Polarizer Nanoimprint Lithography

A method of making a polarizer, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate that is transparent;
• applying an uncured imprintable layer to a first side of the substrate, the uncured imprintable layer being a colloidal suspension including a dispersed phase and a continuous phase;
• imprinting a pattern of polarization structures in the uncured imprintable layer;
• wherein a longitudinal dimension of some of the polarization structures extend in a first direction, a longitudinal dimension of other of the polarization structures extend in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the first side of the substrate, and the first direction is a different direction from the second direction;
• and
• curing the uncured imprintable layer by removing the continuous phase to form a solid, defining a cured printed layer.

A method of making a polarizer, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate that is transparent;
• applying an uncured imprintable layer to a first side of the substrate, the uncured imprintable layer being a solution including molecules in a solvent, the solvent including water and an organic liquid, the molecules including metal atoms bonded to reactive groups, where each reactive-group is independently —Cl, —OR2, —OCOR2, or —N(R2)2, and R2 is an alkyl group;
• imprinting a pattern of polarization structures in the uncured imprintable layer;
• wherein a longitudinal dimension of some of the polarization structures extend in a first direction, a longitudinal dimension of other of the polarization structures extend in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the first side of the substrate, and the first direction is a different direction from the second direction;
• and
• reacting the molecules to form a solid of the metal atoms interconnected with each other, defining a cured printed layer.