Abstract: Exemplary methods include includes providing a film comprising at least one polymeric material; widening the film under a first set of processing conditions in a first draw step along the crossweb direction such that in-plane birefringence, if any, created in the film is low; and drawing the film in a second draw step along a downweb direction under a second set of processing conditions, wherein the second set of processing conditions creates in-plane birefringence in at least one polymeric material. Exemplary roll of film includes an oriented optical film characterized by an effective orientation axis. The oriented optical film comprises only one birefringent polymeric material, at least one birefringent material and at least one isotropic material, or a first birefringent material and a second birefringent material, the birefringent materials characterized by effective orientation axes along the MD. The optical film has a width of greater than 0.3 m and a length a length greater than 10 m.

Abstract: Exemplary methods include includes providing a film comprising at least one polymeric material; widening the film under a first set of processing conditions in a first draw step along the crossweb direction such that in-plane birefringence, if any, created in the film is low; and drawing the film in a second draw step along a downweb direction under a second set of processing conditions, wherein the second set of processing conditions creates in-plane birefringence in at least one polymeric material. Exemplary roll of film includes an oriented optical film characterized by an effective orientation axis. The oriented optical film comprises only one birefringent polymeric material, at least one birefringent material and at least one isotropic material, or a first birefringent material and a second birefringent material, the birefringent materials characterized by effective orientation axes along the MD. The optical film has a width of greater than 0.3 m and a length a length greater than 10 m.

Abstract: Films having a structured surface with an engineered feature, such as prism grooves, to be used in displays having a backlight. The films can be arranged in a stack having one or more of the following: birefringent brightness enhancement films, non-birefringent brightness enhancement films, polarizers, diffusers, birefringent turning films, and non-birefringent turning films. Those films can be arranged in any order from the backlight to a viewer.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to optical bodies including a first optical film, a second optical film and one or more strippable boundary layers disposed between the first and second optical films. Each major surface of a strippable boundary layer may be disposed adjacent to an optical film or another strippable boundary layer. At least one of the first and second optical films may include a reflective polarizer. The present disclosure is also directed to methods of processing such optical bodies.

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 polarizing film includes a first phase of a first polymer having a birefringence of at least 0.05 and a second phase of a second polymer disposed within the first phase. The index of refraction difference between the first and second phases is greater than about 0.05 along a first axis and is less than about 0.05 along at least one axis orthogonal to the first axis. The diffuse reflectivity of the first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization state of electromagnetic radiation may be at least about 30%. In some exemplary embodiments, the second phase has a refractive index of about 1.53 to about 1.59. In some exemplary embodiments, the second polymer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than the Tg of the birefringent first polymer.

Abstract: An optical body including an optical film, a first layer on a first major surface of the optical film, and a second layer on a second major surface of the optical film, wherein at least one of the first and second layers may include an adhesion-promoting layer that comprises a polycarbonate/polyester blend resin or a styrene copolymer. The present disclosure is also directed to an optical body wherein at least one of the first and second layers may include an imprint-resistant layer that comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of crystalline polyesters, copolyesters, olefin homopolymers and olefin copolymers.

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: Modified copolyesters having relatively low refractive indices and relatively high glass transition temperatures are disclosed. These modified copolyesters can be used in forming one or more layers in an optical film, such as a multilayer polymer film.

Abstract: A method of stretching films in which all or a portion of the width of the film is cooled during or just after stretching so as to improve the uniformity of the film. The includes stretching a polymeric film in a tenter that grasps the film with a plurality of clips along the opposing edges of the film and propels the clips to thereby stretch the film. The tenter includes driven clips and idler clips, with at least one idler clip between respective pairs of driven clips. The cooling is done so as to improve the uniformity of the clip spacing relative to the spacing obtained at otherwise identical process conditions without such cooling.