Light-transmitting film, method of forming light-transmitting film, and liquid crystal display

• US 7,712,908 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hoshi, Mitsunari, Horii, Akihiro, Mizuno, Hiroshi, Obata, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): L O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): APENTENG, JESSICA MCMILLAN
• Application Number:
  US11/718,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20080247192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 362600-634, 362/19, 362/561, 362/339, 362/330, 349/62, 359/487, 359/494, 359/495, 359/496, 359/497, 359/500, 359/629, 359/638, 359/639, 359/640
• US Class Current: 362/19
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one

Abstract

A light-transmitting film that has a predetermined polarization split function, in addition to a light-collecting function is provided. The index of refraction nx in a prism extension direction and the index of refraction in a prism alignment direction differ from each other. By generating a difference in the indices of refraction in the prism extension direction and the prism alignment direction orthogonal thereto, for the light incident on the light-transmitting film, the polarization component Lx oscillating in the prism extension direction and the polarization component Ly oscillating in the prism alignment direction can have different transmission characteristics. For example, by setting the index of refraction in the prism extension direction greater than the index of refraction in the prism alignment direction (nx>ny), among the light incident on the light-transmitting film, the amount of return light of the polarization component Lx oscillating in the prism extension direction is greater than that of the polarization component Ly oscillating in the prism alignment direction. In this way, not only a light-collecting function, but also a predetermined polarization split function is obtained.

Claims

1. A light-transmitting film comprising:

a light incident surface; and

a light emission surface constituted of a structure surface on which prisms are continuously disposed,

wherein the light-transmitting film is constituted of a single layer, and

wherein each of the prisms has an index of refraction in an extension direction of the prisms and an index of refraction an alignment direction of the prisms which are different from each other, and each of the prisms includes a pair of inclined surfaces that, regarding partial light incident on the light incident surface from an oblique direction, reflect to the light incident surface side a polarization component in one of the extension direction of the prisms and the alignment direction of the prisms that has a larger index of refraction while causing a polarization component in another one of the extension direction of the prisms and the alignment direction of the prisms that has a smaller index of refraction to transmit therethrough, and reflect light incident on the light incident surface from a vertical direction to the light incident surface side regardless of a polarization state.

2. The light-transmitting film according to claim 1, wherein the index of refraction in the extension direction of the prisms and the index of refraction in the alignment direction of the prisms have a difference of 0.07 or more.

3. The light-transmitting film according to claim 1, wherein each of the prisms has a cross-section of an isosceles triangle having an apex angle of 90°

.

4. The light-transmitting film according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting film is constituted of a co-polymer selected from a group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), a PET-PEN mixture, and a PET-PEN co-polymer.

5. A method of forming a light-transmitting film including a light incident surface and a light emission surface constituted of a structure surface on which prisms are continuously disposed in which,

the light-transmitting film is constituted of a single layer, and

each of the prisms has an index of refraction in an extension direction of the prisms and an index of refraction in an alignment direction of the prisms which are different from each other, and each of the prisms reflects, regarding partial light incident on the light incident surface from an oblique direction, to the light incident surface side a polarization component in one of the extension direction of the prisms and the alignment direction of the prisms that has a larger index of refraction while causing a polarization component in another one of the extension direction of the prisms and the alignment direction of the prisms that has a smaller index of refraction to transmit therethrough, and reflects light incident on the light incident surface from a vertical direction to the light incident surface side regardless of a polarization state, the method comprising:

forming a resin film having the prisms on one surface; and

stretching, after the formation of the resin film, the resin film in the extension direction of the prisms and generating a difference between the index of refraction in the extension direction of the prisms and the index of refraction in the alignment direction of the prisms.

6. The method of forming a light-transmitting film according to claim 5, wherein the resin film is constituted of a material having a larger index of refraction in the extension direction of the prisms than in the alignment direction of the prisms.

7. The method of forming a light-transmitting film according to claim 5, wherein the resin film is constituted of a material having a smaller index of refraction in the extension direction of the prisms than in the alignment direction of the prisms.

8. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel;

a pair of polarizers sandwiching the liquid crystal display panel;

a light source illuminating the liquid crystal display panel; and

a light-transmitting film interposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the light source, the light-transmitting film including a light incident surface and a light emission surface constituted of a structure on which prisms are continuously disposed,

wherein the light-transmitting film is constituted of a single layer, and

wherein each of the prisms has an index of refraction in an extension direction of the prisms and an index of refraction in an alignment direction of the prisms which are different from each other, and each of the prisms includes a pair of inclined surfaces that, regarding partial light incident on the light incident surface from an oblique direction, reflect to the light incident surface side a polarization component in one of the extension direction of the prisms and the alignment direction of the prisms that has a larger index of refraction while causing a polarization component in another one of the extension direction of the prisms and the alignment direction of the prisms that has a smaller index of refraction to transmit therethrough, and reflect light incident on the light incident surface from a vertical direction to the light incident surface side regardless of a polarization state.

9. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the light-transmitting film is formed such that the index of refraction in the extension direction of the prisms is larger than the index of refraction in the alignment direction of the prisms, and

wherein an angle formed between the alignment direction of the prisms and a direction of a light-transmission axis of one of the pair of polarizers that is disposed on a light incident side of the liquid crystal display panel ranges from 0°

to 45°

.

10. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the light-transmitting film is formed such that the index of refraction in the alignment direction of the prisms is larger than the index of refraction in the extension direction of the prisms, and

wherein an angle formed between the extension direction of the prisms and a direction of a light-transmission axis of one of the pair of polarizers that is disposed on a light incident side of the liquid crystal display panel is ranges from 0°

to 45°

.

11. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the light-transmitting film is constituted of a co-polymer selected from a group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), a PET-PEN mixture, and a PET-PEN co-polymer.