Optical element with nanoparticles

1. An optical element comprising a substrate with thermoplastic surface features on a surface thereof having an Ra of from 3 to 200 micrometers, the surface features containing a dispersion of minute particles having a particle size dimension less than 100 nanometers.

2. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the minute particles have a particle size dimension less than 15 nanometers.

3. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the minute particles have a particle size distribution of less than 25%.

4. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features have an Ra of from 5 to 100 micrometers.

5. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features have an Ra of from 25 to 75 micrometers.

6. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise polymeric beads.

7. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise curved surfaces.

8. The optical element of claim 1 wherein surface features comprise complex lenses.

9. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise pits or posts.

10. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise a linear array of prisms.

11. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise pyramids.

12. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise Fresnel lenses.

13. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise microgrooves.

14. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the minute particles comprise inorganic oxides.

15. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the minute particles comprise metal sulfides.

16. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the minute particles have an index of refraction of at least 2.0.

17. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the minute particles comprise surface functionality.

18. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise nanoclay.

19. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features have a haze of at least 70%.

20. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features have a gain of at least 1.2.

21. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the sum of the transmission of light from the backlight and the reflection from the ambient light is greater than 105%.

22. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the optical element further comprises a surfactant or dispersant.

23. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the index of refraction of the optical element differs by at least 0.02 from the base polymer.

24. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features contain nanopigments less than 100 nanometers in diameter.

25. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the surface features comprise a mixture of polyester and polycarbonate.

26. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a polymer with a light transmission of at least 85%.

27. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the non-feature portion of the substrate contains a dispersion of minute particles having a particle size less than 100 nanometers.

28. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the substrate diffracts light.

29. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the substrate contains-nanopigments having a dimension less than 100 nanometers.

30. The optical element of claim 1 comprising a skin layer containing a dispersion of minute particles having a particle size with a dimension less than 100 nanometers.

31. The optical element of claim 1 comprising additional layer with surface features wherein the additional layer and surface features vary by at least 0.05 in index of refraction from the adjacent layers.

32. The optical element of claim 1 that further comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

33. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the optical features are present as an integral part of the substrate.

34. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the optical features are present as a separate layer from the substrate.