Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a cholesteric liquid crystalline material which may be usable in an electro-active element for providing fail safe operation, polarization insensitivity, low electrical power consumption requirements, and a small number of electrical connections. The cholesteric liquid crystalline material may be usable in an electro-active element for providing a diffractive efficiency or focusing efficiency above 90% in an activated state of the electro-active element and a diffractive efficiency or focusing efficiency below 10% in a deactivated state of the electro-active element.

Abstract: A process for making a mould piece having a main curved surface bearing an utilitary microstructure which comprises transferring a utilitary microstructure from a master piece main surface to a main surface of a flat cured elastomeric film; pressing the cured elastomeric film and a master article against each other so as to conform the overall shape of said cured elastomeric film to the curved shape of the main surface of the master article and to spread over a curable coating composition between the curved main surface of the master article and the main surface bearing the replica of the said utilitary microstructure of the cured elastomeric film; curing the coating composition; removing the cured elastomeric film and depositing a layer of a metal or a metallic alloy on the exposed main surface of the hard coating of the master article; and recovering said metal or metallic alloy layer to obtain a mould piece having a curved main surface bearing a replica of said transferred utilitary microstructure.

Abstract: A device for analysis of a sample, the device comprising: a first layer having a network of passages and chambers through which fluid is caused to flow during analysis; a second layer in which a plurality of chambers are formed, the chambers containing fluids for use in the analysis; an inlet in either the first or the second layer into which a sample to be analysed can, in use, be placed, and a third layer providing a frangible fluid seal between the chambers of the second layer and the network of the first layer so that, in use, a break in the third layer permits fluid from a chamber in the second layer to pass into the network of the first layer to enable analysis of the sample to be carried out.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a cholesteric liquid crystalline material which may be usable in an electro-active element for providing fail safe operation, polarization insensitivity, low electrical power consumption requirements, and a small number of electrical connections. The cholesteric liquid crystalline material may be usable in an electro-active element for providing a diffractive efficiency or focusing efficiency above 90% in an activated state of the electro-active element and a diffractive efficiency or focusing efficiency below 10% in a deactivated state of the electro-active element.

Abstract: A process for making a mould piece having a main curved surface bearing an utilitary microstructure which comprises transferring a utilitary microstructure from a master piece main surface to a main surface of a flat cured elastomeric film; pressing the cured elastomeric film and a master article against each other so as to conform the overall shape of said cured elastomeric film to the curved shape of the main surface of the master article and to spread over a curable coating composition between the curved main surface of the master article and the main surface bearing the replica of the said utilitary microstructure of the cured elastomeric film; curing the coating composition; removing the cured elastomeric film and depositing a layer of a metal or a metallic alloy on the exposed main surface of the hard coating of the master article; and recovering said metal or metallic alloy layer to obtain a mould piece having a curved main surface bearing a replica of said transferred utilitary microstructure.

Abstract: A device for analysis of a sample, the device comprising: a first layer having a network of passages and chambers through which fluid is caused to flow during analysis; a second layer in which a plurality of chambers are formed, the chambers containing fluids for use in the analysis; an inlet in either the first or the second layer into which a sample to be analysed can, in use, be placed, and a third layer providing a frangible fluid seal between the chambers of the second layer and the network of the first layer so that, in use, a break in the third layer permits fluid from a chamber in the second layer to pass into the network of the first layer to enable analysis of the sample to be carried out.

Abstract: A tuneable optical filter having a variable wavelength transmittance. The filter comprises a pre-polariser, a post-polariser and a birefringent plate positioned between the pre-polariser and the post-polariser. A twisted nematic liquid crystal cell (TN LCD) is positioned between the pre-polariser and the post-polariser, the TN LCD being controlled, in use, to tune the filter. A quarter wave plate is positioned adjacent the birefringent plate.

Abstract: In a color liquid crystal projection display in which three differently-colored illuminating beams (R,G,B) are incident from mutually different directions on an LC panel (20) having an array of display elements (40) with a microlens array (21) at the input side of the panel end of whose elements (42) overlies a respective group of three adjacent display elements in row or delta configuration and through each of which light of the three colours (R,G,B) is directed at different angles respectively and converged towards respective ones of the display elements in its associated group, a deflecting element array (25), comprising, for example, microlens element (44) or microprisms (46) formed in a glass substrate of the panel, is positioned close to the plane of the display elements to deflect the directions of light of at least two of the three colours from each microlens element (42) to bring the directions of light of the three colours at the output side of the panel towards a common direction, and preferably su