Abstract: A light control element (100) is disclosed having a first chamber (110) encapsulating a first liquid crystal based light absorbing material (112; 114) being switchable from a first orientation in which said material (112; 114) predominantly absorbs light having a first polarization direction to a second orientation in which said material (112; 114) is substantially transparent and that further has a second chamber (120) encapsulating a second liquid crystal based light absorbing material (122; 124) being switchable from a first further orientation in which said material (122; 124) predominantly absorbs light having a polarization direction substantially perpendicular to the first polarization direction to a second further orientation in which said material (122; 124) is substantially transparent. A plurality of electrodes is present for switching the orientations of the first and second light absorbing materials. Consequently, a polarization independent light control element (100) is obtained.

Abstract: An imprinting method is disclosed which involves irradiating a photo-curable imprintable medium in a flowable state on a substrate with radiation to initiate curing of the medium, after the irradiating, contacting the medium with a template to form an imprint in the medium, allowing the medium to substantially cure such that the medium is in a substantially non-flowable state while the medium is contacted by the template, and separating the template from the medium while the medium is in the substantially non-flowable state.

Abstract: A display panel (1) has a first substrate (2) and a second substrate (3). The substrates (2, 3) are provided with electrodes (8, 9) and are separated from each other by a plurality of spacers (4). Holes (5) extend through the spacers (4) and the substrates (2, 3) and thus form through holes (5) extending through the display panel (1) making it permeable to gases and/or liquids. The substrates (2, 3) and the spacer (4) form the wall (6) of the respective through hole (5) and thus a space (7) can be sealed between the two substrates (2, 3) without any risk of leakage.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical scanning device which comprises a phase structure system than can be used in various modes of operation of the optical scanning device. The optical device comprises a first phase structure (105) comprising a first birefringent material (203) having a first extraordinary axis and a second phase structure (106) comprising a second birefringent material (208) having a second extraordinary axis perpendicular to the first extraordinary axis. The first and second phase structures have substantially the same pattern. The optical device further comprises means (202, 205, 207, 210) for modifying the extraordinary refractive index of the first and the second birefringent material such that the extraordinary refractive indices of the first and the second birefringent materials remain substantially equal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a replica, which method comprises the provision of a polymerizable resin composition between a front mold having a pre-shaped surface and a back mold having a pre-shaped surface, carrying out a curing treatment and removing the replica thus manufactured from the molds. The invention further relates to a replica obtained by carrying out a UV light-initiated cationic polymerization.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the fabrication of a polymeric optical microstructure, being supported or not by a substrate, starting from a thermoplastic polymer, wherein a thermoplastic polymer is blended with an UV curable resin and a thermally stable photo-initiator, to obtain a blend having a lower viscosity than the viscosity of said polymer, said blend being molded and the molded blend being cured by means of UV radiation to obtain a polymeric optical micro structure. Such a process prevents the common problems, which arise with molding of conventional thermoplastic polymers and conventional UV curing when only one of the components of the blend is used.

Abstract: A non-leaching adhesive system and its use in a liquid immersion objective for immersion-writing of masters for optical discs are disclosed. The adhesive system comprises at least one monomer, selected from among the group of acrylate and methacrylate monomers, allylic monomers, norbornene monomers, hybrid monomers thereof, containing chemically different polymeriazble groups, and multifunctional thiol monomers, provided that said thiol is used in combination with at least one of said non-thiol monomers; and a polymerization initiator. At least one of said monomers, not being a thiol, is provided with at least two functional polymerizable groups to obtain a crosslinked polymer network. The polymerization initiator is preferably an initiator that can be activated both thermally and with UV radiation. The adhesive system may further contain a reactive diluent. Further the use of the present adhesive system in mounting a liquid immersion objective is disclosed.

Abstract: An optical record carrier (2) and associated methods and devices are described. The carrier (2) comprises at least one user information layer (4a,4b) arranged to be scanned by first radiation, and at least one content information layer (3a,3b) or label layer. The content information layer comprises representing content information and having a first transmission for said first radiation and a second, lower transmission for a different, second radiation.

Abstract: An imprinting method is disclosed which involves irradiating a photo-curable imprintable medium in a flowable state on a substrate with radiation to initiate curing of the medium, after the irradiating, contacting the medium with a template to form an imprint in the medium, allowing the medium to substantially cure such that the medium is in a substantially non-flowable state while the medium is contacted by the template, and separating the template from the medium while the medium is in the substantially non-flowable state.

Abstract: An optical component (600, 181) comprises two adjacent materials (610, 620) with a shaped (e.g. curved) interface between the materials (612, 622). The first of the materials (610) is birefringent. The second material (620) has a refractive index substantially equal to the refractive index of the birefringent material at a predetermined angle.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component comprising liquid crystal is described. The method comprises placing a liquid crystal (200) between a substrate (150) and a mould (100), the mould (100) having a shaped surface (102). At least a portion of the shaped surface (102) has an alignment layer (110) formed on it. The substrate (150) has a first surface (152) on which is formed a bonding layer (120). Mould and substrate are brought together so as to sandwich liquid crystal between the first surface of the substrate and the shaped surface of the mould. The liquid crystal (202) is polymerised and thereby adhered to the bonding layer (120). The substrate (150) with the adhered polymerised liquid crystal (203) is removed from the mould (100).

Abstract: An optical component (181) comprises a first birefringent layer (203) connected to a second birefringent layer (170) by a curved interface (206). An optical axis (19) passes through the first and the second layer. The second birefringent layer (170) has molecules movable between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the optical axis. The refractive index of the second birefringent layer (170) is dependent upon the orientation of the modules.

Abstract: The present invention to a mould and a method of manufacturing such a mould. The mould comprises a plurality of components with moulding surfaces that together form a moulding cavity. At least a part of the mould components consists of fluoropolymer that is based on a fluorinated-alkyl chain that comprises a polymerisable group at both ends of the chain such as methacrylate, vinylether, or epoxide groups.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a replica, which method comprises the provision of a polymerizable resin composition between a front mold having a pre-shaped surface and a back mold having a pre-shaped surface, carrying out a curing treatment and removing the replica thus manufactured from the molds. The invention further relates to a replica obtained by carrying out a UV light-initiated cationic polymerization.