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US 2003/0214728 A1Published application
Optical substrate and method of making
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorEugene George Olczak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical surface substrate. The optical substrate features a three-dimensional surface having a correlation length of about 1 cm or less. The optical substrate is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second surface structure function, the first surface structure function producing at least one specular component from a first input beam of light. The optical substrate is suitable for use in a variety of applications, including brightness enhancement and projection devices.
Claims76
A method of modeling a surface of an optical substrate, the method comprising:
- defining a first window in a coordinate system;
- defining a master function within the first window;
- defining a second window as a segment of the first widow at a first location within the first window;
- selecting a set of points within the second window;
- defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
- defining a surface function along the modulation path;
- modulating the surface function along the modulation path;
- combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path.
5 more elements
An optical substrate, comprising:
- a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light.
A brightness enhancement film, comprising:
- a surface characterized by a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, the surface having a shape to turn and diffuse incident light to produce at least a 30 percent brightness increase on-axis to a viewer, wherein the surface produces diffused components of light with a power half angle between about 0.1 and 60 degrees.
An optical substrate, comprising:
- a surface defined by two surface structure functions, the first surface structure function having a geometry with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
- the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function;
- wherein the three-dimensional surface has a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less.
A method for modeling a three-dimensional surface of an optical film, the method comprising:
- modulating a plurality of first surface structure functions to produce irregular, modulated waveforms;
- placing a first set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on a work surface, each of the modulated waveforms of the first set being superimposed over adjacent modulated waveforms;
- and
- placing a second set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on the work surface, the second set of modulated waveforms being superimposed over the first set of modulated waveforms.
1 more element
A method of modeling a surface of an optical substrate, the method comprising:
- defining a first window in a coordinate system;
- defining a master function within the first window;
- defining a second window at a first location within the first window;
- randomly selecting a set of points within the second window;
- defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
- defining a surface function along the modulation path;
- randomly modulating the surface function along the modulation path;
- combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path;
- moving the second window to a new location within the first window and repeating
- selecting a set of points within the second window;
- defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
- defining a surface function along the modulation path;
- modulating the surface function along the modulation path;
- and
- combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path until the second window has been coextensive with all of the points in the first window.
12 more elements
An optical substrate, comprising:
- a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function having a sawtooth or triangular cross section extending a length from a first end to a second end of the substrate modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light.
A brightness enhancement film, comprising:
- a surface characterized by a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, the surface having a shape to turn and diffuse incident light to produce a 50 percent to 200 percent brightness increase on-axis to a viewer, wherein the surface produces diffused components of light with a power half angle between about 0.1 and 60 degrees.
An optical substrate, comprising:
- a surface defined by two surface structure functions, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
- the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in one or more of frequency, phase and peak angle along the length of the first surface structure function;
- wherein the three-dimensional surface has a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less.
A method for modeling a three-dimensional surface of an optical film, the method comprising:
- modulating by one or more of phase, frequency, and peak angle a plurality of first surface structure functions shaped in cross section as sawtooth or triangular functions to produce irregular, modulated waveforms;
- placing a first set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on a work surface, each of the modulated waveforms of the first set being superimposed over adjacent modulated waveforms;
- and
- placing a second set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on the work surface, the second set of modulated waveforms being superimposed over the first set of modulated waveforms.
1 more element
A method of making an optical substrate comprising a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light, the method comprising:
- photolithographically mastering the surface of the optical substrate to a photoresist, a gray scale mask or a halftone mask;
- and
- forming a mold of the surface of the optical substrate from the master by hot embossing, cold calendaring, ultraviolet curing or thermal setting.
A method of making an optical substrate comprising a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light, the method comprising:
- hard tool mastering the surface of the optical substrate;
- and
- forming a mold of the surface of the optical substrate from the master by hot embossing, cold calendaring, ultraviolet curing or thermal setting.
A backlight display device comprising:
- an optical source for generating light;
- a light guide for guiding the light therealong including a reflective surface for reflecting the light out of the light guide;
- at least one optical substrate receptive of the light from the reflective surface, the optical substrate comprising:
- a three-dimensional surface defined by two surface structure functions, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
- the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in one or more of frequency, phase and peak angle along the length of the first surface structure function;
- wherein the three-dimensional surface has a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less.
3 more elements
A backlight display device comprising:
- an optical source for generating light;
- a light guide for guiding the light therealong including a reflective surface for reflecting the light out of the light guide;
- and
- an optical substrate receptive of the light from the reflective surface, the optical substrate comprising:
- a first three-dimensional surface defined by first and second surface structure functions;
- the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
- the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in one or more of frequency, phase and peak angle along the length of the first surface structure function;
- a second three-dimensional surface opposing the first three-dimensional surface and defined by two surface structure functions;
- the third surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
- the fourth surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in one or more of frequency, phase and peak angle along the length of the first surface structure function;
- wherein the first and second three-dimensional surfaces have a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less.
8 more elements
An optical substrate, comprising:
- a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function having a plurality of parameters modulated by a plurality of random functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.