ELECTRO-OPTICAL DIPOLAR MATERIAL

• US 3,653,741 A
• Filed: 02/16/1970
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alvin M. Marks
• Original Assignee: Alvin M. Marks
• Inventors: Marks, Alvin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US05/011,696
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 350/147,150,152,157,160
• US Class Current: 359/487.03
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3058 comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles

Abstract

An article of manufacture is provided as a matrix having dispersed substantially uniformly therethrough a plurality of electro-optically responsive dipole particles selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive and semi-conductive material and dichroic crystals, the matrix being a transparent medium capable of being in the fluid state during the initial orientation of the dipoles, whereby the dipoles are capable of rotation to a desired preferred orientation upon the application of a force field, the medium being thereafter solidified. A method of applying the force field is disclosed.

Claims

2. The material of claim 1, wherein the dipoles are metallic.

3. The material of claim 1, wherein the dipoles have an average length of about lambda /2n + or - 50 percent and an average diameter ranging up to about lambda /10n + or - 50 percent, lambda being the wavelength of light and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'n'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the index of refraction of the matrix medium.

4. The material of claim 3, wherein the dipoles range in length from about 1,000A to 10,000A.

5. The material of claim 4, wherein the number of particles per unit area is at least the reciprocal of the effective cross section per particle.

6. A material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said material comprises a transparent optical coating on a substrate of transparent material, said coating having said dipole particles oriented in the plane thereof, said dipole particles having an average length of about lambda /2n + or - 50 percent and an average diameter ranging up to about lambda /10n + or - 50%, where lambda is the wavelength of light and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'n'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the index of refraction of the transparent coating.

7. The material of claim 6, wherein the substrate and the coating are selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

8. The material of claim 6, wherein the dipole particles are metallic.

9. The material of claim 8, wherein the dipole particles have an average length of about 1,000A to 10,000A.

10. The material of claim 9, wherein the number of particles per unit area is at least the reciprocal of the effective cross section per particle.

11. A film, sheet, or block of matter for a light-controlling device comprising a transparent suspending medium and a plurality of dipole particles selected from the group consisting of conductive and semi-conductive material, and dichroic crystals, suspended in the medium, said medium having separate fluid and solid states and being in a fluid state to enable the dipoles to be rotated to a predetermined orientation upon the application of a force field, and said medium being solidified to permanently fix the rotational position oF the dipole particles.

12. The matter of claim 11, wherein the transparent suspending medium is selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

13. The matter of claim 12, wherein the dipole particles have an average length of about lambda /2n + or - 50 percent, and an average diameter ranging up to about lambda /10n + or - 50 percent, lambda being the wavelength of light and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'n'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the index of refraction of the suspending medium.

14. The matter of claim 13, wherein the dipoles range from about 1,000A to 10,000A in length.

15. The matter of claim 14, wherein the dipole particles are metallic.

16. A film, sheet or block of material comprising a solid transparent layer of a medium having substantially uniformly dispersed therethrough dipole particles selected from the group consisting of conductive and semi-conductive material, and dichroic crystals, said particles having a preferred orientation relative to the plane of the transparent layer, and wherein the dipoles have an average length of about lambda /2n + or - 50 percent, and an average diameter ranging up to about lambda /10n + or - 50 percent, lambda being the wavelength of light and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'n'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the index of refraction of the transparent medium.

17. The material of claim 16, wherein the dipoles are metallic and have an average length falling within the range of about 1, 000A to 10,000A.

18. The material of claim 16, wherein the umber of particles per unit area is at least the reciprocal of the effective cross section per particle.

19. A polarizer comprising a solid layer of transparent medium having a substantially uniform dispersion therethrough of dipole particles oriented in the plane of said layer selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive and semi-conductive particles, and dichroic crystals, said dipole particles having an average length of about lambda /2n + or - 50 percent and an average diameter ranging up to about lambda /10n + or - 50 percent, where lambda is the wavelength of light and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'n'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the index of refraction of the transparent material.

20. The polarizer of claim 19, wherein the transparent material is selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

21. The polarizer of claim 19, wherein the dipole particles are metallic.

22. The polarizer of claim 21, wherein the dipole particles have an average length of about 1,000A to 10,000A.

23. The polarizer of claim 22, wherein the number of particles per unit area is at least the reciprocal of the effective cross section per particle.

24. A polarizer comprising a layer of transparent material containing a uniform dispersion of flake particles selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive and semi-conductive material, and dichroic crystals, the plane of the layer being referenced to a coordinate system having three mutually perpendicular axes described as the X-, Y- and Z-axes, and the flakes being oriented such that the plane of substantially each of the flakes is parallel to a plane formed by two of said axes.

25. The polarizer of claim 24, wherein the flakes are substantially normal to the plane of the layer.

26. The polarizer of claim 25, wherein the flakes are aluminum.