Surface-Plasmon Reflective Flat-Panel Color Displays

Reflective flat-panel color display devices based on surface plasmons are undergoing development. Heretofore, no reflective flat-panel color display devices have been available. The active matrix liquid-crystal devices now used to provide flat-panel color displays must be lit internally, are power-hungry (typically consuming about 80 percent of the power of a laptop computer), and cannot be read in bright ambient light. In contrast, the surface-plasmon display devices would be operated without internal lighting, would consume much less power, and would be readable in bright ambient light (including sunlight).