Waveplate Or Retarder Patents (Class 359/489.07)
  • Publication number: 20120327343
    Abstract: A polymer film that has: a ratio R (VT/VM) of a sound velocity in a transverse direction VT to a sound velocity in a machine direction VM of from 1.05 to 1.50; and an in-plane retardation Re(?) and a thickness-direction retardation Rth(?) satisfying formula (I): (I) 0?Re(630)?10, and |Rth(630)|25, wherein Re(?) represents an in-plane retardation at a wavelength of ? (nm); and Rth(?) represents a thickness-direction retardation at a wavelength of ? (nm).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi OMATSU
  • Patent number: 8338823
    Abstract: There is provided a polarizer for organic light emitting diodes (OLED) having improved brightness. The polarizer, which comprises a linear polarizer and a ¼ retardation plate, comprises a reflective polarizer film disposed between the linear polarizer and the ¼ retardation plate and transmitting a polarized light horizontal to the transmission axis of the linear polarizer while reflecting a polarized light vertical to the transmission axis of the linear polarizer. The polarizer may be useful to highly improve the brightness of the OLED device when the polarizer is used in the OLED device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sin-Young Kim, Hyuk Yoon, Moon-Soo Park, Belyaev Sergey
  • Patent number: 8328362
    Abstract: Three dimensional projection systems may be single projector or multiple projector systems. These 3D projection systems may include a polarization conversion system (PCS). The PCS may be designed for relatively small throw ratios and thus, may be designed to accommodate the small throw ratios. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a first optical stack, a reflector and a second quarter wave retarder. The first optical stack may include a rotator, a polarizer, a polarization switch and a first quarter wave retarder. The PCS may receive light from a projector and the PBS may direct the light toward the first optical stack. The light may be converted to a different polarization state as it passes through the first optical stack. The converted light may then be re-directed by a reflecting element to the second quarter wave retarder. The second quarter wave retarder may convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Coleman, Miller H. Schuck, Gary D. Sharp, Scott E. Gilman
  • Patent number: 8331025
    Abstract: A polarizing plate of the present invention includes a polyvinyl alcohol-based polarizer and transparent protective films provided on both sides of the polarizer with an adhesive layer interposed between the polarizer and each transparent protective film, wherein the transparent protective film on one side comprises a lactone ring structure-containing (meth)acrylic resin and is a retardation plate having an in-plane retardation of 40 nm or more and/or a thickness direction retardation of 80 nm or more, and the transparent protective film on the other side has an in-plane retardation of less than 40 nm and a thickness direction retardation of less than 80 nm. The polarizing plate can satisfy durability and display uniformity (unevenness).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Nitto Denko Corporation, Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanto Kobayashi, Youichirou Sugino, Narifumi Ueda
  • Patent number: 8330911
    Abstract: A circular polarizer comprising a single linear polarizer producing a linear state of polarization and at least one phase retardation film layered with the single linear polarizer. In a first embodiment, the at least one phase retardation film includes at least one uniaxial A-plate phase retardation film and at least one uniaxial C-plate phase retardation film. In a second embodiment of the invention, the circular polarizer includes a linear polarizer and at least one biaxial phase retardation film layered with the linear polarizer. In another example of the circular polarize of the second embodiment, at least one uniaxial A-plate phase retardation film and/or at least one uniaxial C-plate phase retardation film is also layer with the linear polarize and the biaxial phase retardation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Qi Hong, Ruibo Lu, Xinyu Zhu, Thomas X. Wu, Shin-Tson Wu
  • Publication number: 20120300143
    Abstract: A VIS-NIR hyperspectral imaging filter has serial stages along an optical signal path with angularly distributed birefringent retarders and polarizers. The retarders can include active retarders such as tunable liquid crystal birefringent elements, passive retarders such as fixed retarders, and/or combinations thereof. Distinctly different periodic transmission spectra are provided by different filter stages, each having multiple retarders, in particular with some stages having broad bandpass peaks at wide spectral spacing and other stages have very narrow closely spaced peaks. The respective spectra include at least one tunably selectable band at which the transmission spectra of the filter stages coincide, whereby the salutary narrow bandpass and wide spectral spacing ranges of different stages apply together, resulting in a high finesse wavelength filter suitable for spectral imaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Chemlmage Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Voigt, Lei Shi, George Venturis
  • Publication number: 20120293764
    Abstract: There is provided an integrated wide viewing film including: a first film having an optical axis located in-plan; and a second film having an optical axis located in a thickness direction thereof, and inclined at a predetermined angle in an in-plane direction. The IPS-LCD employing the integrated wide viewing film can be significantly improved in a contrast ratio in a diagonal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Jun-Won CHANG, Belyaev SERGEY, Malimonenko NIKOLAY
  • Publication number: 20120293867
    Abstract: A polarization module includes: a polarizer; a plurality of first quarter-wave plates disposed over the polarizer such that their optical axes are tilted at 45 degrees with respect to the polarization axis of the polarizer; and a plurality of second quarter-wave plates disposed over the polarizer such that their optical axes are tilted at 45 degrees with respect to the polarization axis of the polarizer in the direction opposite to the tilting direction of the optical axes of the first quarter-wave plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventor: Norihiro MATSUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120292580
    Abstract: Provided is an optical film which exhibits low internal haze, low internal scattering, and excellent moisture resistance though the film contains diacetylcellulose having excellent retardation-inducing properties. An optical film characterized by comprising: a cellulose acetate ? which has a 6% viscosity of 70 to 250 mPas and a degree of acetyl substitution of 2.0 to less than 2.5; another cellulose acetate ? which has a 6% viscosity lower than that of the cellulose acetate ? and a degree of acetyl substitution of 2.0 to less than 2.5; ester compound C which has 1 to 12 pyranose or furanose structures of at least one kind and in which all or a part of the OH groups of the structures are esterified; and polyester D represented by Formula (1). B-(G-A)n-G-B (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA ADVANCED LAYERS, INC.
    Inventor: Takahiro TAKAGI
  • Publication number: 20120274888
    Abstract: A polyamic acid-type photo-alignment layer in a heating process only below approximately 140° C., and an optically anisotropic substance in which various polymerizable liquid crystal compositions are uniformly oriented by use of the layer are provided. An optically anisotropic substance obtained by applying a polyamic acid varnish which is a composition including a polyamic acid having a divalent azobenzene group in the principal chain or its derivative, or a composition including a mixture of both this polyamic acid or its derivative and other polyamic acids or its derivative as a polymer component, to a supporting substrate, by drying the resultant layer at a temperature range of approximately 50° C. to approximately 140° C., by carrying out alignment treatment by irradiation of the layer with light, applying a polymerizable liquid crystal composition to a alignment layer formed by means of the treatment, and polymerizing the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: JNC PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION, JNC CORPORATION
    Inventors: YOSHIHARU HIRAI, NORIO TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20120258296
    Abstract: An optical film formed of a cellulose acylate and having a first region and a second region that differ from each other in the birefringence, wherein the angle between the slow axis of the first region and the slow axis of the second region is at least 45 degrees can be produced at a low cost and used for 3D stereoscopic image display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeaki Nimura
  • Publication number: 20120257277
    Abstract: An optical element including a first layer (011) made of a medium having optical anisotropy, wherein a difference between refractive indexes nh and nl (nh>nl) at a central wavelength ? for first and second polarized lights which enter the optical element and whose polarization directions are different from each other is at least 0.1, and wherein conditions (nt1?nl)·(nl?nt2)?0 and nt1<nl are satisfied, where nt1 and nt2 denote refractive indexes of a second layer (012) and a third layer (013) optically adjacent to the first layer in both sides of the first layer and made of isotropic media at the central wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Sano, Yutaka Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8284488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a low pass filter including a wave plate capable of modulating incident light serving as image information such that A-polarized light and B-polarized light orthogonal to the A-polarized light are at an equivalent light quantity level over a visible light region, i.e., a transmittance takes a value close to 50%. According to the low pass filter of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately reduce a moiré phenomenon generated by an image sensor constituting the optical low pass filter including the above-described wave plate, and suppress degradation of an image quality caused by light quantity deflection of a separated light beam, and the low pass filter of the present invention is therefore useful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yabumoto, Koichi Murata
  • Publication number: 20120242949
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a phase retarding film, a manufacturing method of a stereoscopic display apparatus, and a phase retarding film are provided. A light transmissive substrate is provided. An alignment layer is formed on the light-transmissive substrate. The alignment layer is aligned. A birefringent material film is formed on the alignment layer. A reaction-causing light is used to expose a first patterned region of the birefringent material film to induce a reaction on the first patterned region, wherein a second patterned region of the biregringent material film is not exposed to the reaction-causing light. The second patterned region of the biregringent material film is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Chia-Tai Chen
  • Publication number: 20120243091
    Abstract: A concealing structure to at least partially conceal a sensor, light emitter or other component by at least partially preventing reflection of external light by an underlying structure. In some examples, this function is performed by a two-component masking assembly, the masking assembly including a linear polarizer to cause linear polarization of light which passes from the exterior of the device to an underlying component, and a wave plate to shift the axis of any reflected polarized light. In many cases, a high density optical fluid will further be included within the masking assembly to minimize reflections from the other components of the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David Thomas Amm, James J. Dudley, Peter Henry Mahowald
  • Publication number: 20120229897
    Abstract: A phase retarder including a transparent substrate; and at least a symmetrical or pseudo symmetrical film stack stacked on the transparent substrate, the symmetrical or pseudo symmetrical film stack having odd numbers of thin film, the odd numbers of thin film having an intermediate thin film located at the center of the symmetrical or pseudo symmetrical film stack and at least one thin film located respectively on two sides of the intermediate thin film, and, with respect to the central thin film, properties of the thin films located respectively on two sides of the intermediate thin film are symmetrical or pseudo-symmetrical, there is at least one anisotropic thin film in the symmetrical or pseudo symmetrical film stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: NATIONAL TAIPEI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Yi-Jun Jen
  • Publication number: 20120207007
    Abstract: A phase difference layer 12 and a reflection layer 13 are provided. Then, adjustment is performed such that the phase difference layer 12 and the reflection layer 13 impart a predetermined phase difference to light having a particular wavelength bandwidth or plural kinds of light of different wavelengths that enter in an oblique direction relative to the normal direction of the plane of the phase difference layer 12. By virtue of this, the light 16a that goes forward and backward through the phase difference layer 12 and then exits the layer has an ellipticity ? of 0.7 or greater. Thus, in particular, when this wave plate is employed in an optical head device, the function of reflection and the function of a ¼-wave plate are integrated. Thus, stable recording and reproduction of an optical disk are achieved, and size reduction is achieved in the optical head device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Koji MIYASAKA, Takuji NOMURA, Mamoru ISOBE
  • Patent number: 8238026
    Abstract: A polarization-sensitive infrared image sensor (also termed a snapshot polarimeter) utilizing a 2-D array of polarizers to filter infrared light from a scene according to polarization, and a 2-D array of photodetectors (i.e. a focal plane array) to detect the filtered infrared light and generate polarization information which can be used to form a polarization-sensitive image of the scene. By forming each polarizer on an optical fiber in a fiber optic faceplate, the polarizers can be located facing a 2-D array of retarders to minimize diffraction effects of the infrared light. The optical fibers also guide the filtered infrared light to the photodetectors to reduce cross-talk in the polarization information. The polarizers can be formed as wire grid polarizers; and the retarders can be formed as subwavelength surface-relief gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Shanalyn A. Kemme, Alvaro A. Cruz-Cabrera
  • Publication number: 20120194768
    Abstract: A wavelength plate includes: a first quartz plate unit including a plurality of quartz plates which have main surfaces disposed in the same plane and are jointed with each other; and a second quartz plate unit including a plurality of quartz plates which have main surfaces disposed on a main surface of the first quartz plate unit and are jointed with each other in a position different from a joint position of the first quartz plate unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Ryoko Horikoshi, Yuichi Takahashi, Koji Kita
  • Patent number: 8233220
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical system for providing on-axis destructive interference of light received from an object along a predetermined system optical axis. The system comprises a receiving and guiding optical structure and a combining optical structure. The receiving and guiding optical structure is for receiving and guiding at least three beams of light received from said object, the receiving and guiding optical structure arranged to provide a relative optical path difference between the at least three beams; the combining optical structure is for combining the at least three beams. According to the invention, a polarization varying optical structure is arranged between the receiving and guiding optical structure and the combining optical structure, for varying a polarization state of the beams relative to each other in order to provide on-axis destructive interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventor: Julien Felix Paul Spronck
  • Patent number: 8223432
    Abstract: An optical sheet suitable for linear polarized light to pass through is provided. The optical sheet includes a substrate and a retardation film. The retardation film herein is located on the substrate and has a plurality of optical axes with different extending directions. The linear polarized light after passing through the retardation film is converted into a plurality of linear polarized light with different polarization directions, wherein the retardation film substantially has a phase retardation of ?/2 at anywhere of the area where the linear polarized light passes through and ? is the wavelength of the linear polarized light. Besides, the present invention also provides a display apparatus, a fabricating method of an optical sheet and a fabricating method of a display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignees: Taiwan TFT LCD Association, Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd., Au Optronics Corporation, Hannstar Display Corporation, Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corporation, Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wei-Chih Liu, Jie-Shiung Yang
  • Patent number: 8211515
    Abstract: A novel optical compensation sheet is disclosed. The sheet comprising a polymer layer formed by coating and, drying a solution comprising a polymer compound and a solvent composition comprising 20% by weight or more of water; and an optically anisotropic layer formed on the surface of the polymer layer by hardening a liquid crystal layer comprising at least one liquid-crystalline compound under irradiation of ionizing radiation at a film surface temperature from 70 to 160° C.; wherein a frontal retardation (Re) value of the optically anisotropic layer is not zero, and the optically anisotropic layer gives substantially equal retardation values for light of a wavelength ? nm coming respectively in a direction rotated by +40° and in a direction rotated by ?40° with respect to a normal direction of a layer plane using an in-plane slow axis as a tilt axis (a rotation axis).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Satomi Suzuki, Ichiro Amimori
  • Publication number: 20120140152
    Abstract: To provide a retardation film in which the retardation condition is adjusted to achieve a liquid crystal display without coloration over a wide viewing angle range and having a high contrast ratio, and a method of designing the same, as well as a polarizing film and a liquid crystal display using the same. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell and polarizing films in a Cross-Nicol relationship with each other on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; wherein at least one polarizing film includes a retardation film having reverse wavelength dispersion property; and the liquid crystal display further includes a retardation film having a wavelength dispersion property substantially the same as a liquid crystal layer configuring the liquid crystal cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira SAKAI
  • Patent number: 8182085
    Abstract: Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses comprise a polyvinylalcohol polarizer film or similar type of material laminated with triacetate or similar type material on one or both sides, wherein the polarizer film has a polarizing efficiency equal to or exceeding 99% and a transmittance percentage equal to or exceeding 35% and a retarder film (e.g., norbornene copolymer resin) laminated on a front surface of the polyvinylalcohol polarizer film laminated with triacetate and aligned to produce a desired circular polarization responsive to specified retardation wavelengths. Thermoforming and press polishing techniques may be used to fabricate/curve the blanks into lenses. The lenses (optical elements) may be used in an injection molding process to add thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: MEI 3D, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Johnson, James Pritts
  • Publication number: 20120120356
    Abstract: An optical film having a desired wavelength dispersion characteristic, a low photoelastic coefficient and a desired Nz coefficient. The optical film is formed from a copolymer and meets the following conditions (i) to (v): (i) the thickness (d) is 20 to 80 ?m; (ii) the following formulas (1) and (2) are satisfied: 0.6<R(450)/R(550)<1??(1) 1.01<R(650)/R(550)<1.40??(2) (R(450), R(550) and R(650) are retardations within the plane of the film at respective wavelengths); (iii) R(550) is 120 to 160 nm; (iv) the birefringence (?n) is not less than 1.5×10?3; and (v) the Nz coefficient represented by the following formula (4) is 1.18 to 2.40: Nz=(nx?nz)/(nx?ny)??(4) (nx, ny and nz are 3-dimensional birefringences of the film).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Akiko Washizu, Masatoshi Ando, Tetsuya Motoyoshi, Shoichi Maekawa
  • Publication number: 20120099052
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a component of liquid crystal display and more particularly to a retarder that comprises a birefringent material. The disclosed retarder comprises at least one substrate, and a retardation layer coated onto the substrate. The substrate possesses anisotropic property of positive A-type. The retardation layer is substantially transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range, and a principal axis of the lowest refractive index of the retardation layer and the principal axis of the largest refractive index of the substrate are substantially parallel to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventor: Pavel Ivan Lazarev
  • Patent number: 8164831
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for depolarizing light and producing a variable differential group delays in optical signals. In one implementation, an input optical beam is split into first and second beams with orthogonal polarizations. One or two optical reflectors are then used to cause the first and second optical beams to undergo different optical path lengths before they are recombined into a single output beam. An adjustment mechanism may used implemented to adjust the difference in the optical path lengths of the first and second beams to produce a variable DGD. When the depolarization of light is desired, the difference in the optical path lengths of the first and second beams is set to be greater than the coherence length of the input optical beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: General Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: X. Steve Yao, Jane Chen, Yongqiang Shi
  • Patent number: 8164620
    Abstract: A stereo projection optical system includes an image engine configured for providing light superimposed spatial information, a color selector positioned to receive a light output of the image engine, a transmission-type light modulator positioned to receive an emergent light of the color selector. The color selector is configured for selectively modifying the polarization of the light output according to the wavelength of the light output. The transmission-type light modulator alternates between a dark state and a bright state. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the stereo projection optical system according to the present invention provides advantages in that its structure can be simplified with the reduction of its size by synthesizing lift and right image signals by displaying the stereoscopic image signal using a single projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Idnustry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Wen Hsu, Chia-Hung Kao, Huan-Liang Lo, Sheng-Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 8163359
    Abstract: Disclosed are a retardation film including a polymer resin; and an optically anisotropic compound having a silicon group, and a polarizing plate including the retardation film. Also, disclosed is a liquid crystal display including the retardation film and/or the polarizing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minjin Ko, Myungsun Moon, Kiyoul Lee, Kim YunBong, Jaeho Cheong, Bumgyu Choi, Daeho Kang
  • Publication number: 20120092594
    Abstract: An optical film contains a cellulose acylate film, and at least two layers of an optically anisotropic layer A and an optically anisotropic layer B, wherein the cellulose acylate film satisfies the specific formulae, Re(548) of the optically anisotropic layer A is from 80 to 190 nm and the slow axis of the optically anisotropic layer A is at 45°±10° with respect to the film conveying direction, and the optically anisotropic layer B satisfies the specific formulae.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi TOYAMA, Isao FUJIWARA, Jun TAKEDA, Yoji ITO
  • Publication number: 20120092668
    Abstract: The present invention provides a patterned polarization converter having multiple domains that can be used to convert input linear polarized light to output light with spatially varying polarization states, including domains that produce linearly polarized light and domains that produce circular polarized light based on the patterning of the domains. A patterned polarization converter having multiple domains may be used in a polarization sensor application capable of detecting the polarization state of input light. The present invention further provides patterned radial and azimuthal polarization converters, which have utility in applications such as optical tweezers. Additionally, patterned polarization converters may be used to fabricate more patterned polarization converters having the same pattern using one-step photoalignment to copy the pattern of an existing patterned polarization converter to an unpatterned photoalignment layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Tao Du, Vladimir Grigorievich Chigrinov, Hoi Sing Kwok
  • Publication number: 20120092595
    Abstract: An optical film is provided and includes: a transparent support satisfying the following expressions (1) and (2); and an optically anisotropic layer having a ?/4 function. The optical film has an Rth (550) satisfying a relation of |Rth (550)|?20. |Re (550)|?10 ??(1) |?Rth (25° C. 30% RH?25° C80% RH)|?20 ??(2) Re (550) represents an in-plane retardation Re at a wavelength of 550 nm, and Rth (550) represents a retardation Rth in a film thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm; and ?Rth (25° C. 30% RH?25° C. 80% RH) represents a difference between Rth (550) at 25° C. and 30% RH and Rth (550) at 25° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hisakado, Yoji Ito
  • Patent number: 8158220
    Abstract: A cellulose acylate film comprising a cellulose acylate resin satisfying the formulae (i)-(iii) and a compound capable of forming a hydrogen bond satisfying conditions (A)-(C): (A) the compound has both a hydrogen bond donor moiety and a hydrogen bond acceptor moiety in the molecule, (B) the value obtained by dividing the molecular weight of the compound by the total of the number of the hydrogen bond donor moiety and the number of the hydrogen bond acceptor moiety is from 30 to 65, (C) the number of aromatic ring structures is from 1 to 3, 0.5?A+B?2.7, ??(i) 0.0?A?2.5, and ??(ii) 0.1?B?2.0, ??(iii) wherein A means the degree of substitution with an acetyl group, and B means a total of the degree of substitution with a propionyl group and the degree of substitution with a butyryl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Nagura, Takayasu Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20120086907
    Abstract: Curved polarization filters and methods of manufacturing thereof. One method includes laminating a planar polarization layer to a planar retarder layer at a predetermined orientation and bending the laminate to create a curved filter. The strain on the retarder layer results in stress-induced birefringence, and the predetermined orientation of the retarder substantially compensates for the stress-induced birefringence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: RealD, INC.
    Inventors: DAVID A. COLEMAN, Gary D. Sharp
  • Publication number: 20120081784
    Abstract: A patterned retarder includes at least one retardation plate comprising a substrate substantially transparent in visible spectral range and having front and rear surfaces and a set of parallel stripes located on front surface of the substrate and possessing in-plane retardation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventor: Pavel Ivan LAZAREV
  • Publication number: 20120081622
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wave plate including: a first quartz plate configured to have a crystal optical axis inclined to a major surface; and a second quartz plate configured to have a crystal optical axis inclined to a major surface, the major surface of the second quartz plate being superimposed on the major surface of the first quartz plate, wherein an angle formed by the optical axis of the first quartz plate and the optical axis of the second quartz plate is 45 degrees in a front view seen from direction perpendicular to the major surface, and the optical axis of the first quartz plate is parallel to the optical axis of the second quartz plate in a top view seen from direction parallel to the major surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoko Horikoshi, Hideki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120081785
    Abstract: A method for producing an optical film including a birefringence layer having a refractive index distribution that satisfies nx>nz>ny, by which productivity of an optical film becomes high because there are a few steps, and a contamination is reduced, is provided. The method for producing an optical film including a birefringence layer includes forming an applied film by applying a birefringence layer forming material containing a non-liquid crystalline material with a birefringence (?nxz) in the thickness direction thereof of 0.0007 or more directly on a shrinkable film, and forming a birefringence layer having a refractive index distribution that satisfies nx>nz>ny by shrinking the applied film through shrinking the shrinkable film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Iida, Motoko Kawasaki, Nao Murakami, Hiroyuki Yoshimi
  • Patent number: 8144379
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a recording and reproducing device including: a light source; an intensity modulating section; a polarization beam splitter; a selective polarization direction controlling section; a linearly polarized light/circularly polarized light converting section; and a driving controlling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Terumasa Ito, Kenji Tanaka, Atsushi Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20120062847
    Abstract: A phase plate includes a transparent substrate and a periodic structure formed on a substrate surface of the transparent substrate. The phase plate is configured to provide light having a predetermined design wavelength that vertically enters the substrate surface with a phase difference from ¼ wavelength to ¾ wavelength. The periodic structure is configured to reduce a volume occupation rate with increasing distance from the transparent substrate, and the periodic structure has a height of at least 200 nm. An angle between a first direction in which a center of a width of a unit periodic structure at a position closest to the substrate surface is connected with a center of a width of a unit periodic structure at a position farthest from the substrate surface and a normal direction of the substrate surface is from 5 degrees to 30 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yutaka YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8134659
    Abstract: The present invention provides an elliptical polarizer with excellent viewing angle characteristics. The elliptical polarizer comprises at least a first polarizer, a first optically anisotropic layer, a second optically anisotropic layer, and a third optically anisotropic layer, laminated in this order, the first optically anisotropic layer satisfying [1] 50?Re1?500, [2] 30?Rth1?750, and [3] 0.6?Rth1/Re1?1.5, the second optically anisotropic layer satisfying [4] 0?Re2?20 and [5] ?500?Rth2??30, and the third optically anisotropic layer satisfying [6] 100?Re3?180, [7] 50?Rth3?600, and [8] 0.5?Rth3/Re3?3.5, wherein Re indicates the retardation value in the plane of each optically anisotropic layer and Rth indicates the retardation value in the thickness direction of each optically anisotropic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Takahashi, Tetsuya Uesaka, Satoru Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20120050449
    Abstract: An optical device comprising a region divided into a first division plane running in parallel with a direction of an incident vector of a laser beam entering an incidence place for the laser beam and a second division plane running in parallel with the direction of the incident vector and normal to the first division plane, wherein: provides the laser beam with phase rotation angles differentiated by ? between the regions divided by the first division plane when the laser beam travels in the direction of the incident vector and is linearly polarized in a direction parallel to the first division plane; and also provides the laser beam with phase rotation angles differentiated by ? between the regions divided by the second division plane when the laser beam travels in the direction of the incident vector and is linearly polarized in a direction parallel to the second division plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideo Iwase
  • Patent number: 8120849
    Abstract: A retardation film is manufactured by stretching a thermoplastic resin film while adjusting stretching ratio ? [%], temperature ? [° C.], and stretching speed ? [%/min] so that the following formulas (1) and (2) are satisfied when the thermoplastic resin film is stretched at the stretching ratio ? [%], the temperature ? [° C.], and the stretching speed ? [%/min], therefore, stretching unevenness can be prevented: Z>X ??(1) (X×100/k)×0.2<(Y?X)×100/k ??(2) here X represents yield stress [MPa] in a stress-strain curve, Y represents stress [MPa] in the stress-strain curve when the film is further stretched from the yield stress by k [%] which is the amount of strain until the yield stress, and Z represents stress [MPa] in the stress-strain curve when the film is stretched to ? [%].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Nakai
  • Publication number: 20120019745
    Abstract: In the optical plate and a method of manufacturing the optical plate, a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus, an optical plate is formed on a polarizing plate transmitting polarized light of incident light, and includes a phase delaying layer having first and second patterns. The first pattern delays a phase of the polarized light by 3?/4 and the second pattern delays the phase of the polarized light by ?/4. Accordingly, a process of manufacturing the display apparatus may be simplified, and a thickness of the display apparatus may be decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hee-Wook DO, Duck-Jong SUH, Kyeong Hyeon KIM, Jeong-Uk HEO
  • Publication number: 20120013828
    Abstract: Disclosed are: a polarizing plate having visibility and viewing angle characteristics; and a liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plate. Specifically disclosed is a polarizing plate which is obtained by sandwiching a polarizer between first and second cellulose ester films. The polarizing plate is characterized in that the first cellulose ester film is formed from a cellulose ester having a total degree of substitution of acyl groups of 2.8-3.0, and the second cellulose ester film is formed from a cellulose ester having a total degree of substitution of acyl groups of 2.0-2.6, and has a retardation value Ro of 30-200 nm and a retardation value Rt of 70-300 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventor: Takahiro Takagi
  • Publication number: 20120013982
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of organic chemistry and particularly to the optical retardation films for liquid crystal displays. The present invention provides an optical film comprising a substrate having front and rear surfaces, and at least one solid retardation layer on the front surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Crysoptix KK
    Inventor: Ellina Kharatiyan
  • Publication number: 20110311738
    Abstract: A process of producing a cellulose acylate film is disclosed. The process comprises a forming step of forming a web of a fluid, comprising a cellulose acylate, aromatic group-containing oligomer and solvent, by casting the fluid onto a support, a stretching step of stretching the web, thereby to align molecules of the aromatic group-containing oligomer along the stretching direction, and a heat-treatment step of subjecting the stretched web to a heat treatment, thereby to at least increase the alignment degree of molecules of the aromatic group-containing oligomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Nimura, Ryo Nakamura, Hiroko Kamee, Kentaro Toyooka, Hiroshi Sato, Megumi Sekiguchi, Yukito Saitoh, Akira Yamamoto, Michio Nagai
  • Publication number: 20110310334
    Abstract: To provide a retardation film in which the retardation condition is adjusted to achieve a liquid crystal display without coloration over a wide viewing angle range and having a high contrast ratio, and a method of designing the same, as well as a polarizing film and a liquid crystal display using the same. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell and polarizing films in a Cross-Nicol relationship with each other on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; wherein at least one polarizing film includes a retardation film having reverse wavelength dispersion property; and the liquid crystal display further includes a retardation film having a wavelength dispersion property substantially the same as a liquid crystal layer configuring the liquid crystal cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Sakai
  • Publication number: 20110285947
    Abstract: An optical compensation film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: non-liquid crystal polymers arranged in a tilt alignment, wherein the optical compensation film satisfies the following expressions (1) and (2): 3 [nm]?(nx?ny)×d;??(1) and 5°<?,??(2) where, when an X-axis and a Y-axis, which are plane direction axes of a three-dimensional coordinate system, are perpendicular to each other and an axis vertical to the X-axis and the Y-axis in a thickness direction is defined as a Z-axis, nx and ny indicate a maximum refractive index and a minimum refractive index in an XY-plane of the optical compensation film, respectively, d indicates a film thickness [nm], and ? indicates an angle formed between a direction for providing the minimum refractive index ny and a direction for providing a maximum refractive index nb in a YZ-plane of the optical compensation film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nao Murakami, Motoko Kawasaki, Hiroyuki Yoshimi
  • Publication number: 20110279744
    Abstract: A SWIR hyperspectral imaging filter has serial stages along an optical signal path with angularly distributed birefringent retarders and polarizers. The retarders can include active retarders such as tunable liquid crystal birefringent elements, passive retarders such as fixed retarders, and/or combinations thereof. Distinctly different periodic transmission spectra are provided by different filter stages, each having multiple retarders, in particular with some stages having broad bandpass peaks at wide spectral spacing and other stages have very narrow closely spaced peaks. The respective spectra include at least one tunably selectable band at which the transmission spectra of the filter stages coincide, whereby the salutary narrow bandpass and wide spectral spacing ranges of different stages apply together, resulting in a high finesse wavelength filter suitable for spectral imaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: ChemImage Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Voigt, Lei Shi, Zili Li, George Ventouris, Michael Fuhrman
  • Patent number: 8059337
    Abstract: A wave plate is disclosed which includes a glass plate having a thickness of at least 0.1 mm and at most 5 mm. The glass plate has a plurality of strip-shaped birefringent regions substantially in parallel with a surface of the glass plate. The axial directions of the strip-shaped birefringent regions are the same with one another, and substantially in parallel with the surface of the glass plate. The wave plate has a retardation value of from 80 to 450 nm as measured with incident light having a wavelength of 540 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventor: Motoshi Ono