Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an elemental image by an integral image technique are provided. The method includes normalizing coordinates of dots in a frustum formed in perspective projection by mapping the dots in the frustum into a cube; reversing a grade of depth of the cube viewed from a particular viewpoint; and generating a two-dimensional (2D) elemental image necessary for three-dimensional (3D) display from dots in the cube whose grade of depth is reversed.

Abstract: A front light unit and a flat panel display apparatus including the front light unit are provided. The front light unit includes a light source unit and a light guide plate (LGP) which has a plate shape and which guides light emitted by the light source unit. The LGP has a rear surface through which the guided light exits and a front surface opposing the rear surface. The front light unit also includes a front polarizing plate disposed opposite the front surface of the LGP. The front polarizing plate has a polarizer which transmits only light polarized in one direction. The flat panel display apparatus including the front light unit can provide an improved contrast ratio on a front side thereof.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display with an improved viewing angle and brightness is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a light source unit and a polarized light guide plate having an incident surface onto which unpolarized light from the light source unit is incident. The polarized light guide plate polarizes, collimates, and out-couples the incident light. The liquid crystal display also includes a liquid crystal panel which modulates the light out-coupled and illuminated from the polarized light guide plate to form images, and a diffusion layer which diffuses the light modulated in the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A double-sided display device is provided which includes: a light source; a polarized light guide having a first layer having an incident surface which receives light from the light source and which guides the light; a second layer formed on the first layer of an optically isotropic material, on which beam out-coupling units are repeatedly arranged; and a third layer formed of an optically anisotropic material disposed on the second layer, which polarizes and out-couples light illuminated from the light source; and a double-sided display panel which displays images on both sides using the light out-coupled from the polarized light guide.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device that is switchable between a transmissive mode and a reflective mode is provided. The LCD device includes a backlight; an active reflective polarizer which operates as a reflector that reflects incident light or as a reflective polarizer that reflects light of a first polarization and transmits light of a second polarization perpendicular to the first polarization, based on whether a magnetic field is applied; and a liquid crystal panel that modulates incident light to form images. The liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal layer, a first polarizer that is disposed on a rear surface of the liquid crystal layer and faces the active reflective polarizer, and a second polarizer that is disposed on a front surface of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: Provided are a collimator for a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display (LCD) using the collimator. The collimator includes a plate including a plurality of light passing areas, passing light incident from the backlight unit, and light non-passing areas formed among the plurality of light passing areas. The light passing areas comprise reflective surfaces which are inclined toward a plane of the plate and a direction perpendicular to the plane of the plate to reduce an emission angle of reflected light emitted toward the LCD panel more than an incidence angle of light incident onto the light passing areas.

Abstract: A light guide unit and a backlight unit and display device using the light guide unit are provided. The light guide unit includes a light guide body that is formed of a transparent material and has at least one concave portion with a concavely depressed bottom surface to accommodate a light source. The light guide body includes a first incidence surface forming a top surface of the concave portion, the first incidence surface patterned such that upwardly incident light is refracted at an oblique angle in a lateral direction; a second incidence surface forming a lateral surface of the concave portion, the second incidence surface to which lateral light is incident; a reflection surface disposed on a bottom surface of the light guide body, which extends from the concave portion; and a refraction surface forming a top surface of the light guide body, the refraction surface through which incident light is refracted and transmitted.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a wire grid polarizer, including: forming a photoresist having a striped pattern on a substrate, wherein a plurality of grooves are periodically formed in the photoresist; and forming a wire grid by filling a solution including dispersed nano metal particles in the grooves and then by removing a solvent of the solution to form the wire grids.

Abstract: A wire grid polarizer and a method of manufacturing the wire grid polarizer are provided. The wire grid polarizer includes: a substrate; and a plurality of core-shell nano wires arranged on the substrate and including wire cores and polymer shells enclosing the wire cores to a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: Provided is a wide angle diffuser including a plate-shaped body, a plurality of microlenses, and a plurality of prisms. The plate-shaped body has an incident surface on which light is incident and an exit surface through which light is emitted form the plate-shaped body. The microlenses and the prisms are respectively disposed on one of the incident surface and the exit surface. Also provided is a liquid crystal display including a liquid crystal panel, a backlight unit, provided on a rear surface of the liquid crystal panel, which emits collimated light to the liquid crystal panel, and the wide angle diffuser diffusing light passing through the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A luminous backlight unit designed to compensate for a difference in distribution of light output on an output surface of a light guiding panel, and a method of manufacturing a diffuser employed in the backlight unit. The backlight unit includes: one or more light sources that emit light; a light guide panel which guides the propagation of light incident through a side edge thereof and has a light-emission surface; a holographic pattern provided on a surface of the light guide panel, for converting the incident light into a surface light and outputting the converted surface light to the light-emission surface; and a diffuser disposed facing the light-emission surface, for diffusing the emitted light from the light-emission surface and is characterized in that distribution of diffusion angles is varied as it goes from a point close to the light source to a point distant from the light source.

Abstract: A backlight unit for increasing the amount of vertical output light, and a displaying apparatus employing the same. The backlight unit includes: a light source; a first collimating unit which collimates light incident from the light source to a first direction and which outputs the collimated light; and a second collimating unit which collimates the light output from the first collimating unit to a second direction that is different from the first direction and which outputs the collimated light, wherein the light from the light source is sequentially collimated to the first and second directions and out the collimated light is output.

Abstract: The backlight for a flat display device including a light source, a light guide plate and a surface hologram is provided. The light guide plate is installed at one side of the light source, and light from the light source travels in the light guide plate while being totally reflected. The surface hologram is formed on at least one surface of the light guide plate. The surface hologram has a pattern of a predetermined grating interval and a predetermined grating depth in order to diffract light at a predetermined angle toward the light guide plate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device for displaying an image by changing orientation of a liquid crystal layer sealed between two substrates includes a lower substrate having a microstructure which outputs light incident on a side surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the lower substrate, a light source emitting light to the side surface of the lower substrate, a selective reflection panel provided on the upper surface of the lower substrate to reflect light having a predetermined incident angle or more and transmit the remaining light, and a reflection panel provided under the lower substrate.

Abstract: An edge-light type backlight system including a point light source, a light guide panel including a light incident part into which light enters from the point light source and a light emitting surface from which light is emitted, and an optical path-changing unit which changes a propagation path of light traveling inside the light guide panel. The light incident part includes a light incident surface on which a prism pattern is formed, the light incident surface facing the point light source, and first and second surfaces extending from the light incident surface in a direction in which light travels inside the light guide panel and adapted to reflect light passing through the light incident surface to reduce a direction angle, the first and second surfaces being opposite to each other with respect to an optical axis.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device for displaying an image by changing orientation of a liquid crystal layer sealed between two substrates includes a lower substrate having a microstructure which outputs light incident on a side surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the lower substrate, a light source emitting light to the side surface of the lower substrate, a selective reflection panel provided on the upper surface of the lower substrate to reflect light having a predetermined incident angle or more and transmit the remaining light, and a reflection panel provided under the lower substrate.

Abstract: A backlight unit is provided including a light guide panel (LGP), a point light source emitting light at an edge of the LGP; and a refraction member being positioned between the point light source and the LGP and refracting the light emitted from the point light source toward the optical axis of the point light source in order to reduce the azimuth angle of the light that is incident upon the LGP. The refraction member includes a prism array in which a V-shaped prism pattern is repeatedly arrayed, the apex of the prism pattern facing the edge of the LGP, and a transparent portion that prevents the light from being totally reflected by the prism pattern in a region along an optical axis of the light source.

Abstract: An illuminator for a flat panel display device is provided. The illuminator includes a light source generating light; a light guide plate that guides and distributes the light generated by the light source and is made of optically isotropic material; a collimator that is disposed between an end of the light guide plate and the light source and guides the light from the light source onto the light guide plate with a predetermined incident angle; a polarization separation layer that is made of optically anisotropic material having two refractive indices and formed on the light guide plate to transmit first polarized light from the light guide plate and reflect second polarized light from the light guide plate; and a beam out-coupling layer that is formed on the polarization separation layer and out-couples the light incident from the polarization separation layer.

Abstract: A polarization converting system and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The polarization converting system includes a polarization splitting unit splitting incident unpolarized light into two orthogonal polarizations and a polarization converting unit converting incident light into specific polarized light. The polarization converting unit has first and second regions that correspond to the polarization splitting unit and are different in a polarization converting extent from each other.

Abstract: An illumination system for a flat panel display device includes: a light guide plate made of an optically isotropic material; a light source disposed at a side of the light guide plate; an upper layer disposed on a top surface of the light guide plate and made of an optically anisotropic material; and a polarization selection emitting structure which is disposed at an interface of the light guide plate and the upper layer. The upper layer has two different refractive indices and one of the two refractive indices is the same as a refractive index of the light guide plate. In the polarization selection emitting structure differently polarized light is differently refracted, reflected, diffracted, or scattered based on polarization direction.