Electronic device display with damage-resistant polarizer

A polarizer, comprising:

• a polyvinyl alcohol layer;
• a dichroic dye on the polyvinyl alcohol layer;
• a tri-acetyl cellulose layer, wherein the dichroic dye is interposed between the polyvinyl alcohol layer and the tri-acetyl cellulose layer;
• a polymer layer;
• an adhesive layer between the tri-acetyl cellulose layer and the polymer layer;
• and
• a hard coat layer between the tri-acetyl cellulose layer and the adhesive layer, wherein the hard coat layer forms a coating on the polymer layer.

A display, comprising:

• upper and lower polarizer layers;
• a thin-film transistor layer between the upper and lower polarizer layers;
• a color filter layer between the upper and lower polarizer layers;
• and
• a layer of liquid crystal material between the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer, wherein the upper polarizer layer includes a first polymer layer, a second polymer layer, a dichroic dye on the first polymer layer between the first and second polymer layers, a third polymer layer, and an adhesive layer between the second and third polymer layers, wherein the third polymer layer and the second polymer layer have thicknesses of 20-80 microns.