Wire grid polarizer, display device including the same, and method of fabricating the same

• US 10,082,612 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yeo, Yun Jong, Son, Jung Ha, Lee, Joo Hyung, Cho, Hyung Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISSEL, TRAVIS S
• Application Number:
  US14/727,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20160161654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 35948505, 35948501, 35948503, 35948504, 36911203, 36911216
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3058 comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133548 Wire-grid polarisers

Abstract

Provided are light source module and backlight unit. A wire grid polarizer including a substrate, and a plurality of conductive wire patterns configured to be formed parallel to one another on the substrate, wherein each of the conductive wire patterns includes a first conductive wire pattern, an insulating layer and a second conductive wire pattern and the first and second conductive wire patterns are electrically insulated from each other and have different shapes.

Claims

1. A wire grid polarizer, comprising:

a substrate having a wire pattern area and a non-wire pattern area;

a plurality of conductive wire patterns formed parallel to one another formed on the substrate in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, wherein each of the conductive wire patterns includes a first conductive wire pattern disposed on the substrate in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, an insulating wire pattern disposed on the first conductive wire pattern in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, a second conductive wire pattern disposed on the insulating wire pattern in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, wherein the second conductive wire patterns do not contact each other in the wire pattern area; and

a first conductive pattern disposed on the substrate in the non-wire pattern area but not in the wire pattern area, an insulating pattern disposed on the first conductive pattern in the non-wire pattern area but not in the wire pattern area, and a second conductive pattern disposed on the insulating pattern in the non-wire pattern area but not in the wire pattern area,

wherein the second conductive pattern contacts the second conductive wire patterns at a boundary between the wire pattern area and the non-wire pattern area,

wherein the first conductive wire pattern and the second conductive wire pattern are electrically insulated from each other,

wherein the first conductive pattern is longer than the second conductive pattern in a first direction along which the first conductive wire patterns extend,

wherein the first conductive pattern has a different length from each of the first conductive wire patterns in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the second conductive pattern has a different length from each of the second conductive wire patterns in the second direction,

wherein the first conductive wire pattern, the insulating wire pattern, and the second conductive wire pattern have a substantially same shape, and

wherein the first conductive pattern includes a same material as the first conductive wire pattern, the insulating pattern includes a same material as the insulating wire pattern, and the second conductive pattern includes a same material as the second conductive wire pattern.

2. The wire grid polarizer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive wire patterns is electrically connected to a common electrode.

3. The wire grid polarizer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive wire patterns includes one or more wire pattern blocks each having a plurality of wire patterns that are electrically connected together.

4. The wire grid polarizer of claim 3, wherein the wire pattern blocks are electrically insulated from each other.

5. The wire grid polarizer of claim 1, wherein the insulating wire pattern has a refractive index of 1.0 to 2.0.

6. The wire grid polarizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a reflective layer configured to be disposed on the substrate between the conductive wire patterns.

7. The wire grid polarizer of claim 1, wherein the second conductive pattern and the insulating pattern have a substantially same shape.

8. A wire grid polarizer, comprising:

a substrate having a wire pattern area and a non-wire pattern area;

a plurality of conductive wire patterns formed parallel to one another formed on the substrate in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, wherein each of the conductive wire patterns includes a first conductive wire pattern disposed on the substrate in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, an insulating wire pattern disposed on the first conductive wire pattern in the wire pattern area, a second conductive wire pattern disposed on the insulating wire pattern in the wire pattern area but not in the non-wire pattern area, wherein the second conductive wire patterns do not contact each other in the wire pattern area; and

a first conductive pattern disposed on the substrate in the non-wire pattern area but not in the wire pattern area, an insulating pattern disposed on the first conductive pattern in the non-wire pattern area but not in the wire pattern area, and a second conductive pattern disposed on the insulating pattern in the non-wire pattern area but not in the wire pattern area,

wherein the second conductive pattern contacts the second conductive wire patterns at a boundary between the wire pattern area and the non-wire pattern area,

wherein the first conductive wire pattern and the second conductive wire pattern are electrically insulated from each other,

wherein the first conductive pattern is longer than the second conductive pattern in a first direction along which the first conductive wire patterns extend,

wherein the first conductive pattern has a different length from each of the first conductive wire patterns in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the second conductive pattern has a different length from each of the second conductive wire patterns in the second direction,

wherein the first conductive wire pattern is electrically connected to the first conductive pattern, and

wherein the second conductive wire pattern is electrically connected to the second conductive pattern.