SELECTIVE ABSORBING

• US 20080239497A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Lippey, Barret
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/614
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/285 comprising deposited thin solid films G02B5/281 - G02B5/289 take precedence; multilayered film filters for fibre optic multiplexing G02B6/29361
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133502 Antiglare, refractive index matching layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133521 Interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133562 on the viewer side
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2211/444 Means for improving contrast or colour purity, e.g. black matrix or light shielding means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2329/892 Anti-reflection, anti-glare, viewing angle and contrast improving means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8791 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light

Abstract

An interference coating between a display and an intended viewing area that selectively absorbs incident optical energy in at least one first wavelength region and selectively transmits incident optical energy in at least one second wavelength region.

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

a rear-illuminated display; and

an interference coating between the display and an intended viewing area that selectively absorbs incident optical energy in at least one first wavelength region and selectively transmits incident optical energy in at least one second wavelength region.

2. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first wavelength region corresponds to yellow light.

3. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first wavelength region corresponds to cyan light.

4. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second wavelength region corresponds to green light.

5. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first wavelength region has an average absorption of greater than 50%.

6. An optical device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the second wavelength region has an average absorption less than 30%.

7. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second wavelength region has an average transmission of greater than 60%.

8. An optical device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the first wavelength region has an average transmission less than 40%.

9. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the average reflection is less than 5% in the wavelength region between 540 and 560 nm and less than 10% in the wavelength region between 500 and 600 nm.

10. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the interference coating comprises an absorptive layer.

11. An optical device in accordance with claim 10, wherein selective absorption occurs in the absorptive layer.

12. An optical device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the absorptive layer comprises a second metal compound.

13. An optical device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the absorptive layer comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of Titanium nitride, Silicon nitride, and Zirconium nitride.

14. An optical device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the absorptive layer comprises a metal.

15. An optical device in accordance with claim 14, wherein the absorptive layer comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of Titanium, Niobium, Zirconium, Chromium, and Silicon.

16. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear-illuminated display comprises a DMD light modulator.

17. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear-illuminated display comprises a transmissive-LCD light modulator.

18. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear-illuminated display comprises an LCOS light modulator.

19. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear-illuminated display comprises a UHP projection lamp.

20. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear-illuminated display comprises an LED projection lamp.

21. An optical system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the interference coating is deposited on a substrate.

22. An interference coating for use with a display that selectively absorbs incident optical energy in a predetermined number of first wavelength regions and selectively transmits incident optical energy in a predetermined number of second wavelength regions.

23. An interference coating in accordance with claim 22, wherein the interference coating comprises an absorptive layer.

24. An interference coating in accordance with claim 23, wherein selective absorption occurs in the absorptive layer.

25. An optical device comprising:

a rear-illuminated display with red, green, and blue emission regions; and

an interference coating between the display and an intended viewing area that selectively transmits in the wavelength regions that correspond to the red, green, and blue emission regions, and selectively absorbs in at least one other wavelength region.

26. An optical device in accordance with claim 25, wherein the other wavelength region corresponds to at least yellow light.

27. An optical device in accordance with claim 25, wherein the other wavelength region corresponds to at least cyan light.

28. An optical device comprising:

a rear-illuminated display; and

an interference coating between the display and an intended viewing area that selectively absorbs incident optical energy in a plurality of absorption regions and selectively transmits incident optical energy in a plurality of transmission regions, the transmission regions distinct from the absorption regions.

29. An optical device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the absorption regions correspond to yellow and cyan light.

30. An optical device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the transmission regions correspond to blue, green, and red light.

31. An optical device in accordance with claim 29, wherein the transmission regions correspond to blue, green, and red light.

32. A method for increasing contrast ratio, comprising:

selectively absorbing ambient light in an interference coating placed between a rear-illuminated display and an intended viewing area, and

transmitting light from the display through the interference coating to the intended viewing area.