Cholesteric liquid crystal optical bodies and methods of manufacture
First Claim
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1. A method of making an optical body, the method comprising steps of:
- coating a first coating composition and a second coating composition onto a substrate, the first coating composition being disposed between the substrate and the second coating composition, the first and second coating compositions being different and each comprising at least one cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from cholesteric liquid crystal compounds and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers;
interdiffusing at least a portion of the second coating composition with the first coating composition; and
forming at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer from the first and second coating compositions after interdiffusing at least a portion of the second liquid crystal composition on the substrate with the first liquid crystal composition on the substrate.
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Abstract
An optical body can be formed using cholesteric liquid crystal materials. At least two different coating compositions containing cholesteric liquid crystal material are coated on a substrate. At least a portion of each composition is allowed to interdiffuse to generate a change in pitch along a thickness dimension of the optical body. This optical body can be used, for example, as a reflective polarizer in an optical display.
210 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of making an optical body, the method comprising steps of:
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coating a first coating composition and a second coating composition onto a substrate, the first coating composition being disposed between the substrate and the second coating composition, the first and second coating compositions being different and each comprising at least one cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from cholesteric liquid crystal compounds and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers;
interdiffusing at least a portion of the second coating composition with the first coating composition; and
forming at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer from the first and second coating compositions after interdiffusing at least a portion of the second liquid crystal composition on the substrate with the first liquid crystal composition on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
coating a third coating composition onto the second coating composition, the second and third coating compositions being different, the third coating composition comprising at least one cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from cholesteric liquid crystals and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers; - and
interdiffusing at least a portion of the third coating composition with the second coating composition.
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17. A method of making an optical body, the method comprising:
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disposing a first coating composition on a substrate, the first coating composition comprising a first solvent and a first cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from cholesteric liquid crystals and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers;
disposing a second coating composition on the first coating composition, the second coating composition comprising a second solvent and a second cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from the group consisting of cholesteric liquid crystals and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers, wherein the first and second coating compositions are different;
interdiffusing at least a portion of the second coating composition with at least a portion of the first coating composition before eliminating substantially all of the first solvent and before eliminating substantially all of the second solvent;
eliminating substantially all of the first and second solvents; and
forming at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer from the first and second coating compositions, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a pitch that substantially continuously changes over a range of values along at least a portion of a thickness dimension of the layer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
disposing, over the second coating composition, a third coating composition comprising a third solvent and a third cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from the group consisting of cholesteric liquid crystals and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers; - and
interdiffusing at least a portion of the third coating composition with at least a portion of the second coating composition before eliminating substantially all of the second solvent and before eliminating substantially all of the third solvent.
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24. The method of claim 23, wherein eliminating substantially all of the first and second solvents comprises eliminating substantially all of the first, second, and third solvents to form an optical body comprising at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer, including the first, second, and third coating compositions, with a pitch that substantially continuously changes along at least a portion of the thickness dimension of the layer.
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25. An optical body, comprising:
a cholesteric liquid crystal layer wherein, along a thickness dimension of the layer, a pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer begins at a first pitch, increases to a second pitch, decreases to a third pitch, and increases to a fourth pitch. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. An optical display, comprising:
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a display medium; and
a reflective polarizer comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal layer wherein, along a thickness dimension of the layer, a pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer begins at a first pitch, increases to a second pitch, decreases to a third pitch, and increases to a fourth pitch.
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29. A method of making an optical display, comprising:
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coating a first coating composition and a second coating composition onto a substrate, the first coating composition being disposed between the substrate and the second coating composition, the first and second coating compositions being different and each comprising at least one cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from cholesteric liquid crystal compounds and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers;
interdiffusing at least a portion of the second coating composition with the first coating composition;
forming at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer from the first and second coating compositions only after interdiffusing at least a portion of the second liquid crystal composition on the substrate with the first liquid crystal composition on the substrate;
forming a reflective polarizer comprising the at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the substrate; and
forming a liquid crystal display using the reflective polarizer and a display medium.
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Specification