This Idea is a variation on a theme that has been around for a
while (see the first couple of links). The most common formal
name appears to be "optical rectennas". A rectenna is a device
basically consisting of an antenna and a rectifier, that collects
radiant energy (most often in the form
of microwaves) and
converts it to electricity.
At optical frequencies there appear to exist some technical
difficulties in constructing rectifiers that work at those
frequencies. We shall assume the difficulties will be resolved.
Of
course. Mostly because the scientists and engineers are still
willing to work on the problem.
So, with that assumption in the background, we can now
envision
a new kind of reflective display screen. Each pixel is made of
stretch-able WHITE material, and has optical rectennas
imprinted
on it. The rectennas absorb a certain frequency of impinging
light, and generate power from that, while the rest of the light
is
reflected by the white background.
When unstretched, the antenna-portion of each rectenna is set
to
absorb violet light. When stretched about twice their original
length, they absorb red light. The stretching mechanism of
course needs to be fast enough to keep up with whatever speed
you want to change the color of a pixel. Naturally, the power
collected by the rectennas should be used to do the stretching
and
unstretching of the pixels. This could be an amazingly low-
power
display, and possibly a power-generating display! (Especially if,
say, there were some extra layers of rectennas specifically
tuned to absorb infrared and ultraviolet light.)
It should be noted that THIS display, unlike practically all
others,
is not RGB (red-green-blue), but instead is CYM (cyan-yellow-
magenta). Compare it to printer-inks that absorb certain colors
and reflect the rest.