Stereoscopic eyewear
View Patent ↗Described are stereoscopic eyewear, methods and systems for manufacturing the same. The stereoscopic eyewear includes right- and left-eye filters for analyzing stereoscopically-encoded polarized light. The filters are made using a roll-type polarizer having an absorption axis. A polymer alignment layer is deposited on a portion of the roll-type polarizer. A liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer is deposited on the polymer alignment layer. The polymer alignment layer and LCP layer provides at least one retarder having an optic axis at a predetermined angle to the absorption axis of the roll-type polarizer. Described embodiments include a polymer alignment layer that may include at least one of a linearly photopolymizerable polymer (LPP), a brushed or rolled polyimide.
1. Stereoscopic eyewear comprising:
a frame;
a filter for analyzing circularly polarized light, the filter being connected to the frame and comprising:
a roll-type polarizer cut from polarizer roll stock so as to conform to the frame, the polarizer having an absorption axis;
a polymer alignment layer contacting a portion of the roll-type polarizer; and
a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer contacting the polymer alignment layer,
wherein the polymer alignment layer and LCP layer provides a quarter-wave retarder with an optic axis at substantially a 45 degree angle to the absorption axis of the roll-type polarizer.
2. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer alignment layer comprises a linearly photopolymizerable polymer (LPP).
3. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer alignment layer comprises a polyimide, wherein the alignment is provided by one of:
brushing the polyimide at the substantial 45 degree angle to the absorption axis, or
applying a roller at the substantial 45 degree angle to the absorption axis.
4. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the absorption axis is perpendicular to the axis of a roll carrying the roll-type polarizer.
5. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the LCP layer and polymer alignment layer in combination with the sheet polarizer provide an analyzer for analyzing the circularly polarized light.
6. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer alignment layer is in the range of 0.01 to 0.1 microns thick.
7. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the LCP layer is in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 microns thick.
8. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the LCP layer provides a retarder with a retardance of a quarter wave.
9. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the LCP layer provides a retarder with a retardance in the range of 100 nm to 200 nm.
10. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , wherein the filter for analyzing polarized light analyzes one of right handed and left handed circularly polarized light.
11. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , further comprising a plastic frame for housing the filter.
12. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 1 , further comprising a paper-based frame for housing the filter.
13. Stereoscopic eyewear comprising:
a frame;
a filter for analyzing polarized light, the filter being connected to the frame and comprising:
a roll-type polarizer cut from polarizer roll stock so as to conform to the frame, the polarizer having an absorption axis;
a first retarder contacting a portion of the roll-type polarizer, the first retarder comprising:
a first polymer alignment layer, and
a first liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer deposited on the first polymer alignment layer;
a second retarder contacting the first retarder, the second retarder comprising:
a second polymer alignment layer, and
a second LCP layer deposited on the second polymer alignment layer.
14. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 13 , wherein the first polymer alignment layer comprises a linearly photopolymizerable polymer (LPP).
15. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 13 , wherein the first polymer alignment layer comprises a polyimide, wherein the alignment is provided by one of:
brushing the polyimide at the substantial 45 degree angle to the absorption axis, or
applying a roller at the substantial 45 degree angle to the absorption axis.
16. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 13 , wherein the first retarder has a first optic axis relative to the absorption axis of the roll-type polarizer, and the second retarder has a second optic axis relative to the absorption axis of the roll-type polarizer.
17. The stereoscopic eyewear according to claim 13 , wherein the first retarder has a first retardance value, and the second retarder has a second retardance value.