Inorganic, Dielectric Grid Polarizer

• US 20080055719A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Moxtek (Polatechno Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Moxtek (Polatechno Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wang, Bin, Hansen, Douglas P., Perkins, Raymond T., Gardner, Eric
• Application Number:
  US11/469,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055719A1
• 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

An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer device includes a stack of film layers disposed over a substrate. Each film layer is formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric. Adjacent film layers each have different refractive indices. At least one of the film layers is discontinuous to form a form birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs having a period less than 400 nm.

Claims

1. An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer device, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) a stack of film layers disposed over the substrate;

c) each film layer being formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric;

d) adjacent film layers having different refractive indices; and

e) at least one of the film layers being discontinuous to form a form birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs having a period less than approximately 400 nm.

f) at least two adjacent film layers including a continuous layer covering the substrate and a discontinuous layer;

g) the polarizer device consisting of only inorganic and dielectric materials ; and

h) at least one discontinuous layer being disposed intermediate the substrate and a continuous layer.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the material of each film layer is optically transmissive.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the material of each film layer has negligible absorption.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the array of parallel ribs has a period less than approximately 260 nm; and

the material of each film layer is optically transmissive to visible light.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the material of at least one of the film layers is naturally birefringent.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the film layers alternate between higher and lower refractive indices.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the polarizer device is formed without any organic or electrically conductive material.

22. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ribs formed in and extending from the substrate.

23. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stack of film layers includes a bottom layer adjacent the substrate with a lower refractive index less than a higher refractive index of an adjacent substrate.

24. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stack of film layers includes top and bottom layers and intervening layers;

and wherein the bottom layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the intervening layers.

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer device, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) a stack of film layers disposed over the substrate;

c) each film layer being formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric;

d) adjacent film layers having different refractive indices; and

e) all of the film layers being discontinuous to form a plurality of form birefringent layers each having an array of parallel ribs with a period less than approximately 400 nm.

f) at least on of the film layers being discontinuos to form a form birefringent layer having an array of parralle ribs with a period less than approximately 400 nm ;

g) at least two adjacent film layers include a continuous layer covering the substrate and a discontinuous layer; and

P1 h) the bottom layer adjacent the substrate being discontinuous.

12. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the material of each film layer is optically transmissive.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the material of each film layer has negligible absorption.

14. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

the array of parallel ribs has a period less than approximately 260 nm; and

the material of each film layer is optically transmissive to visible light.

15. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the film layers alternate between higher and lower refractive indices.

16. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the polarizer device consists of only inorganic and dielectric materials.

17. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the polarizer device is formed without any organic or electrically conductive material.

26. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the stack of film layers includes top and bottom layers and intervening layers;

and wherein the bottom layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the intervening layers.

18-21. -21. (canceled)

25. A device in accordance with claim ii, further comprising a plurality of ribs formed in and extending from the substrate.

27. An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer device, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) a stack of film layers disposed over the substrate including a bottom discontinuous layer disposed adjacent the substrate;

c) each film layer being formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric;

d) adjacent film layers having different refractive indices;

e) the bottom layer adjacent the substrate having a lower refractive index less than a higher refractive index of an adjacent layer; and

f) at least one of the film layers being discontinuous to form a form birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs having a period less than approximately 400 nm; and

g) at least two adjacent film layers include a continuous layer covering the substrate and a discontinuous layer.

28. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the material of each film layer is optically transmissive.

29. A device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the material of each film layer has negligible absorption.

30. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein:

the array of parallel ribs has a period less than approximately 260 nm; and

the material of each film layer is optically transmissive to visible light.

31. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the material of at least one of the film layers is naturally birefringent.

32. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the film layers alternate between higher and lower refractive indices.

33. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the polarizer device consists of only inorganic and dielectric materials.

34. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the polarizer device is formed without any organic or electrically conductive material.

37. A device in accordance with claim 27, further comprising a plurality of ribs formed in and extending from the substrate.

38. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the stack of film layers includes top and bottom layers and intervening layers;

and wherein the top and bottom layers have a thickness less than a thickness of the intervening layers.

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)