Diffractive color separation filter for high efficiency LCD panels

Current AMLCD panel pixels are divided into sub-pixels each covered by red, green, or blue absorptive color filters to transmit each of the color components. This method discards 2/3 of available light and causes these displays to be highly inefficient. Using a diffractive color separation filter, DCSF, a much higher percentage of energy from the back-light is used in the display, which can be translated into higher brightness and lower power consumption. Such a DCSF is designed to separate the colors and focus the desired bands onto the apertures of the color pixels. The black matrix is used to block the undesired wavebands. Two basic prototype models were designed and fabricated. The first filter design contains focusing elements and the second filter contains no focusing elements. This paper presents testing results from the two prototype diffractive color separation filter designs.