Light-pipe arrangement with reduced fresnel-reflection losses
View Patent ↗A solid light pipe arrangement with reduced Fresnel-reflection losses includes a light pipe with a solid core comprising a polymer. An optically clear substrate has first and second sides with an anti-reflective coating on at least one side. The substrate is adhered to an end-face of the core of the light pipe by adhesive material so as to create an optically clear interface between the substrate and the end-face that passes more than about 96 percent of transmitted light. A preferred method of applying an anti-reflective coating to an end-face of a core of a solid, polymeric light pipe comprises diverting uncrosslinked polymer used for forming a light pipe core, and using the diverted polymer as adhesive material between a substrate with at least one antireflective coating and the end-face of a light pipe having the same polymeric components, in the same proportions, as the diverted polymer.
1. A solid light pipe arrangement with reduced Fresnel-reflection losses, comprising:
a) a light pipe with a solid core comprising a polymer;
b) an optically clear, substrate that passes more than 96 percent of transmitted light; and
c) a first side of the substrate being adhered to an end-face of the core of the light pipe by adhesive material so as to create an optically clear interface between the substrate and the end-face that passes more than about 96 percent of transmitted lights;
d) the substrate being adhered to not more than a single light pipe core end-face; and
e) a second side of the substrate, opposite to the first side of the substrate, contacting an anti-reflective coating.
2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the substrate fully covers the end-face of the core.
3. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the composition of the adhesive material is chosen to create an optically clear interface between the substrate and the end-face that passes more than about 99 percent of transmitted light.
4. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material is a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive.
5. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material comprises a polymer-based plastic.
6. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material is a polymer.
7. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the adhesive material is an uncrosslinked polymer.
8. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the polymer of the adhesive material is a thermoset polymer.
9. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the polymer of the adhesive material is an uncrosslinked, crosslinkable polymer.
10. The arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the polymer of the adhesive material is a thermoset polymer.
11. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the polymer of the adhesive material is a crosslinked polymer.
12. The arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the polymer of the adhesive material is a thermoset polymer.
13. The arrangement of claim 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , or 12 , wherein the polymer of the adhesive material is the same type as the polymer of the core.
14. The arrangement of claim 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , or 12 , wherein the adhesive material is made of the same polymeric components as the polymer of the light pipe core.
15. The arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the polymeric components of the adhesive material have the same proportions as in the light pipe core.
16. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a polymer.
17. The arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is an uncrosslinked polymer.
18. The arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is a thermoset polymer.
19. The arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is an uncrosslinked, crosslinkable polymer.
20. The arrangement of claim 19 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is a thermoset polymer.
21. The arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is a crosslinked polymer.
22. The arrangement of claim 21 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is a thermoset polymer.
23. The arrangement of claim 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , or 22 , wherein the polymer of the substrate is the same type of polymer as the polymer of the light pipe core.
24. The arrangement of claim 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , or 22 , wherein the substrate is made of the same polymeric components as the polymer of the light pipe core.
25. The arrangement of claim 24 , wherein the polymeric components of the substrate have the same proportions as in the light pipe core.
26. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein both the adhesive material and the substrate both comprise polymeric material.
27. The arrangement of claim 26 , wherein the polymeric material of the adhesive material is of the same type as the polymeric material of the substrate.
28. The arrangement of claim 27 , wherein the polymeric material of the adhesive material is made of the same polymeric components as the substrate.
29. The arrangement of claim 28 , wherein the polymeric material of the substrate is also made of the same polymeric components as the light pipe core.
30. The arrangement of claim 28 , wherein the polymeric components of the adhesive material have the same proportions as in the substrate.
31. The arrangement of claim 30 , wherein the polymeric components of the adhesive material also have the same proportions as in the light pipe core.
32. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a plastic film or sheet.
33. The arrangement of claim 32 , wherein the plastic film or sheet is MYLAR polyester.
34. The arrangement of claim 32 , wherein the plastic film or sheet is polycarbonate.
35. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is glass or quartz.