Several transmissive display technologies have been invented as an alternative to the liquid crystal display, which typically transmits only 5–10% of the backlight. Most are based on microelectromechanical shutters that block light or let it pass through transparent windows in an opaque substrate however, their overall backlight transmission efficiency is still less than 10%.

Here, we propose a new pixel-based technology that involves a telescopic pixel design and can transmit 36% of the backlight. Each pixel consists of two micromirrors, one of which is stationary, whereas the other can be deformed by application of an electrostatic force. Depending on the applied voltage, the deformable mirror can either stop light or focus it on the stationary mirror and let it pass through the pixel. This display technology offers a fast response time (less than 1.5 ms), high image resolution, can be made from relatively cheap materials, and is compatible with liquid crystal display production processes.