An apparatus and method for displaying
large format images,
graphics, and videos. The apparatus comprise a layer of column oriented optical fibers, each
fiber is illuminated at one end by at least one
laser diode, and a second layer which sits in front of the first layer and is parallel to the first layer, whose
projected area substantially overlap that of the first layer. The second layer comprises a plurality of optical fibers arranged in rows. In between the first and second layer sits a third layer of optical switching elements. Alternatively, the second layer can be a light diffusing layer.
Laser lights emitted from the
laser diodes travel in parallel along respective column
fiber until they are redirected by optical switching elements which couple the
laser lights within the column fibers to the row fibers or to the difflusing layer directly whereby they are scattered by the diffusing elements to reach the viewing audience. The small size of the fibers results in very small
fill factor, allowing light absorbing matrix and backing layer to absorb ambient light effectively. The
contrast ratio under ambient light condition is further enhanced by the use of multilayer
dielectric optical filter to preferentially absorb ambient light.