Polarizer with variable inter-wire distance
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wire grid polarizer comprising:
- an array of parallel, elongated nano-structures disposed over a surface of a transmissive substrate, each of the nano-structures including;
a pair of parallel, elongated wires, each oriented laterally with respect to one another;
each wire of the pair of wires includes a top rib disposed over a bottom rib; and
a first gap disposed between the pair of wires, the first gap extending between adjacent top ribs and adjacent bottom ribs;
each of the nano-structures separated from an adjacent nano-structure by a second gap disposed between adjacent nanostructures, and thus between adjacent pairs of wires; and
a first gap width of the first gap being different than a second gap width of the second gap.
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Abstract
A wire grid polarizer comprising an array of parallel, elongated nano-structures disposed over a surface of a substrate. Each of the nano-structures can include a pair of parallel, elongated wires (or top ribs), each oriented laterally with respect to one another. There can be a first gap disposed between the pair of wires (or top ribs). Each of the nano-structures can be separated from an adjacent nano-structure by a second gap disposed between adjacent nanostructures, and thus between adjacent pairs of wires. A first gap width of the first gap can be different than a second gap width of the second gap. Also included are methods of making wire grid polarizers.
560 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wire grid polarizer comprising:
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an array of parallel, elongated nano-structures disposed over a surface of a transmissive substrate, each of the nano-structures including; a pair of parallel, elongated wires, each oriented laterally with respect to one another; each wire of the pair of wires includes a top rib disposed over a bottom rib; and a first gap disposed between the pair of wires, the first gap extending between adjacent top ribs and adjacent bottom ribs; each of the nano-structures separated from an adjacent nano-structure by a second gap disposed between adjacent nanostructures, and thus between adjacent pairs of wires; and a first gap width of the first gap being different than a second gap width of the second gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A wire grid polarizer comprising:
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an array of parallel, elongated nano-structures disposed over a surface of a transmissive substrate, each of the nano-structures including; a pair of parallel, elongated top ribs, each oriented laterally with respect to one another; the top ribs being reflective in order to substantially polarize incident light; and a first gap disposed between the pair of top ribs; each of the nano-structures separated from an adjacent nano-structure by a second gap disposed between adjacent nanostructures, and thus between adjacent pairs of top ribs; a first gap width of the first gap being different than a second gap width of the second gap; a larger of the first gap width or the second gap width divided by a smaller of the first gap width or the second gap width is greater than 1.15; the first gap and the second gap extending from a base of the top ribs to a top of the top ribs; and a top of the top ribs substantially terminates in a common plane, a top surface of the substrate substantially terminates in a common plane, and a base of the top ribs substantially terminates in the common plane at the top surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of making a wire grid polarizer, the method comprising the following steps in order:
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providing a substrate having an array of parallel, elongated support ribs disposed over the substrate with solid-material-free support-rib gaps between the support ribs; conformal coating the substrate and the support ribs with a layer of material while maintaining the support-rib gaps between the support ribs; etching the layer of material to remove horizontal segments and leaving an array of parallel, elongated top ribs along sides of the support ribs, including a pair of top ribs for each support rib with a top rib disposed along each side of the support rib; backfilling the support-rib gaps and above tops of the support ribs with a solid first fill material, the first fill material and the support ribs having similar etch properties; etching the first fill material down to tops of the top ribs and tops of the support ribs; etching the support ribs and the first fill material in the support-rib gaps down to a base of the top ribs; using the top ribs as a mask, etching the substrate between top ribs thus forming an array of parallel elongated bottom ribs, with each bottom rib disposed below a top rib, with each top rib and bottom rib together defining a wire, with gaps between adjacent wires. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification