Optical bodies containing cholesteric liquid crystal material and methods of manufacture
First Claim
1. A method of making an optical body, the method comprising steps of:
- forming a first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer exhibiting a cholesteric liquid crystal abase on a substrate using a first coating composition;
coating a second coating composition on the first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer, the second coating composition comprising a solvent and at least one chiral monomer material selected from reactive chiral monomers, the second coating composition being different than the first coating composition;
diffusing a portion of the chiral monomer material from the second coating composition into a portion of the first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer exhibiting a cholesteric liquid crystal phase adjacent the second coating composition; and
curing the chiral monomer material to generate at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer from the first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer and the second coating composition, the at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a non-uniform pitch and comprising a first cholesteric liquid crystal region consisting essentially of material from the first coating composition, a second cholesteric liquid crystal region consisting essentially of material from the second coating composition, and a third cholesteric liquid crystal region disposed between the first and second cholesteric liquid crystal regions and comprising material from the first coating composition and material from the second coating composition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical body includes a substrate and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the substrate. The cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a non-uniform pitch along a thickness direction of the layer and comprises a crosslinked polymer material that substantially fixes the cholesteric liquid crystal layer. The crosslinking hinders diffusion of cholesteric liquid crystal material within the cholesteric liquid crystal layer. In other methods of making an optical body, a reservoir of chiral material is provided during the process over a first cholesteric liquid crystal layer to diffuse into the layer and provide a non-uniform pitch. Alternatively, two coating compositions can be disposed on a substrate where the material of the first coating composition is not substantially soluble in the second coating composition.
116 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of making an optical body, the method comprising steps of:
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forming a first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer exhibiting a cholesteric liquid crystal abase on a substrate using a first coating composition;
coating a second coating composition on the first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer, the second coating composition comprising a solvent and at least one chiral monomer material selected from reactive chiral monomers, the second coating composition being different than the first coating composition;
diffusing a portion of the chiral monomer material from the second coating composition into a portion of the first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer exhibiting a cholesteric liquid crystal phase adjacent the second coating composition; and
curing the chiral monomer material to generate at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer from the first cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer and the second coating composition, the at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a non-uniform pitch and comprising a first cholesteric liquid crystal region consisting essentially of material from the first coating composition, a second cholesteric liquid crystal region consisting essentially of material from the second coating composition, and a third cholesteric liquid crystal region disposed between the first and second cholesteric liquid crystal regions and comprising material from the first coating composition and material from the second coating composition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of making an optical body, the method comprising steps of:
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forming a first cholesteric liquid crystal phase layer on a substrate using a first coating composition, the first costing composition comprising at least one cholesteric liquid crystal material selected from cholesteric liquid crystal compounds and cholesteric liquid crystal monomers;
coating a second coating composition on the first cholesteric liquid crystal phase layer, the second coating composition comprising a solvent and at least one chiral monomer material selected from reactive chiral monomers, the second coating composition being different than the first coating composition;
diffusing a portion of the chiral monomer material from the second coating composition into a portion of the first cholesteric liquid crystal phase layer adjacent the second coating composition; and
crosslinking the chiral monomer material with the first cholesteric liquid crystal phase layer to generate and fix at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer, the at least one cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a non-uniform pitch, and comprising a first cholesteric liquid crystal region consisting essentially of material from the first coating composition, a second cholesteric liquid crystal region consisting essentially of material from the second coating composition, and a third cholesteric liquid crystal region disposed between the first and second cholesteric liquid crystal regions and comprising material from the first coating composition and material from the second coating composition, the crosslinking substantially hindering further diffusion of any remaining chiral monomer material.
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13. A method of making a reflective polarizer, the method comprising steps of:
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forming a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer on a substrate;
aligning the cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer to form an aligned cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer;
coating a coating composition on the aligned cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer, the coating composition comprising a solvent and at least one chiral monomer material selected from reactive chiral monomers;
diffusing a portion of the chiral monomer material from the coating composition into a portion of the aligned cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer adjacent the coating composition; and
curing the chiral monomer material after a portion of the chiral monomer has been diffused into the aligned cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer adjacent the coating composition to form a reflective polarizer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification