LIGHT REFLECTION/DIFFRACTION DEVICE, LIGHT REFLECTION/DIFFRACTION DEVICE ARRAY, AND IMAGE DISPLAY

摘要

A light reflection/diffraction device and light reflection/diffraction device array both having an improved contrast when applied to an image display. An image display using the same is also disclosed. The part having a periodical structure for diffracting the incident light, out of the area where reflecting elements having a reflective surface are arrayed is reduced by extraneous diffracted light production preventing means while the light reflection/diffraction device (23) is off. For example, connection area of ribbon-like reflective elements (31a, 31b, 31c) and connection area of ribbon-like reflective elements (32a, 32b, 32c) are covered with light-shielding masks (43, 44) so as to prevent the incident light Li from entering. Alternatively, the connection area of the ribbon-like reflective elements is reduced. Further alternatively the connection area of the ribbon-like reflective elements are omitted by using independent wiring. Preferably, the roughness of the reflective surfaces of the ribbon-like reflective elements is controlled to shorten the correlation length.