# US 12,222,532 B2 · Optical element and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 12,222,532 B2
- Document ID: US12222532B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/674,386
- Filed: 2024-05-24
- Published: 2024-09-19
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2020-08-07
- Assignees: AGC Inc.
- Applicants: AGC Inc.
- Inventors: Kenta Sekikawa; Hiromichi Nagayama; So Ishido
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222532B2

## CPC

- G02B 5/3091: {for use in the UV}
- G02B 3/00: Simple or compound lenses
- G02B 3/0018: {Reflow, i.e. characterized by the step of melting microstructures to form curved surfaces, e.g. manufacturing of moulds and surfaces for transfer etching}
- G02B 5/3016: {involving passive liquid crystal elements (optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528)}
- G02B 5/3041: {comprising multiple thin layers, e.g. multilayer stacks}
- G02B 5/3083: {Birefringent or phase retarding elements (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001)}
- G02C 7/12: Polarisers
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)

## Abstract

An optical element includes a three-dimensional structure having a curved surface; and a retardation plate bent along the curved surface. The retardation plate includes a transparent substrate and a liquid crystal layer formed over the transparent substrate. The retardation plate has a slow axis and a fast axis. A glass-transition temperature, Tgne, in a slow axis direction of the retardation plate is higher than a glass-transition temperature, Tgno, in a fast axis direction of the retardation plate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical element comprising:
a three-dimensional structure having a curved surface; and
a retardation plate bent along the curved surface, wherein
the retardation plate includes a transparent substrate and a liquid crystal layer formed over the transparent substrate,
the retardation plate has a slow axis and a fast axis, and
a glass-transition temperature, Tgne, in the slow axis direction of the retardation plate is higher than a glass-transition temperature, Tgno, in the fast axis direction of the retardation plate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical element according to claim 1, wherein when a temperature of the retardation plate is the glass-transition temperature of the transparent substrate, a ratio of a Young's modulus, Ene, of the retardation plate in the slow axis direction to a Young's modulus, Ef, of the transparent substrate, Ene/Ef, is 0.10 or more and 5.00 or less, and a ratio of a Young's modulus, Eno, of the retardation plate in the fast axis direction to the Young's modulus, Ef, of the transparent substrate, Eno/Ef, is 0.10 or more and 5.00 or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the retardation plate includes an alignment layer formed between the transparent substrate and the liquid crystal layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The optical element according to claim 3, wherein the alignment layer has a plurality of grooves parallel to each other on a surface in contact with the liquid crystal layer when viewed from a direction normal to the curved surface of the three-dimensional structure at a center of gravity of the curved surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the curved surface is a concave surface or a convex surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method for manufacturing the optical element according to claim 1, the method comprising:
bending the retardation plate so as to fit the curved surface of the three-dimensional structure.