Solid-state image capture system including H-PDLC color separation element

An image capture system, comprising:

• a color separation element including:
• a plurality of substrates forming at least a first pair of adjacent 'substrates, a second pair of adjacent substrates and a third pair of adjacent substrates;
• a first holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium formed between the first pair of substrates, the first holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium reflecting light of a first intrinsic color of incident light and simultaneously transmitting light of all other intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the first intrinsic color;
• a second holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium formed between the second pair of substrates, the second holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium reflecting light of a second intrinsic color of the incident light and simultaneously transmitting light of all other intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the second intrinsic color;
• and
• a third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium formed between the third pair of substrates, the third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium reflecting light of a third intrinsic color of the incident light and simultaneously transmitting light of all other intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the third intrinsic color;
• wherein the first, second and third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation mediums (i) sequentially reflect the first, second and third intrinsic colors, respectively, and (ii) sequentially transmit light of substantially all intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the first, second and third intrinsic colors, respectively;
• and
• a first image sensor that is selectively positioned relative to the color separation element to either (i) sense the light of the first, second and third intrinsic colors that are reflected by the first, second and third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation mediums, respectively, or to (ii) sense the light of substantially all intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the first, second and third intrinsic colors that is sequentially transmitted by the first, second and third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation mediums, respectively.

A method of making an image capture system, comprising:

• providing a lens that focuses incident light;
• forming a color separation element disposed such that the incident light focused by the lens impinges on the color separation element, the forming of the color separation element including:
• forming a first pair of substrates from a plurality of substrates;
• forming a first holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium between the first pair of substrates, the first holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium reflecting light of a first intrinsic color of the incident light and simultaneously transmitting light of all other intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the first intrinsic color;
• forming a second pair of substrates from the plurality of substrates;
• forming a second holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium between the second pair of substrates, the second holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium reflecting light of a second intrinsic color of the incident light and simultaneously transmitting light of all other intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the second intrinsic color;
• forming a third pair of substrates from the plurality of substrates;
• forming a third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium between the third pair of substrates, the third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation medium reflecting light of a third intrinsic color of the incident light and simultaneously transmitting light of all other intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the third intrinsic color;
• wherein the first, second and third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation mediums (i) sequentially reflect the first, second and third intrinsic colors, respectively, and (ii) sequentially transmit light of substantially all intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the first, second and third intrinsic colors, respectively;
• positioning a first image sensor selectively relative to the color separation element to either (i) sense the light of the first, second and third intrinsic colors that are sequentially reflected by the first, second and third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation mediums, respectively, or to (ii) sense the light of substantially all intrinsic colors of the incident light exclusive of the first, second and third intrinsic colors that are sequentially transmitted by the first, second and third holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal color separation mediums, respectively.

A method of separating intrinsic colors of light, comprising:

• a) impinging light onto a color separation element;
• b) separating light of a first intrinsic color from the light using the color separation element;
• c) passing the light of the first intrinsic color to an image sensor;
• d) after (c), separating light of a second intrinsic color from the light using the color separation element;
• e) passing the light of the second intrinsic color to the image sensor;
• f) after (e), separating light of a third intrinsic color from the light using the color separation element;
• and
• g) passing the light of the third intrinsic color to the image sensor.