Wire grid polarizer and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20060056024A1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jin Sung, Ahn, Seh Won, Lee, Ki Dong, Lee, Sung Eun, Yoon, Sang Soo, Park, Joo Do
• Application Number:
  US10/940,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/486
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3058 comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a wire grid polarizer includes the steps of: preparing a mold; sequentially forming a metal foil and a polymer on a substrate; molding a polymer by using the mold; etching the metal foil by using the molded polymer, and forming a wire grid pattern; and removing the polymer.

Claims

1. A wire grid polarizer comprising:

a substrate; and

a wire grid pattern formed on the substrate by a mold, and having a shorter than 120 nm of period for the wire grid.

2. The wire grid polarizer according to claim 1, wherein a material for the mold is selected from a group consisting of silicon, SiO₂, quartz glass, Ni, Pt, Cr, and polymers.

3. The wire grid polarizer according to claim 1, wherein the wire grid pattern is printed from the mold by using a hot embossing or a UV embossing technique.

4. A manufacturing method of a wire grid polarizer, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a mold by forming a photosensitive polymer on the mold substrate, patterning the photosensitive polymer, etching the mold substrate by using the photosensitive polymer as a mask, and removing the photosensitive polymer;

sequentially forming a metal foil and a polymer on a substrate;

molding a polymer by using the mold;

etching the metal foil by using the molded polymer as a mask, and forming a wire grid pattern; and

removing the polymer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a material for the mold is selected from a group consisting of silicon, SiO₂, quartz glass, Ni, Pt, Cr, and polymers.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the polymer molding step by using the mold comprises the sub-steps of:

pressing the mold to the polymer to print the pattern from the mold onto the polymer;

curing the polymer; and

separating the mold from the polymer.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the polymer is a thermosetting material or a UV cure material.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the photosensitive polymer is patterned by using at least one selected from the group consisting of photolithography, electron beam lithography, and semiconductor exposure processes.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein the metal foil is dry etched or wet etched.

11. The method according to claim 4, wherein to remove the photosensitive polymer more easily, the surface of the mold is treated with a silane containing chemical.

8. (canceled)

12. A manufacturing method of a wire grid polarizer, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a mold by forming a photosensitive polymer on the mold substrate, patterning the photosensitive polymer, etching the mold substrate by using the photosensitive polymer as a mask, and removing the photosensitive polymer;

coating a substrate with a polymer;

forming a polymer pattern by using the mold;

etching the polymer pattern and exposing part of the substrate;

depositing a metal foil onto the polymer pattern and the exposed substrate; and

removing the polymer pattern.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a material for the mold is selected from a group consisting of silicon, SiO₂, quartz glass, Ni, Pt, Cr, and polymers.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step for forming the polymer pattern by using the mold comprises the sub-steps of:

pressing the mold to the polymer to print the pattern from the mold onto the polymer;

curing the polymer; and

separating the mold from the polymer.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the polymer is a thermosetting material or a UV cure material.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the photosensitive polymer is patterned by using at least one selected from the group consisting of photolithography, electron beam lithography, and semiconductor exposure processes.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the metal foil is dry etched or wet etched.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein to remove the photosensitive polymer more easily, the surface of the mold is treated with a silane containing chemical.

16. (canceled)

20. A manufacturing method of a wire grid polarizer having a substrate and a wire grid pattern formed on the substrate by a mold, and having a shorter than 120 nm period for the wire grid, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a mold by forming a photosensitive polymer on the mold substrate, patterning the photosensitive polymer, etching the mold substrate by using the photosensitive polymer as a mask, and removing the photosensitive polymer;

sequentially forming a metal foil and a polymer on the substrate;

molding a polymer by using the mold;

etching the metal foil by using the molded polymer, and forming the wire grid pattern; and

removing the polymer;

whereby the wire grid polarizer has a substrate and a wire grid pattern formed on the substrate that has a shorter than 120 nm period for the wire grid.

21. A manufacturing method of a wire grid polarizer, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a mold by forming a photosensitive polymer on a mold substrate, patterning the photosensitive polymer, etching the mold substrate by using the photosensitive polymer as a mask, and removing the photosensitive polymer;

coating the substrate with a polymer;

forming a polymer pattern by using the mold;

etching the polymer pattern and exposing part of the substrate;

depositing a metal foil onto the polymer pattern and the exposed substrate; and

removing the polymer pattern;

whereby the wire grid polarizer has the substrate and a wire grid pattern formed on the substrate that has a shorter than 120 nm period for the wire grid pattern.