with new features, which include

• both monochrome green and full color displays, both in PIN-OLED™ technology
• Time Multiplex operation mode, i.e. preserving the full geometric resolution of the display
• Multi-User capability (3 users at the same time) by development of a special optics.

3. LinScan – Quasi-static Micro Scanning Mirror

The Fraunhofer IPMS has developed highly miniaturized MEMS scanner devices with in-plane vertical comb drives enabling significant large deflection amplitudes (up to ±35°) and low power consumption in resonant operation, very promising for miniaturized and portable applications (e.g. laser projection, endoscopic laser cameras, bar code readers etc.). This 1D/2D scanner are fabricated from single crystalline silicon in a qualified fully CMOS compatible fabrication process suitable for mass fabrication resulting in highly robust and reliable MEMS devices withstand easily a shock of 2500 g. As a drawback MEMS scanner with in-plane vertical comb drives are limited to resonant operation.

Now Fraunhofer IPMS presents at SID DisplayWeek 2009 a new concept for quasi-static MEMS scanners. Here, our established scanner technology of resonant in-plane comb drives is combined with a system-in-package technology. As part of the packaging process the driving electrode combs are deflected out of plane and permanently fixed.

The new quasi-static MEMS scanner with vertical out of plane comb drives enables a quasi-static or linear deflection of light at large angles and moderate driving voltages, typically 10° @ 100 V. In addition it provides a linearized scanning and thus a control of the scan figure by the driving signal, contrary to resonant MEMS scanners limited to harmonic oscillation. Linearized scanning combined with highly reflective mirror coatings is a desirable quality for many applications, e.g. laser marking. Furthermore integrated piezoresistive position sensors required for scanner feedback control can be realized on-chip within the same process. Hence, the quasi-static MEMS scanner device provides small over-all dimensions, good integrability, and low cost fabrication.