Hybrid polarizer
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsMichael F. Weber, Timothy J. Nevitt, Roger J. Strharsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid polarizer includes an absorbing element having a first major surface and a second major surface. The hybrid polarizer also includes a first birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the first major surface of the absorbing element, the first birefringent reflective polarizer having a first pass axis and a first block axis. The hybrid polarizer further includes a second birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the second major surface of the absorbing element, the second reflective polarizer having a second pass axis and a second block axis.
Claims12
A hybrid polarizer comprising an absorbing polarizer disposed between first and second reflective polarizers, the block axes of the absorbing polarizer and the first and second reflective polarizers substantially aligned along a same first direction, such for a wavelength range and substantially normally incident light:
- each reflective polarizer reflects not greater than 99% for the incident light polarized along the first direction and substantially transmits the incident light polarized along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction;
- and
- the absorbing polarizer absorbs at least 20% of the incident light polarized along the first direction and substantially transmits the incident light polarized along the second direction, and has a contrast ratio less than about 500:1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.