Optical substrate and method of making
First Claim
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1. A method of modeling a surface of an optical substrate, the method comprising:
- defining a first window in a coordinate system;
defining a master function within the first window;
defining a second window as a segment of the first window at a first location within the first window;
selecting a set of points within the second window;
defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
defining a surface function along the modulation path;
modulating the surface function along the modulation path;
combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path.
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Abstract
An optical surface substrate. The optical substrate features a three-dimensional surface having a correlation length of about 1 cm or less. The optical substrate is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second surface structure function, the first surface structure function producing at least one specular component from a first input beam of light. The optical substrate is suitable for use in a variety of applications, including brightness enhancement and projection devices.
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Citations
89 Claims
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1. A method of modeling a surface of an optical substrate, the method comprising:
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defining a first window in a coordinate system;
defining a master function within the first window;
defining a second window as a segment of the first window at a first location within the first window;
selecting a set of points within the second window;
defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
defining a surface function along the modulation path;
modulating the surface function along the modulation path;
combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An optical substrate, comprising:
a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second surface structure function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A brightness enhancement film, comprising:
surface characterized by a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, the surface having a shape to turn and diffuse incident light to produce at least a 30 percent brightness increase on-axis to a viewer, wherein the surface produces diffused components of light with a power half angle between about 0.1 and 60 degrees, the surface defined by a first surface structure function and a second surface structure function, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. An optical substrate, comprising:
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a three-dimensional surface defined by a first surface structure function and a second surface structure function, the first surface structure function having a geometry with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function;
wherein the three-dimensional surface has a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial correlation function value in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for modeling a three-dimensional surface of an optical film, the method comprising:
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modulating a plurality of first surface structure functions with a second surface structure function to produce irregular, modulated waveforms, each one of the first surface structure functions having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width;
placing a first set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on a work surface, each of the modulated waveforms of the first set being superimposed over adjacent modulated waveforms; and
placing a second set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on the work surface, the second set of modulated waveforms being superimposed over the first set of modulated waveforms. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. A method of modeling a surface of an optical substrate, the method comprising:
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defining a first window in a coordinate system;
defining a master function within the first window;
defining a second window at a first location within the first window;
randomly selecting a set of points within the second window;
defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
defining a surface function along the modulation path;
randomly modulating the surface function along the modulation path;
combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path;
moving the second window to a new location within the first window and repeating selecting a set of points within the second window;
defining a modulation path interconnecting the selected set of points;
defining a surface function along the modulation path;
modulating the surface function along the modulation path; and
combining the modulated surface function with the master function, generating thereby a three dimensional structural pattern over the extent of the modulation path until the second window has been coextensive with all of the points in the first window.
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59. An optical substrate, comprising:
a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function having a sawtooth or triangular cross section extending a length from a first end to a second end of the substrate modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. A brightness enhancement film, comprising:
a surface characterized by a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, the surface having a shape to turn and diffuse incident light to produce a 50 percent to 200 percent brightness increase on-axis to a viewer, wherein the surface produces diffused components of light with a power half angle between about 0.1 and 60 degrees, the surface defined by a first surface structure function and a second surface structure function, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width. - View Dependent Claims (62)
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63. An optical substrate, comprising:
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a three-dimensional surface defined by a first surface structure function and a second surface structure function, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along a respective widths of the first surface structure functions;
wherein the three-dimensional surface has a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial correlation function value in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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65. A method for modeling a three-dimensional surface of an optical film, the method comprising:
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modulating in at least a pseudo-random fashion at least a phase along respective lengths of a plurality of first surface structure functions shaped in cross section at sawtooth or triangular functions to produce irregular, modulated waveforms, the phase being a horizontal peak position along respective widths of the first surface structure functions;
placing a first set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on a work surface, each of the modulated waveforms of the first set being superimposed over adjacent modulated waveforms; and
placing a second set of the plurality of modulated waveforms at intervals on the work surface, the second set of modulated waveforms being superimposed over the first set of modulated waveforms. - View Dependent Claims (66)
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67. A method of making an optical substrate comprising a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light, the method comprising:
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photolithographically mastering the surface of the optical substrate to a photoresist, a gray scale mask or a halftone mask; and
forming a mold of the surface of the optical substrate from the master by hot embossing, cold calendaring, ultraviolet curing or thermal setting. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A method of making an optical substrate comprising a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function modulated by a second function, the surface of the optical substrate producing specular and diffuse light from a first input beam of light, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width, the method comprising:
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hard tool mastering the surface of the optical substrate; and
forming a mold of the surface of the optical substrate from the master by hot embossing, cold calendaring, ultraviolet curing or thermal setting. - View Dependent Claims (74)
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75. A backlight display device comprising:
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an optical source for generating light;
a light guide for guiding the light therealong including a reflective surface for reflecting the light out of the light guide;
at least one optical substrate receptive of the light from the reflective surface, the optical substrate comprising;
a three-dimensional surface defined by two surface structure functions, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width;
wherein the three-dimensional surface has a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial correlation function value in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78)
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79. A backlight display device comprising:
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an optical source for generating light;
a light guide for guiding the light therealong including a reflective surface for reflecting the light out of the light guide; and
an optical substrate receptive of the light from the reflective surface, the optical substrate comprising;
a first three-dimensional surface defined by first and second surface structure functions;
the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
the second surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristic to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width of the first surface structure function;
a second three-dimensional surface opposing the first three-dimensional surface and defined by a third surface structure function and a fourth surface structure function;
the third surface structure having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light;
the fourth surface structure function having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the third surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the third surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width of the third surface structure function;
wherein the first and second three-dimensional surface have a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial correlation function value in a correlation length of about 1 cm or less. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. An optical substrate, comprising:
a surface characterized by a correlation function value of less than about 37 percent of an initial correlation function value within a correlation length of about 1 cm or less, wherein the surface is defined by a first surface structure function having a plurality of parameters modulated by a plurality of random functions, the first surface structure function having a length, width and peak angle with optical characteristics to produce at least one output specular component from an input beam of light, and the plurality of random functions each having a geometry with at least pseudo-random characteristics to modulate the first surface structure function in at least a phase along the length of the first surface structure function, the phase being a horizontal peak position along the width. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89)
Specification