DLP: Digital Light Processing. the semiconductor that changed everything At the heart of DLP technology is the Digital Micromirror Device, (DMD), a semiconductor-based "light switch" array of thousands of individually addressable, tiltable, mirror-pixels. Light or dark pixels are created, when an array of 1.3 million tiny micormirrors, less than the width of a human hair, mounted on the Digital Micromirror Device chip are tilted away or towards a light source. The white light, passes through a color wheel as it travels to the surface of the DMD chip. this chip was originally invented at Texas Instruments in 1987.The DLP chip is probably the world's most sophisticated light switch. The color wheel filters the light into red, green, and blue, from which a single-chip DLP TV projection system can create at least 16.7 million colors. And the 3-DMD chip system found in DLP TV Cinema projection systems is capable of producing no fewer than 35 trillion colors. Each micromirror is coordinated with the three basic building blocks of color - red, green or blue, in either an on or off state to produce a color on the projection surface. For example, a mirror responsible for projecting a purple pixel will only reflect red and blue light to the projection surface; our eyes then blend these rapidly alternating flashes to see the intended hue in a projected image. The result produces pictures of maximum fidelity, color and brilliance with no burn-in and faster response times and must be seen to be experienced. There are several exciting new emerging applications for DLP as in Biotech, Photofinishing,Spectroscopy and as with new and emerging technologies, prices are dropping as improvements continue. Permission is granted to publish this article either electronically or in print. Publication is granted free of charge as long as the byline is included and the article is published in its entirety |
