Polarized light emitting light guide plate, method of manufacturing the same and illuminator for flat panel display device using polarized light emitting light guide plate

A method of manufacturing a polarized light emitting light guide plate comprising:

• providing an isotropic transparent substrate having a polarization separation microstructure on an upper surface thereof;
• coating photocurable anisotropic liquid crystals on the transparent substrate to a uniform thickness;
• aligning the photocurable anisotropic liquid crystals in one direction;
• and
• forming an anisotropic liquid crystal polymer layer having a first refractive index with respect a first polarization component and a second refractive index, different from the first refractive index, with respect to a second polarization component perpendicular to the first polarization component, by radiating UV light onto the photocurable anisotropic liquid crystals, thereby curing the liquid crystals;
• wherein a refractive index of the polarization separation microstructure is substantially equal to a refractive index of the substrate, and
• the first refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, and the second refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer is substantially equal to the refractive index of the substrate.

A polarized light emitting light guide plate comprising:

• a transparent substrate comprising an optically isotropic material, in which light incident through a lateral side of the polarized light emitting light guide plate travels;
• a collimator disposed at a first side of the substrate which collimates light incident on the substrate to within a predetermined angle;
• an anisotropic liquid crystal polymer layer formed on an upper surface of the substrate and having a first refractive index with respect to a first polarization component of light and a second refractive index, different from the first refractive index, with respect to a second polarization component of light, perpendicular to the first polarization component;
• and
• a light extraction microstructure, formed on an upper surface of the liquid crystal polymer layer, through which light is extracted from the liquid crystal polymer layer to the outside,
• wherein, when the first refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer is ne, the second refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer is no, and the refractive index of the substrate is ni, no<ni≦ne.

A method of manufacturing a polarized light emitting light guide plate comprising:

• providing an isotropic transparent substrate having a substantially flat upper surface and a collimator;
• coating photocurable anisotropic liquid crystals on the transparent substrate to a uniform thickness;
• disposing a transparent isotropic upper layer on the anisotropic liquid crystals, wherein the transparent isotropic upper layer comprises a light extraction microstructure and a liquid crystal alignment microstructure in a lower portion thereof;
• and
• radiating UV light onto the anisotropic liquid crystals, thereby curing the anisotropic liquid crystals and forming an anisotropic liquid crystal polymer layer having a first refractive index with respect to a first polarization component and a second refractive index, different from the first refractive index, with respect to a second polarization component perpendicular to the first polarization component,
• wherein, when the first refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer ne, the second refractive index of the liquid crystal polymer layer is no, and the refractive index of the substrate is ni, no<ni≦ne.