Abstract: A dichroic guest-host polarizer comprises an oriented polymerized liquid crystal host and aligned therewith a dichroic guest. The dichroic ratio of the polarizer is about 15 or more. The polarizer may have a small thickness, be manufactured using a wet deposition method, optionally in accordance with a desired pattern, and be provided on the inside of a liquid crystal cell. Polymerizable liquid crystals having a highly ordered mesophase which may be suitable used to obtain highly oriented polymer films such as polarizer films are disclosed.

Abstract: The range of spatial frequencies of the information areas in an optical record carrier (130) that can be read by conventional means can be increased substantially by providing the information layer (1134) with a birefringent diffraction grating (136) and using a read beam (b) that comprises two mutually perpendicular polarised components (b1, b2) only one of which will be diffracted by the grating.

Abstract: The multi-colour liquid crystal display device (1) of the present invention has a plurality of discrete liquid crystal elements (110, 130, 150) that are carried by a surface of a carrier (10). The liquid crystal elements (110, 130, 150), which cover respective parts of the electrode structure (12), each have a polymer layer (114, 134, 154), which encloses a cholesteric liquid crystal material (102, 122, 142) between the polymer layer and the surface of the carrier (10). The discrete liquid crystal elements (110, 130, 150) have been formed by the individual deposition of discrete droplets of a liquid comprising the various cholesteric liquid crystal materials (102, 122, 142) and a polymer precursor followed by exposure of the droplets to a stimulus triggering the polymerization of the polymer precursor.

Abstract: The electronic device (1) of the present invention has a carrier (10) with a plurality of discrete electro-optical elements (110, 130, 150) mounted on the surface of the carrier (10). The electro-optical elements (110, 130, 150), which cover respective parts of the electrode structure (12) on the surface of the carrier (10), each have a polymer layer (114, 134, 154), which encloses an electro-optical material (102, 122, 142) between the polymer layer (114, 134, 154) and the surface of the carrier (10). The discrete electro-optical elements (110, 130, 150) have been formed by the individual deposition of discrete droplets of a liquid comprising the electro-optical material and a polymer precursor followed by exposure of the droplets to a stimulus triggering the polymerization of the polymer precursor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a display device (1), comprising a display panel (2) having a layer of electro-optical material (4), a first light-transmissive substrate (5) provided with electrodes (7) in an area of pixels arranged in rows and columns, a second light transmissive substrate (6), said layer of electro-optical material (4) being sandwiched between said first and second layer (5, 6), and an illumination system (3), being arranged on a side of the second substrate (6) being remote from said layer of electro-optical material (4), the illumination system comprising an optical waveguide (14) of an optically transparent material, having an exit face (15) facing said display panel (2). According to the invention, the illumination system (3) further comprises a matrix-addressable light-management member (27).

Abstract: A polymeric stratified-phase-separated composite (6) which is mechanically robust and simple to manufacture comprises a film of liquid (7), a layer of polymerized material (9) covering the thin film of liquid and supporting members (11) formed of polymerized material and extending from the layer of polymerized material through the thin film of liquid. The supporting members extend onto selected first regions (5b) of a substrate surface (5). The substrate surface has, laid our in accordance with a predetermined pattern, selected first (5b) and second (5a) regions. The first are functionalized for selective accumulation of the liquid. In one embodiment the first and second regions are regions of high and low affinity for polymerizable material respectively. In another, a difference in rate of polymerization is induced by using for example different concentrations of polymerization inhibitor in the first and second regions.

Abstract: A liquid-filled container (1) comprises a first and a second sheet (3, 5) between which a thin film of liquid (7) is dispersed. Supporting members, (9), which extend from the first sheet to the second sheet, are covalently bonded to the first and the second sheet to make the container mechanically robust. In an advantageous embodiment, the thin film of liquid, the supporting members and the second sheet form, in combination, a stratified-phase-separated composite. The liquid-filled container is particularly suitable for use in a liquid crystal display.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scanning backlight device, based on dynamic light extraction, the device comprising a light guide structure (24), a light source for emitting light, arranged to be directed into said light guide structure, the light guide structure (24) being provided with an addressable out-coupling member, comprising two or more defined areas, each providing switchable out-coupling of light from said light guide structure (24). The scanning backlight device is characterised in that at least one micro-optical redirection member (23), arranged in proximity with said light guide structure (24), being arranged to redirect light emitted from said light guide structure (23) in an essentially normal direction of said light guide structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a diffusive reflector (450) for a reflective or transflective Liquid Crystal Display (400). The reflector comprises a surface (452) that is structured by means of a photo-embossing process. Herein, a layer (100) of a mixture is provided including a photo-diffusible monomer (102), which may be transported through the layer under the influence of selectively applied irradiation. A layer relief is thus formed, which is preferably developed further at an elevated temperature. The layer is fixed and stabilized by means of a cross-linking step, preferably including thermally induced and/or photo-induced polymerization. In a final step, the polymer relieved surface thus formed is provided with a reflective material (154).

Abstract: A polarizing arrangement comprises a first linear polarizer having a first extinction axis. The polarization contrast ratio of the first polarizer is dependent on the angle a light beam incident on the polarizer makes with the extinction axis, polarization being most efficient when the light beam is orthogonal to the first extinction axis. In order to improve the polarization contrast ratio, for light beams traveling in directions which make an angle with the first extinction axis of the first polarizer the polarizing arrangement comprises a second polarizer having a second extinction axis. The first and second polarizer are arranged relative to one another such that, in operation, a light beam traversing the first polarizer in a direction orthogonal to the first extinction axis traverses the second polarizer in a direction coincident with the second extinction axis.

Abstract: A method of forming a liquid-crystal display device having a display cell comprises forming retardation foils on substrattes using polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material wherein the liquid-crystal molecules of the polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material have a tilt angle with respect to a plane parallel to the substrates and so that the retardation foils have substantially complementary indicatrices and so that each one of the retardation foils brings about the compensation of approximately half the display cell in the driven state.

Abstract: Optical data storage method, reading method, device (40) and storage medium (42,43), comprising storing data by modifying optical properties of polymer material (42), whereby writing is initiated by reorientation of photo-orientable units, typically by illuminating with light at a wavelength that initiates the reorientation, and whereby reading of data includes collection of anisotropic emission from dipole emitters.

Abstract: A color filter includes first, second and third regions for providing polarized light of a first, for example red, a second for example green and a third for example blue color respectively. To provide polarized light, a region comprises an isotropic colorant for selectively transmitting the first, the second or the third color, a uniaxially ordered base material and a dichroic colorant aligned by the uniaxially ordered base material for absorbing light selectively transmitted by the isotropic colorant. In a liquid crystal display device comprising such a color filter a polarizer can be dispensed with resulting in a simpler, more cost effective and robust display device.

Abstract: Display apparatus comprising an image-generating screen (46) repetitively scanned at a predetermined rate to display images, and a backlight for illuminating the screen. The backlight includes a light guide (10) arranged to constrain light by total internal reflection, the light guide having an output surface (22) with various locations from which light may be selectively coupled using a scanning arrangement (44). The scanning arrangement sequentially and repeatedly illuminates selected areas of said screen in synchronism with the repetitive scanning of the screen.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optically anisotropic body, such as a compensation foil or a micro-lens array, having a desired pattern of optical properties. Said body is obtainable by a method wherein a non-uniform electric and/or magnetic field is applied over a body comprising a polymerizable electro-optical and/or magneto-optical material, such as a LC monomer, thus inducing a desired molecular pattern. The pattern is made permanent by polymerising the electro-optical and/or magnetooptical material.

Abstract: The invention relates to producing an optical memory which combines stability of written and non-written data with high writing speed and good sensitivity during writing, such an optical memory as well as a method of writing in such a memory. The optical memory has a liquid crystal (LC) layer with a first type of LC molecules (102) aligned in one direction, forming a polymer network (108), and a second type of LC molecules (104) oriented in a perpendicular direction, in which the orientation of said second type of LC molecules is meta-stable. By making use of a force, exerted on the second type of LC molecules (104), by the network of aligned crosslinked molecules, an increase in relaxation rate for the second type of molecules (104) from a meta-stable state of orientation, is achieved, which makes it possible to use said relaxation for writing data at an increased writing rate.

Abstract: Optical data storage method, device and storage medium, comprising storing data by modifying optical properties of polymer material, whereby writing is initiated by reorientation of photoorientable units, typically by illuminating with light at a wave-length that initiates the reorientation.

Abstract: A mirror device (1) which can be simultaneously used for display purposes, based on e.g. an LCD display (5) with a polarizing mirror (2) placed in front of it. The polarizing mirror (2) has the characteristics that it does not disturb the transmission of the light from the display (5), but does reflect the light from outside the area of the screen.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device (13), such as a light emitting diode, which has a light-reflecting surface (10) causing undesirable reflection of ambient light incident on the device is provided with a combination of a reflective circular polarizer (17) and an absorbing circular polarizer (23) to suppress the undesirable reflection of ambient light thus improving the contrast of the device when used under high intensity ambient lighting conditions while maintaining a satisfactory brightness. The reflection band of the reflective circular polarizer regions (17?) of the reflective circular polarizer (17) are preferably tuned to the corresponding emission band of the luminescent regions (9?) of the electroluminescent device to further increase the contrast of the device while substantially maintaining the same brightness.

Abstract: A stacked liquid cell, such as a stacked liquid crystal cell, comprises a stack of liquid layers and substrate layers between which the liquid layers are dispersed. The stack comprises a liquid and polymeric substrate layers made from a stratified-phase-separated composite. Being part of a stratified-phase-separated composite, in particular one manufactured in accordance with a single-substrate method, the polymeric layer may have a relative small thickness compared a conventional substrate layer which results in a stacked liquid cell having a reduced thickness or, more particular, a stacked liquid cell having a reduced thickness between subjacent liquid layers giving a reduction in parallax effects.