Abstract: There is disclosed a protected item including an item that needs protection and a protective coating having a hardness of at least about 8 on the Mohs scale. The protected item includes a light transmission in part or all of the visible wavelength of at least about 60% and a light reflection in the visible wavelength of about 4% or less.

Abstract: An oblique angle deposition is used to provide an A-plate optical retarder having at least one dense, form-birefringent layer. According to one embodiment, the dense, form-birefringent layer(s) are deposited as part of an FBAR stack to provide an all-dielectric full-function A/?C-plate trim retarder for LCD birefringence compensation. Advantageously, the dense structure of the full-function A/?C-plate trim retarder offers high durability and/or stability, thus making it well suited for providing polarization compensation in high light flux polarization-based projection systems.

Abstract: A fold mirror for a projection display system is designed to lessen a perceived variation in white color balance of light reflected across the mirror wherein the white light is comprised of sub-beams of orthogonal polarization states. The mirror comprises a metal reflective layer and a plurality of optically transparent layers, wherein thicknesses and materials of the optically transparent layers are such that wavelength-averaged reflectance for p-polarized incident green light varies by less than 1%, wavelength-averaged reflectance for s-polarized blue light varies by less than 1.5%, and wavelength-averaged reflectance for s-polarized red light varies by about 4% over a range of angles of incidence between 0 and 65 degrees.

Abstract: A grating trim retarder fabricated from a form-birefringent multi-layer dielectric stack including at least one anti-reflection coating and supported on a transparent substrate is provided. The form-birefringent dielectric stack includes an axially-inhomogeneous element in the form of a ?C-plate grating and a transversely-inhomogeneous element in the form of an A-plate grating. Each of the ?C-plate and the A-plate gratings are fabricated with dimensions to form a zeroth order sub-wavelength grating structure. Fabricating the grating trim retarder with anti-reflection coatings and/or a segment where the ?C-plate and A-plate grating overlap enables the in-plane and out-of-plane retardances to be tailored independently according to the desired application.

Abstract: A C-plate compensator is disclosed for compensating the residual A-plate and C-plate retardance of a reflective liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) display or a transmissive liquid crystal (LC) display in a projection display system. The C-plate incorporates a form-birefringent coating, whose retardance magnitude can be adjusted by tilting with respect to the display panel (X-Y) plane. The tilted plate is rotated about the Z-axis by a prescribed amount from the slow axis of the display panel. Criteria are described for choosing the tilt and rotation angles such that the contrast of the display system produced by the compensated panel is optimized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polarization compensating element (PCE) for a liquid crystal, e.g. liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS), display system manufactured using a linearly photo-polymerizable polymer (LPP) for orienting a photo-polymerizable liquid crystal polymer (LCP) film. To decrease the reflection, polarization conversion, and interference events in an LPP/LCP assembly the ?N birefringence value of the LCP material is minimized. Dielectric coatings are added at various locations throughout the assembly for minimizing the amount of reflection, polarization conversion, and interference effects and for suppressing spatial retardance ripples.

Abstract: The present invention relates to trim retarders used to compensate for residual birefringence created by liquid crystal display panels. In particular the present invention relates to a trim retarder with negative out-of-plane birefringence provided by a form birefringent multi-layer dielectric stack for compensating for retardances resulting from liquid crystal on silicon display panels.

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-cavity filter, and in particular, a multi-cavity bandpass filter having a predetermined centre wavelength. The filter includes a plurality of cavities, each cavity including two partially reflecting films separated by a layer of dielectric material. The two partially reflecting layers are formed from layers of material having alternating high and low refractive indices. Each layer of dielectric material has a thickness that is an integral number of half-waves of the centre wavelength. The filter has an asymmetric structure that causes the reflected chromatic dispersion from one side of the filter to be reduced relative to the reflected chromatic dispersion from the other side.