Anisotropic optical element
AssigneeDai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
InventorMasanori Umeya
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an anisotropic optical element having optical properties that are anisotropic with respect to a direction of a normal to an element plane, being capable of preventing a projection screen or the like from mirroring a light source. The anisotropic optical element includes an oriented cholesteric liquid crystalline reflective layer made from a polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal. A mean direction of directions of helical axes (main direction of helical axes) in liquid crystal domains of the liquid crystalline structure of the cholesteric liquid crystalline reflective layer is tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction of a normal to the layer plane.
Claims12
An anisotropic optical element having optical properties that are anisotropic with respect to a direction of a normal to an element plane, comprising:
- an oriented cholesteric liquid crystal layer made from a polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal, formed to have a flat layer plane,
- a main direction of helical axes, defined as a mean direction of directions of helical axes in liquid crystal domains of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, being tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction of a normal to the layer plane,
- wherein directions of helical axes in liquid crystal domains of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer are varied relative to the main direction of helical axes within a predetermined range, so as to diffuse light that is selectively reflected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.