Polarizer films and methods of making the same
In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include forming a roll of a first material into a substrate and forming a plurality of rows of a second material on the substrate, where the second material includes a metal, the rows of the second material extend along a first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and adjacent rows are spaced apart by about 400 nm or less.
1 . A method, comprising:
forming a roll of a first material into a substrate; and
forming a plurality of rows of a second material on the substrate,
wherein the second material comprises a metal, the rows of the second material extend along a first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and adjacent rows are spaced apart by about 400 nm or less.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the roll into the substrate comprises unwinding the roll to provide the substrate.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the plurality of rows comprises shaping a surface of the substrate to define a plurality of ridges, wherein the plurality of ridges extend along the first direction.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the ridges have a triangular cross-sectional profile.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of ridges are formed while the surface of the substrate is at a temperature of about 100° C. or more.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of ridges are formed while the surface of the substrate is at a temperature of about 200° C. or more.
7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the substrate material is a thermoplastic material having a softening temperature, T s , and the plurality of ridges are formed while the substrate is at a temperature equal to or greater than T s .
8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein forming the plurality of rows of the first material comprises depositing the first material onto the substrate.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is deposited on the substrate prior to forming the ridges.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the deposition forms a continuous layer of the second material and the plurality of rows are formed by forming a plurality of discontinuities in the continuous layer, where the discontinuities extend along the first direction.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is deposited on the substrate after forming the ridges.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is deposited by evaporating the second material onto the substrate.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second material is thermally evaporated.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second material is evaporated using an electron beam.
15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is deposited by sputtering the second material onto the substrate.
16 . The method of claim 8 , wherein depositing the second material comprises directing second material towards the substrate along a direction substantially non-normal to a plane of the substrate.
17 . The method of claim 2 , wherein shaping the surface to define the ridges comprises embossing the surface of the substrate.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the plurality of ridges comprises depositing a layer of a third material on a surface of the substrate and forming the ridges from the layer of the third material.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the plurality of ridges from the layer of the third material comprises molding the third material into the ridges.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein forming the plurality of ridges from the layer of the third material comprises curing the third material.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the third material is cured by exposing the third material to radiation.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the radiation is electromagnetic radiation.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the radiation is electron beam radiation.
25 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ridges have a triangular cross-sectional profile, a trapezoidal profile, or a rectangular profile.
26 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material is a polymer.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic.
28 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material is highly transmissive at a wavelength λ less than about 700 nm.
29 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 500 μm or less.
30 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal is aluminum.
31 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal is silver.
32 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjacent rows of second material are spaced apart by about 200 nm or less.
33 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjacent rows of second material are spaced apart by about 100 nm or less.
34 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rows of second material are arranged to form a grating having a period of about 400 nm or less.
35 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rows of second material are arranged to form a grating having a period of about 200 nm or less.
36 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rows are arranged so to form a polarizer that transmits about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a first polarization state and the polarizer blocks about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, where λ is about 200 nm or more.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein λ is about 2,000 nm or less.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein λ is about 700 nm or less.
39 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarizer transmits about 80% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having the first polarization state.
40 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarizer transmits about 90% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having the first polarization state.
41 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarizer transmits about 95% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having the first polarization state.
42 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarizer blocks about 80% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having the second polarization state.
43 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarizer blocks about 90% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having the second polarization state.
44 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarizer reflects about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having the second polarization state.
45 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the substrate comprises unwinding the roll and the roll is continuously unwound while the plurality of rows are formed on the substrate.
46 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming one or more additional layers on the substrate.
47 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising cutting the substrate after forming the plurality of rows to provide a polarizer film product.
48 . A method, comprising:
forming a roll of a first material into a substrate; and
forming a plurality of rows of a second material on a surface of the substrate,
wherein the rows of the second material extend along a first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and arranged so that the rows form a polarizer that transmits about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a first polarization state and the polarizer blocks about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, where is about 700 nm or less.
49 . A method, comprising:
forming a plurality of rows of a first material on a surface of a polymer substrate,
wherein the first material comprises a metal, the rows of the first material extend along a first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and adjacent rows are spaced apart by about 400 nm or less.
50 . A method, comprising:
forming a plurality of rows of a first material on a surface of a polymer substrate,
wherein the rows of the first material extend along a first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and arranged so that the rows form a polarizer that transmits about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a first polarization state and the polarizer blocks about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, where is about 700 nm or less.
51 . An article, comprising:
a polymer substrate having a surface including a plurality of ridges that extend along a first direction; and
a plurality of rows of a first material, each row of the first material being supported by a corresponding ridge,
wherein the first material comprises a metal, the rows extend along the first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and adjacent rows are spaced apart by about 400 nm or less.
52 . A display, comprising:
a liquid crystal panel;
the article of claim 51; and
a display housing containing the liquid crystal panel and the article.
53 . An article, comprising:
a polymer substrate having a surface including a plurality of ridges that extend along a first direction; and
a plurality of rows of a first material, each row of the first material being supported by a corresponding ridge,
wherein the rows extend along the first direction, the rows are spaced apart from one another, and arranged so that the rows form a polarizer that transmits about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a first polarization state and the polarizer blocks about 60% or more of incident light at wavelength λ having a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, where is about 700 nm or less.