Polarizer nanoimprint lithography

1. A method of making a polarizer, the method comprising:

providing a substrate that is transparent;

applying an uncured imprintable layer on a first side of the substrate, the uncured imprintable layer being a liquid with solid inorganic nanoparticles dispersed throughout a continuous phase;

imprinting a pattern of polarization structures in the uncured imprintable layer; wherein a longitudinal dimension of some of the polarization structures extend in a first direction, a longitudinal dimension of other of the polarization structures extend in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the first side of the substrate, and the first direction is a different direction from the second direction;

curing the uncured imprintable layer into a cured printed layer, the cured printed layer including a solid, interconnecting network of the inorganic nanoparticles;

applying an uncured fill layer on top of the polarization structures and extending into channels between the polarization structures, the uncured fill layer being a liquid with solid inorganic nanoparticles dispersed throughout a continuous phase, chemistry of the uncured fill layer and chemistry of a surface of the polarization structures are attractive to each other; and

curing the uncured fill layer to form a cured fill layer, the cured fill layer including a solid, interconnecting network of the inorganic nanoparticles.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a width of at least some of the polarization structures extending in the first direction and a width of at least some of the polarization structures extending in the second direction is ≤5500 nm, the width being perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension and parallel to the first side of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the polarization structures are dielectric.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polarization structures have ≥three different thicknesses, the thicknesses being a dimension perpendicular to the first side of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a second side opposite of the first side, the method further comprising:

applying an uncured backside layer to the second side of the substrate, the uncured backside layer being a liquid with solid inorganic nanoparticles dispersed throughout a continuous phase; and

curing the uncured backside layer to form a cured backside layer, the cured backside layer including a solid, interconnecting network of the inorganic nanoparticles.

7. A method of making a polarizer, the method comprising:

providing a substrate that is transparent;

applying an uncured imprintable layer on a first side of the substrate, the uncured imprintable layer being a liquid with solid inorganic nanoparticles dispersed throughout a continuous phase;

imprinting a pattern of polarization structures in the uncured imprintable layer; wherein a longitudinal dimension of some of the polarization structures extend in a first direction, a longitudinal dimension of other of the polarization structures extend in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the first side of the substrate, and the first direction is a different direction from the second direction;

curing the uncured imprintable layer into a cured printed layer, the cured printed layer including a solid, interconnecting network of the inorganic nanoparticles;

applying an overcoat layer on the cured printed layer;

applying an uncured cover layer to an outer surface of the overcoat layer farthest from the substrate, the uncured cover layer being a liquid with solid inorganic nanoparticles dispersed throughout a continuous phase, chemistry of the uncured cover layer and chemistry of the outer surface of the overcoat layer are repellant with respect to each other; and

curing the uncured cover layer to form a cured cover layer, the cured cover layer including a solid, interconnecting network of the inorganic nanoparticles.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein imprinting the pattern of polarization structures includes imprinting separate pixels.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

placing a second substrate onto the uncured fill layer.

10. A method of making a polarizer, the method comprising:

providing a substrate that is transparent;

applying an uncured imprintable layer on a first side of the substrate, the uncured imprintable layer being a solution including molecules in a solvent, the solvent including water and an organic liquid, the molecules including metal atoms bonded to reactive groups, where each reactive-group is independently —Cl, —OR 2 , —OCOR 2 , or —N(R 2 ) 2 , and R 2 is an alkyl group;

imprinting a pattern of polarization structures in the uncured imprintable layer; wherein a longitudinal dimension of some of the polarization structures extend in a first direction, a longitudinal dimension of other of the polarization structures extend in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the first side of the substrate, and the first direction is a different direction from the second direction;

reacting the molecules to form a solid of the metal atoms interconnected with each other, defining a cured printed layer;

applying an uncured fill layer on top of the polarization structures and extending into channels between the polarization structures, the uncured fill layer being a solution including molecules in a solvent, the solvent including water and an organic liquid, the molecules including metal atoms bonded to reactive groups, where each reactive-group is independently —Cl, —OR 2 , —OCOR 2 , or —N(R 2 ) 2 , and R 2 is an alkyl group, chemistry of the uncured fill layer and chemistry of a surface of the polarization structures are attractive to each other; and

reacting the molecules to form a solid of the metal atoms interconnected with each other, defining a cured fill layer.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising placing a second substrate on the uncured fill layer.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein every bond of the metal atoms is bonded, independently, to one the reactive groups.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the metal atoms include Si(R 1 ) 4 , Al(R 1 ) 3 , Ti(R 1 ) 4 , or combinations thereof, where each R 1 is, independently, one of the reactive groups.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the molecules have a molecular weight of ≥80 g/mol and ≤150 g/mol.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein imprinting the pattern of polarization structures includes imprinting separate pixels.

16. The method of claim 7 , wherein imprinting the pattern of polarization structures includes imprinting separate pixels.

17. The method of claim 7 , further comprising placing a second substrate onto the uncured cover layer.

18. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the substrate and the polarization structures are dielectric;

the polarization structures have ≥three different thicknesses, the thicknesses being a dimension perpendicular to the first side of the substrate; and

the polarizer can transmit ≥50% of incident light as a single polarization.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the polarizer can transmit ≥60% of incident light as a single polarization.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the substrate and the polarization structures are dielectric;

the polarization structures have ≥three different thicknesses, the thicknesses being a dimension perpendicular to the first side of the substrate; and

the polarizer can transmit ≥50% of incident light as a single polarization.