Low fill factor wire grid polarizer and method of use
View Patent ↗In an example embodiment, a wire grid polarizer includes a plurality of parallel conductors having a pitch (P), a width (W), and a height (H). In example embodiments, a fill-factor (W/P) is greater than approximately 0.18 and less than approximately 0.25. In another example embodiment, a display system includes a light source and a light-valve. The display system also includes a wire grid polarizer that includes a plurality of parallel conductors having a pitch (P), a width (W), and a height (H). In example embodiments, a fill-factor (W/P) is greater than approximately 0.18 and less than approximately 0.25.
1. A wire grid polarizer, comprising:
a plurality of parallel conductors having a pitch (P), a width (W), a height (H), and a length (L); a fill-factor (W/P) that is in the range of approximately 0.18 to approximately 0.25; and an aspect ratio (L/P) that is larger than approximately 10, wherein the conductors have an average length L av and an average pitch P av ; and are arranged in a substantially random fashion parallel to each other and have an average aspect ratio of L av /P av that is greater than approximately 10.
2. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the width is an average width given by
W
≡
S
H
,
where
S
≡
∫
0
H
w
0
(
z
)
and w0 (z) is a width of the conductors as a function of height z.
3. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 2 , further comprising a substrate over which the plurality of conductors is disposed.
4. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a rear polarizer disposed beneath the substrate.
5. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 4 , wherein the rear polarizer is an absorptive polarizer.
6. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 5 , wherein the wire grid polarizer is disposed in a liquid crystal (LC) cell structure.
7. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a substrate over which the plurality of conductors is disposed.
8. The wire grid polarizer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wire grid polarizer comprises one or more of aluminum, gold, and silver.