Liquid crystal devices having uniform thermal expansion coefficient components

Claim 1

In a liquid crystal cell having an optically transparent faceplate coated with an optically transparent and electrically conductive film on a surface of the faceplate, said cell being adapted for use with a circuit formed in semiconductor material, said cell retaining liquid crystal material between the semiconductor material and the electrically conductive film, wherein the improvement includes a membrane comprising: a generally flat semiconductor component having a pair of oppositely disposed first and second surfaces, said first surface being in contact with said film, and a rib structure having a plurality of spaced-apart semiconductor members, said rib structure being disposed between said second surface and said semiconductor material so as to define discrete cell areas and with said liquid crystal material being retained between the semiconductor rib members, whereby the thermal expansion of the combination of the membrane and the liquid crystal material substantially matches the thermal expansion of said semiconductor material, and the rib structure functions to constrain cell deformation and warpage and to isolate cell areas from one another.