Abstract: A hybrid polarizer includes an absorbing element having a first major surface and a second major surface. The hybrid polarizer also includes a first birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the first major surface of the absorbing element, the first birefringent reflective polarizer having a first pass axis and a first block axis. The hybrid polarizer further includes a second birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the second major surface of the absorbing element, the second reflective polarizer having a second pass axis and a second block axis.

Abstract: Optical lenses are described and include a polymeric interference filter disposed on a curved polymeric substrate. The optical lens has an average light transmission of less than 2% across a band of blue light from 400 nm to at least 420 and up to 440 nm and substantially transmits blue light greater than 450 nm.

Abstract: A multilayer optical film including a stack of microlayers arranged into optical repeat units. At a design angle of incidence, such as normal incidence, the stack provides a 1st order reflection band, a 2nd order reflection band, and optionally a 3rd order reflection band. The 2nd order reflection band substantially overlaps the 1st and/or 3rd order reflection bands to form a single wide reflection band. The wide reflection band may cover at least a portion of visible and infrared wavelengths. The multilayer optical film may include an additional optical layer which maybe be an anti-glare layer and/or may be an absorbing layer. The multilayer optical film is suitable for use as a window film.

Abstract: A broadband partial reflector includes a multilayer polymeric optical film having a total number of optical repeating units that monotonically increases in thickness value from a first side to a second side of the multilayer polymeric optical film. A baseline optical repeating unit thickness profile is defined by a first plurality of optical repeating units and having a first average slope, and a first apodized thickness profile of the multilayer polymeric optical film is defined by a second plurality of optical repeating units having a second average slope being at least 5 times greater than the first average slope. The second plurality of optical repeating units define the first side of the multilayer polymeric optical film and join the first plurality of optical repeating units. The second plurality of optical repeating units are in a range from 3-15% of the total number of optical repeating units.

Abstract: Optical bodies are disclosed that include a first optical film, a second optical film and at least one rough strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films. Also disclosed are optical bodies including a strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films and including a first polymer and a second polymer that is substantially immiscible in the first polymer. The present disclosure also provides methods of processing optical bodies that include stretching the optical bodies.

Abstract: A light guide having a first major surface, a second major surface, an input edge and an opposing edge, where at least one of the first major surface and the second major surface includes a plurality of multiplets. Each multiplet includes two or more extraction features having an indented geometry.

Abstract: An optical film includes a polymeric bandstop filter reflecting a band of blue light in a range from 440 nm to 480 nm a polymeric bandstop filter reflecting a band of blue light in a range from 440 nm to 480 nm and transmitting greater than 50% of blue light at a wavelength of 10 nm longer than a long wavelength band edge and at a wavelength of 10 nm shorter than a short wavelength band edge.

Abstract: Optical bodies are disclosed that include a first optical film, a second optical film and at least one rough strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films. Also disclosed are optical bodies including a strippable boundary layer disposed between the first and second optical films and including a first polymer and a second polymer that is substantially immiscible in the first polymer. The present disclosure also provides methods of processing optical bodies that include stretching the optical bodies.

Abstract: A broadband mirror, polarizer, or other reflector includes at least one stack of microlayers. Microlayers in the stack are arranged into optical repeat units. At a design angle of incidence such as normal incidence, the stack provides a 1st order reflection band, a 2nd order reflection band, and optionally a 3rd order reflection band. The 2nd order reflection band overlaps, or substantially overlaps, the 1st and/or 3rd order reflection bands to form a single wide reflection band. The wide reflection band may include the 2nd and 1st but not a 3rd order reflection band, or the 2nd and 3rd but not the 1st order reflection band, or it may include the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order reflection bands, as well as still higher order reflection bands. The wide reflection band may cover at least a portion of visible and infrared wavelengths.

Abstract: An optical film that includes a reflective polarizer and a stretched polymer film is disclosed. The stretched polymer film is laminated to the reflective polarizer, and the stretched polymer film exhibits a refractive index symmetry point at an angle of incidence in air of at least about 60 degrees in a plane of incidence parallel to a direction of greatest stretch.

Abstract: Broadband reflectors include a UV-reflective multilayer optical film and a VIS/IR-reflective layer. In various embodiments, the VIS/IR reflective layer may be a reflective metal layer or a multilayer optical film. Concentrated solar power systems and methods of harnessing solar energy using the broadband reflectors and optionally comprising a celestial tracking mechanism are also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminated display unit having a light guide, an LCD panel laminated to a major surface of the light guide and a high modulus layer laminated to the light guide opposite the LCD panel. A first material having refractive index n1 is disposed immediately adjacent a first major surface of the light guide and a second material having a refractive index n2 is disposed immediately adjacent a second major surface of the light guide. The light guide has a refractive index ng which is greater than about 1.05 times nmax where nmax is the larger of n1 and n2. At least one of the first major surface and the second major surface includes a plurality of multiplets where each multiplet includes two or more extraction features.

Abstract: Articles including post-formed multilayer optical films with layers of at least one strain-induced birefringent material, methods of manufacturing such articles by post-forming multilayer optical films, and multilayer optical films that are particularly well-suited to post-forming operations are disclosed. The articles, methods and multilayer optical films of the present invention allow for post-forming of multilayer optical films including strain-induced index of refraction differentials while retaining the desired optical properties of the multilayer optical films.

Abstract: A broadband mirror, polarizer, or other reflector includes separate stacks of microlayers. Microlayers in each stack are arranged into optical repeat units, and the stacks are arranged in series. At a design angle of incidence such as normal incidence, the second stack provides a second 1st order reflection band and a distinct second 2nd order reflection band with a second spectral pass band therebetween. The first stack provides a first 1st order reflection band that fills the second spectral pass band such that a single wide reflection band is formed that includes the first 1st order reflection band, the second 1st order reflection band, and the second 2nd order reflection band. In some cases, the single wide reflection band can include a first 2nd order reflection band of the first stack. In some cases, the first and second stacks may have apodized portions which monotonically deviate from respective baseline portions.

Abstract: Optical bodies are disclosed that include an optical film and at least one rough strippable skin layer. The at least one rough strippable skin layer can include a continuous phase and a disperse phase. In some embodiments, the at least one rough strippable skin layer can include a first polymer, a second polymer different from the first polymer and an additional material that is substantially immiscible in at least one of the first and second polymers. In some exemplary embodiments, a surface of the at least one rough strippable skin layer adjacent to the optical film comprises a plurality of protrusions and the adjacent surface of the optical film comprises a plurality of asymmetric depressions substantially corresponding to said plurality of protrusions. Methods of making such exemplary optical bodies are also disclosed.

Abstract: A broadband partial reflector includes a first multilayer polymeric optical film having a total number of optical repeating units from a first side to a second side of the first multilayer polymeric optical film and a second multilayer polymeric optical film having a total number of optical repeating units from a first side to a second side of the second multilayer polymeric optical film and an intermediate layer on the second side of the multilayer polymeric optical film separates the first multilayer polymeric optical film from the second multilayer polymeric optical film. The first multilayer polymeric optical film has a first baseline optical repeating unit thickness profile and a first apodized optical repeating unit thickness profile monotonically deviating from the first baseline optical repeating unit thickness profile and defining the second side of the first multilayer polymeric optical film.

Abstract: A backlight includes a front and back reflector forming a light recycling cavity and one or more light source members disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity. The front reflector being partially reflective to provide an output illumination area. The front reflector has a blue sloped transmission spectra, at normal incidence with a range among bin values from 15% to 100%.

Abstract: Broadband reflectors include a UV-reflective multilayer optical film and a VIS/IR-reflective layer. In various embodiments, the VIS/IR reflective layer may be a reflective metal layer or a multilayer optical film. Concentrated solar power systems and methods of harnessing solar energy using the broadband reflectors and optionally comprising a celestial tracking mechanism are also disclosed.

Abstract: Multilayer reflecting polarizing films are disclosed having increased in-plane refractive index differences between adjacent microlayers along both the pass and block axis, and having negative refractive index differences between adjacent microlayers along the thickness or z-axis. Major front and back surfaces of the film exposed to air provide a Fresnel reflectivity component to the pass axis reflectivity, and the microlayers provide a microlayer component to the pass axis reflectivity, such microlayer component preferably having a reflectivity of p-polarized light that increases with incidence angle faster than the Fresnel reflectivity component decreases so as to substantially avoid off-axis gain peaks for p-polarized light. The films preferably utilize a relatively small total number of microlayers, arranged in a single coherent stack with monotonic optical repeat unit thickness profile, and at least some microlayers preferably include polyethylene naphthalate or a copolymer thereof.

Abstract: A multilayer optical film body includes a first and second packet of microlayers. Each packet partially transmits and partially reflects light over an extended wavelength range, such as the visible region, for normally incident light polarized along a first principal axis of the film body. In combination, the first and second packets have an intermediate reflection and transmission (e.g. 5-95% internal transmission, on average) for the normally incident light, and similar intermediate reflection/transmission (e.g. 10-90% internal transmission, on average) for oblique light. The packets are laminated or otherwise connected so that light can pass through the packets sequentially. In at least a first test area of the film body, a high frequency spectral variability of the combination of packets is less than a high frequency spectral variability of the first packet by itself, and may also be less than a high frequency spectral variability of the second packet by itself.