Diffusively reflective circular polarizer formed by thermo phase separation
OwnerYao-Dong Mainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a circular polarizer, more specifically, to a diffusively reflective circular polarizer (DRCP), which is characterized by broadband reflection and transmission over a hemispheric viewing angle. A thermo phase separation process of a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer system creates the DRCP film. As a multi-functional optical material, the DRCP film combines the merits of polarizer, reflector and diffuser to form an all-in-one component in the electro-optical industry. Moreover, since the novel film has a “silver white” appearance and super “hiding power”, it will initiate many other applications.
Claims18
A method of fabricating a diffusively reflective polarizer comprising the step of:
- a. forming a substantially homogenous mixture of the first polymeric liquid crystal and the second polymeric liquid crystal at a sufficiently high temperature,
- b. applying the mixture onto at least one substrate with a predetermined surface condition to form a layer with a predetermined thickness while maintaining the mixture at mesomorphic phase,
- c. forming a film with a specula narrow band Bragg reflection,
- d. cooling the film to the room temperature at a predetermined speed,
- c. maintaining a sufficiently low temperature for a controllable duration to let the first polymeric liquid crystal and the second polymeric liquid crystal partially separated into a plurality of discrete microchips,
- wherein the microchips having a plurality of reflection wavelengths are dispersed at least two dimensionally in the cholesteric film as a result of the thermo phase separation of the polymeric liquid crystals;
- whereby a broadband diffusively reflective polarizer is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.