Packaging of high resolution Si based spatial light modulators for display applications

Si based spatial light modulators (SLM) are a new breed of devices used to form an image on a screen by projecting a reflected image from a Si surface. The device is typically a Si substrate with pixelated mirrors on the surface with a thin film transistor under each pixel. This active matrix array is covered with a thin layer of an electro-optic material and a blanket counter electrode, typically ITO. The image is formed by applying a voltage between the counter electrode and the required pixels. These light modulators can be used as front or rear projectors. Packaging of these SLMs are different from standard packaging of Si chips or standard flat panel display packaging for a variety of reasons that include limited thermal stability of the liquid crystal in the cell, fragility of the Si substrate and high thermal conductivity of Si relative to glass. This work describes aspects of packaging that are unique to Si based light modulators