Circularly-polarized-light extracting optical element and process of producing the same
First Claim
1. A circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising a liquid crystal layer having cholesteric regularity with liquid crystalline molecules in planar orientation, wherein the liquid crystalline molecules located on one of the two main opposite surfaces of the liquid crystal layer are wholly oriented in substantially one direction so as to have a specific director in a plane of one main surface, and the liquid crystalline molecules located on the other main surface of the liquid crystal layer are also wholly oriented in substantially one direction so as to have a specific director in a plane of the other main surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element adapted to effectively prevent lowering of displaying quality that is brought about by the appearance of bright and dark stripes on the screen of a display even when the circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element is placed between circular or elliptical polarizers arranged in the cross nicol disposition. The circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element 10 includes a liquid crystal layer 12 having cholesteric regularity with liquid crystalline molecules in planar orientation. The liquid crystalline molecules on a surface 12A, which is one of the two main opposite surfaces 12A and 12B of the liquid crystal layer 12, are wholly oriented in substantially one direction (director Da) and the liquid crystalline molecules on the other main surface 12B of the liquid crystal layer 12 are also wholly oriented in substantially one direction (director Db). In the case where the liquid crystal layer 12 is made of a plurality of liquid crystal layers, it is preferable that the directors in planes in the vicinity of the interface of each two neighboring liquid crystal layers be substantially parallel to each other.
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Citations
27 Claims
- 1. A circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising a liquid crystal layer having cholesteric regularity with liquid crystalline molecules in planar orientation, wherein the liquid crystalline molecules located on one of the two main opposite surfaces of the liquid crystal layer are wholly oriented in substantially one direction so as to have a specific director in a plane of one main surface, and the liquid crystalline molecules located on the other main surface of the liquid crystal layer are also wholly oriented in substantially one direction so as to have a specific director in a plane of the other main surface.
- 6. A circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising a plurality of liquid crystal layers having cholesteric regularity with liquid crystalline molecules in planar orientation, the liquid crystal layers being successively and directly laminated, wherein the liquid crystalline molecules located on one of the two main opposite outermost surface of the liquid crystal layers laminated are wholly oriented in substantially one direction so as to have a specific director in a plane of one main surface, and the liquid crystalline molecules located on the other main outermost surface of the laminated liquid crystal layers are also wholly oriented in substantially one direction so as to have a specific director in a plane of the other main surface.
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10. A process of producing a circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising the steps of:
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coating an alignment layer whose entire surface has been treated so that its alignment-regulating action will act in substantially one direction, with liquid crystalline molecules comprising polymerizable monomer or oligomer molecules having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline molecules by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer;
three-dimensionally crosslinking the liquid crystalline molecules that have been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer, thereby forming a first liquid crystal layer;
directly coating the first liquid crystal layer with another liquid crystalline molecules comprising polymerizable monomer or oligomer molecules having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline molecules by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the first liquid crystal layer that has been three-dimensionally crosslinked; and
three-dimensionally crosslinking the liquid crystalline molecules that have been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the three-dimensionally crosslinked first liquid crystal layer, thereby forming a second liquid crystal layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A process of producing a circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising the steps of:
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coating an alignment layer whose entire surface has been treated so that its alignment-regulating action will act in substantially one direction, with a liquid crystalline polymer having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline polymer by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer;
cooling the liquid crystalline polymer that has been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer to transform it into the glassy state, thereby forming a first liquid crystal layer;
directly coating the first liquid crystal layer with another liquid crystalline polymer having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline polymer by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the first liquid crystal layer that has been transformed into the glassy state; and
cooling the liquid crystalline polymer that has been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the first liquid crystal layer in the glassy state to transform it into the glassy state, thereby forming a second liquid crystal layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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- 16. A circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising a plurality of liquid crystal layers having cholesteric regularity, wherein the liquid crystal layers are laminated so that helical axes of liquid crystalline molecules will point in substantially one direction and that directors in planes in a vicinity of an interface of each two neighboring liquid crystal layers of the multiple liquid crystal layers will substantially coincide with each other.
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25. A circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising:
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a plurality of liquid crystal layers having cholesteric regularity;
and a transition liquid crystal layer provided between at least any two neighboring liquid crystal layers of the multiple liquid crystal layers, in which a pitch of a molecular helix in a helical structure consisting of liquid crystalline molecules varies in a direction of thickness, wherein the liquid crystal layers are laminated so that helical axes of liquid crystalline molecules in the respective liquid crystal layers will point in substantially one direction;
directors in planes in a vicinity of an interface of each two neighboring liquid crystal layers of the multiple liquid crystal layers substantially coincide with each other;
a pitch of a molecular helix in one of the two liquid crystal layers between which the transition liquid crystal layer is provided is different from that of a molecular helix in the other liquid crystal layer; and
the pitch of the molecular helix on one surface of the transition liquid crystal layer is substantially equal to that of the molecular helix in the liquid crystal layer which is in contact with one surface of the transition liquid crystal layer, while the pitch of the molecular helix on the other surface of the transition liquid crystal layer is substantially equal to that of the molecular helix in the other liquid crystal layer which is in contact with the other surface of the transition liquid crystal layer.
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26. A process of producing a circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising the steps of:
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coating an alignment layer with liquid crystalline molecule comprising polymerizable monomer or oligomer molecules having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline molecules by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer;
three-dimensionally crosslinking the liquid crystalline molecules that have been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer, thereby forming a first liquid crystal layer;
directly coating the first liquid crystal layer with another liquid crystalline molecules comprising polymerizable monomer or oligomer molecules having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline molecules by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the first liquid crystal layer that has been three-dimensionally crosslinked; and
three-dimensionally crosslinking the liquid crystalline molecules that have been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the three-dimensionally crosslinked first liquid crystal layer, thereby forming a second liquid crystal layer.
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27. A process of producing a circularly-polarized-light-extracting optical element comprising the steps of:
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coating an alignment layer with a liquid crystalline polymer having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline polymer by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer;
cooling the liquid crystalline polymer that has been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment layer to transform it into the glassy state, thereby forming a first liquid crystal layer;
directly coating the first liquid crystal layer with another liquid crystalline polymer having cholesteric regularity, so as to align the liquid crystalline polymer by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the first liquid crystal layer that has been transformed into the glassy state; and
cooling the liquid crystalline polymer that has been aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the surface of the first liquid crystal layer in the glassy state to transform it into the glassy state, thereby forming a second liquid crystal layer.
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Specification