Process for making an optical compensator film comprising an anisotropic nematic liquid crystal
First Claim
1. A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of:
- a) applying a liquid comprising a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer on a transparent support to form a liquid-crystal-containing coating;
b) drying the liquid-crystal-containing coating, thereby forming a liquid-crystal-containing layer;
c) optionally heating the liquid-crystal-containing layer to a temperature that is above 50°
C.;
d) cooling the liquid-crystal-containing layer to near or below its isotropic nematic phase transition temperature Tc for at least 5 seconds to form a positively birefringent nematic phase, thereby forming an anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer;
e) polymerizing and/or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer with radiation at a temperature below the Tc of the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of coating a orientable resin in a solvent onto a support; drying the resin-containing coating; orienting the resin-containing layer in a predetermined direction; coating a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer; drying the nematic liquid-crystal-containing coating; thermally treating the nematic liquid-crystal compound layer, cooling the nematic liquid-crystal compound layer, polymerizing or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component; and optionally repeating the above steps on top of the integral component so that the optical axis of the first anisotropic nematic liquid-crystal layer is positioned orthogonally relative to the respective optical axis of the second anisotropic nematic liquid-crystal layer about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying a liquid comprising a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer on a transparent support to form a liquid-crystal-containing coating;
b) drying the liquid-crystal-containing coating, thereby forming a liquid-crystal-containing layer;
c) optionally heating the liquid-crystal-containing layer to a temperature that is above 50°
C.;
d) cooling the liquid-crystal-containing layer to near or below its isotropic nematic phase transition temperature Tc for at least 5 seconds to form a positively birefringent nematic phase, thereby forming an anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer;
e) polymerizing and/or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer with radiation at a temperature below the Tc of the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 30)
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2. A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying a liquid composition, comprising an orientable resin in a solvent, to form a resin-containing coating on a transparent support;
b) drying the resin-containing coating to obtain an orientable layer;
c) orienting the orientation layer in a predetermined direction;
d) applying a liquid comprising a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer to form a liquid-crystal-containing coating;
e) drying the liquid-crystal-containing coating, thereby forming a liquid-crystal-containing layer;
f) heating the liquid-crystal-containing layer to a temperature that is above 50°
C.;
g) cooling the liquid-crystal-containing layer to near or below its isotropic nematic phase transition temperature Tc for at least 5 seconds to form a positively birefringent nematic phase, thereby forming an anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer;
h) polymerizing and/or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer with radiation at a temperature below the Tc of the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 8, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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31. A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying a liquid composition, comprising an orientable resin in a solvent, to form a resin-containing coating on a transparent support;
b) drying the resin-containing coating to obtain an orientable layer;
c) orienting the orientation layer in a predetermined direction;
d) applying a liquid comprising a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer to form a liquid-crystal-containing coating;
e) drying the liquid-crystal-containing coating, thereby forming a positively birefringent nematic liquid-crystal-containing layer;
f) heating the liquid-crystal-containing layer to a temperature that is above 50°
C.;
g) cooling the positively birefringent nematic liquid-crystal-containing layer to near or below its isotropic nematic phase transition temperature Tc for at least 5 seconds to form the nematic phase, thereby forming an anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer;
h) optionally cooling again in order that the temperature of the coated support temperature will not rise above the clearing point temperature during subsequent exposure to UV radiation;
i) polymerizing and/or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer with UV radiation at a temperature below the Tc of the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component;
j) heating the integral component to relax the anisotropic layer, wherein the integral component is heated between 30°
C. and 300°
C.
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Specification