Projection Displays Viewed as the Wave of the Future

Difficulty in manufacturing large-screen, direct-view liquid crystal displays and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) led many developers to believe that projection displays would be the wave of the future for large-screen, high-definition television (HDTV). Furthermore, developers thought projection displays would penetrate the existing market for direct-view, CRT-based television.

At the time this project was proposed, the idea of using a laser to project high-resolution images was groundbreaking.

Therefore, Laser Power Corporation (LPC) entered into a joint venture with Proxima Corporation to develop a high-resolution, multimedia laser projection display and to then pursue a higher risk, higher payoff technology that addressed super-resolution HDTV requirements for large-screen applications. The success of this project hinged on commercializing LPC's red-green-blue (RGB) microlaser technology, which, if successful, would revolutionize the projection display market. At the time this project was proposed, the idea of using a laser to project high-resolution images was groundbreaking. As promising as the idea was, however, a joint venture involving two relatively early-stage companies could not attract a source of funds to enable the necessary research.

More established firms, for example, considered the research and development expense of using lasers as too high to generate required rates of return on either internal or other sources of private funding.

In 1995, the joint venture submitted a proposal to ATP for cost-shared funds to conduct its research and development. The project's goal was to achieve a 1,000-lumen, 10-lumens-per-watt projection display on a screen that is approximately 90 inches diagonal and combines HDTV resolution with 24-bit color. At the project's conclusion in 1997, LPC had successfully developed RGB diode-pumped, solid-state microlasers to produce full-color images that had extremely high resolution and brightness. Of all the project's achievements, the microlaser development was the most impressive.

LPC Overcomes Technical Risks in Microlaser Development

Development of the blue microlaser source had the highest technical risk. When the project first started, LPC could generate no more than 10 milliwatts (mW).Through the ATP project, the company overcame many technical challenges to develop what was referred to at the time as the most powerful commercially available blue microlaser, exceeding 780 mW at 457 nanometers (nm). At the end of the program, LPC was focused on improving the operating life of the blue microlaser unit.

One of the most significant outcomes of the ATPproject was the advancement of the microlaser
technology and the positive impact on a variety of other laser-based display initiatives.

Although the blue microlaser was the most noteworthy of the three microlasers developed, the output levels of the green and red microlasers were also increased significantly. Initially, LPC was unable to produce more than 300 mW of green microlaser power. By the end of the project, it had developed its most powerful laser, which could produce 4.4 W at 532 nm. This achievement represented a 15-fold improvement in power for the green laser, without an alteration in the quality of the green light. In addition, by the end of the project, LPC had improved red microlaser production from an initial output of 90 mW to 1.6 W at 656 nm.

ATP Project Spurs Additional Industry Benefits

The successful development of these three diode-pumped, solid-state microlasers enabled LPC to continue its research and development initiatives. The company incorporated the microlasers into various display units with Proxima Corporation and with other companies seeking to benefit from the resulting increase in resolution. Moreover, both LPC and Proxima successfully completed several other planned objectives.

As a result of the ATP project, LPC's other contributions included light-shaping development, beamlet formation, polycrystalline lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate modulator development, scanner development, and optical system design. Proxima's contributions included modulator driver development, video electronics development, and color gamut transformation.

LPC's Research and Development Efforts Span Public and Private Sectors

One of the most significant outcomes of the ATP project was the advancement of the microlaser technology and the positive impact on a variety of other laser-based display initiatives. For example, shortly after the start of the ATP project, LPC was awarded funds to develop a 1280 by 1024 resolution (color pixel) system for Armstrong Laboratories, research that ran concurrently with the ATP-funded research.

Based on the results of both the ATP project and the Armstrong Laboratories research, Armstrong awarded LPC an additional contract that focused on developing an even higher resolution projector. This new projector was to be used in a flight simulator and needed a resolution of 5000 by 4000 (compared with the resolution of standard broadcast television, which is 480 by 640).

Following the conclusion of the ATP project, LPC continued to pursue other initiatives with both Armstrong Laboratories and other private-sector and government entities. For example, under the sponsorship of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, LPC began developing a digital-color version of the direct-write projector and head-mounted displays.

Further leveraging its established industry relationships, LPC developed a full-color, laser projection display test bed, which was based on highly efficient RGB microlasers. These high-power, high-efficiency microlasers have repeatedly proved to be the critical component in high-resolution, high-brightness, laser projection displays. The microlasers also have been applied to multiple backlight laser projectors and multiple direct-write displays.

LPC Addresses Safety Concerns with Lasers

LPC also conducted eye safety evaluations to ensure that the new products are safe for commercialization. The company hired Dr. Myron Wolbarsht, the author of Safety with Lasers and Other Optical Sources and a recognized legal expert in the field of laser safety.

Laser products are classified on a scale of I to IV, based on the degree of hazard posed by the output beams. After careful analysis, Dr. Wolbarsht determined that LPC's projector could be manufactured to conform to a Class II laser classification, rather than the higher power, more dangerous Class III level. Class II lasers are low power (less than 1 mW) and are visible-light lasers that can possibly cause damage to one's eyes. Some examples of the use of Class II lasers are laser pointers, aiming devices, and range-finding equipment.

LPC Sells Microlaser Business Unit

After the conclusion of the ATP-funded project, LPC began marketing green and blue microlaser products to medical and other customers. The company manufactured these products in a low-volume fabrication facility. LPC planned to expand its capabilities by building a new production facility; however, this effort was slow to progress, and LPC eventually sold its microlaser business unit to Melles Griot, Inc., a member of Barlow Scientific Group, Ltd. The sales agreement provided for initial payments for the purchase of most of the assets of LPC's microlaser operations and for future royalty payments of up to $2.7 million, based on sales of products that incorporate microlaser technology.

LPC's products allow Melles Griot to sell microlasers that offer 3 W of output power at 532 nm, shorter wavelengths at 457 nm, and a robust, solid-state technology. In addition, LPC's microlaser products were transferred to the Melles Griot Laser Group's new and wholly dedicated 100,000-square-foot laser-manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California.

New Technology Benefits Many Industries

Proxima Corporation incorporated the microlaser technology into its display units. The company developed working prototypes of projector display units that incorporated the RGB microlaser technology. After further research, however, Proxima determined that it was not economically feasible to pursue commercialization initiatives. Proxima's studies revealed that, although the new technology was very effective in both brightness and resolution, competing products were more cost effective.

Although Proxima did not pursue this project beyond the development stage, the company gained a significant understanding of the new technology. This knowledge helped Proxima to apply the microlaser technology to other projection-display products, as well as in other technology areas that rely on modulated light information transmission. The primary benefit of this new technology to both directly and indirectly related applications was a significant increase in viewing resolution. In the projection market alone, some of the applications that benefited from the increase in resolution include:

• Helmet-mounted displays
• Virtual-reality viewers
• Flight simulators
• Advanced aircraft-cockpit displays
• Home entertainment systems
• Medical/surgical training aids

Although the initial objective to incorporate the RGB microlaser technology into high-resolution multimedia laser projection display units was not accomplished, a significant level of spillover was achieved in otherproducts and industries. Furthermore, the knowledge base resulting from this project continues to be valuable to both the companies involved and to others.

Conclusion

Although LPC sold its microlaser business unit to Melles Griot, the outlook for the RGB technology and its associated benefits is excellent. Melles Griot, with its strong revenue stream and solid customer base, is well positioned to further advance the RGB microlaser technology. Moreover, the United States is positioned to profit from this technology through its stronger presence in the microcrolaser projector and microlaser markets.

Although Proxima did not pursue commercialization of the high-resolution multimedia laser projection displays, the company gained a significant understanding of the new technology, which led to the granting of several patents. In June 2000, Proxima Corporation and Infocus Corporation completed a merger agreement. The new company kept the name InFocus Corporation and is now the world's largest developer, manufacturer, and marketer of multimedia projection systems and services.

Research and data for Status Report 94-01-0133 were collected during October - December 2001.

Return to Table of Contents or go to next section of Status Report No. 3.

Date created: April 4, 2006
Last updated: July 6, 2006

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