| 摘要 |
<p>A display device and method in which electrophoresis and/or dual prismatic surfaces are used to controllably frustrate total internal reflection at an interface between materials having different refractive indices. In one embodiment, an array of solid dielectric light fibres (20A, 20B, 20C) is surrounded by an electrophoretic medium (26) such as acetonitrile. In the absence of electrophoretic activity, the fibres totally internally reflect light which passes into the fibres, and a reflector (22) returns the light for diffuse emission through the fibres ends (24). If the fibres are subjected to electrophoretic activity their TIR capability is frustrated. A second embodiment redirects light through two prismatic surfaces (30, 32) in a manner which permits the TIR phenomenon to occur and to be controlled at a flat surface (38). A third embodiment uses both electrophoresis and dual prismatic surfaces (52, 54) to achieve gapless control of the TIR phenomenon at a flat surface (58).</p> |
