Optical member and display device including the same

• US 10,690,835 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Seong Yong, Park, Young Min, Yoon, Ju Young, Shim, Sung Kyu, Lee, Sang Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Raleigh, Donald L
• Application Number:
  US16/503,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20190324187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0093 Means for protecting the light guide

Abstract

An optical member and a display device including the same. The optical member includes a light guide plate including a surface disposed on a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction, a low refractive index pattern disposed on the surface of the light guide plate and including an opening for exposing the surface of the light guide plate, a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the low refractive index pattern, and a passivation layer disposed on the wavelength conversion layer and covering a side surface of the wavelength conversion layer and a side surface of the low refractive index pattern at least one side portion. The low refractive index pattern has a lower index of refraction than the light guide plate, and a ratio of an area occupied by the low refractive index pattern to an area of the surface of the light guide plate decreases in the first direction.

Claims

1. An optical member comprising:

a light guide plate including a surface disposed on a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction;

a low refractive index pattern disposed on the surface of the light guide plate and including an opening for exposing the surface of the light guide plate;

a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the low refractive index pattern; and

a passivation layer disposed on the wavelength conversion layer and configured to cover an upper surface of the wavelength conversion layer, the passivation overlapping the low refractive index pattern,

wherein;

the low refractive index pattern has a lower index of refraction than the light guide plate;

a ratio of an area occupied by the low refractive index pattern to an area of the surface of the light guide plate decreases in the first direction;

the low refractive index pattern comprises a plurality of particles; and

is the plurality of particles include an inorganic material.

2. The optical member of claim 1, wherein:

the low refractive index pattern further comprises a matrix including an organic material; and

the plurality of particles are dispersed in the matrix.

3. The optical member of claim 2, wherein:

the low refractive index pattern further comprises a plurality of voids; and

the matrix fully surrounds each of the voids.

4. The optical member of claim 3, wherein a refractive index of one of the plurality of voids and a refractive index of one of the plurality of particles are different from each other.

5. The optical member of claim 1, wherein the opening is a through hole configured to pass through the low refractive index pattern in a third direction perpendicular to the plane.

6. The optical member of claim 5, wherein:

the through hole comprises a plurality of through holes; and

the plurality of through holes have an arrangement density gradually increasing in the first direction.

7. The optical member of claim 5, wherein the through hole comprises a plurality of through holes having a planar area gradually increasing in the first direction.

8. The optical member of claim 1, wherein the low refractive index pattern comprises a plurality of low refractive index patterns spaced apart from each other to form the opening.

9. The optical member of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of low refractive index patterns has a planar area gradually decreasing in the first direction.

10. The optical member of claim 9, wherein the wavelength conversion layer has an area in contact with the surface of the light guide plate, and the area gradually increases in the first direction.

11. The optical member of claim 1, wherein the light guide plate comprises an inorganic material.

12. The optical member of claim 11, wherein a difference between a refractive index of the light guide plate and a refractive index of the low refractive index pattern is 0.2 or more.

13. The optical member of claim 12, wherein the wavelength conversion layer has a higher refractive index than the low refractive index pattern.

14. An optical member comprising:

a light guide plate including a surface, a first side surface crossing the surface, and a second surface opposite the first side surface;

a low refractive index pattern disposed on the surface of the light guide plate and comprising an opening for exposing the surface of the light guide plate;

a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the low refractive index pattern; and

a passivation layer disposed on the wavelength conversion layer and covering an upper surface of the wavelength conversion layer, the passivation layer overlapping the low refractive index pattern,

wherein;

the low refractive index pattern has a lower index of refraction than the light guide plate;

a ratio of an area occupied by the low refractive index pattern to an area of the surface of the light guide plate decreases in a direction away from the first side surface;

the low refractive index pattern further comprises a plurality of voids and a matrix including an organic material; and

the matrix fully surrounds each of the voids.

15. The optical member of claim 14, wherein the ratio of the area occupied by the low refractive index pattern to an area of the surface of the light guide plate decreases in a direction away from the second side surface.

16. The optical member of claim 15, wherein the wavelength conversion layer has a higher refractive index than the low refractive index pattern.

17. A display device comprising:

an optical member comprising;

a light guide plate including a light incidence surface,

a low refractive index layer disposed on the light guide plate and having a lower index of refraction than the light guide plate;

a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the low refractive index layer; and

a passivation layer disposed on the wavelength conversion layer and covering an upper surface of the wavelength conversion layer, the passivation layer overlapping the low refractive index layer;

a light source disposed at a side of the light incidence surface of the light guide plate; and

a display panel disposed on the optical member,

wherein;

the low refractive index layer comprises patterns, and an area in which the low refractive index layer is disposed decreases in a direction away from the light incidence surface;

each of the patterns of the low refractive index pattern comprises a plurality of particles; and

the plurality of particles include an inorganic material.

18. The display device of claim 17, further comprising a reflective member disposed under the optical member,

wherein the wavelength conversion layer is disposed between the light guide plate and the display panel.

19. The display device of claim 17, further comprising a reflective member disposed under the optical member,

wherein the wavelength conversion layer is disposed between the light guide plate and the reflective member.