Reflectance-adjustable reflector and reflectance-adjustable display device

• US 10,324,349 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Inventors: Fang, Chong-Yang, Wang, Wen-Chun, Liu, Cheng-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): Raabe, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US15/181,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20170357111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 349113
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133502 Antiglare, refractive index matching layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133562 on the viewer side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/137 characterised by the electro-optical or magneto-optical effect, e.g. field-induced phase transition, orientation effect, guest-host interaction or dynamic scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/19 based on variable-reflection or variable-refraction elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/44 Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/07 Polarisation dependent
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/50 Phase-only modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/02 Number of plates being 2
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/05 Single plate on one side of the LC cell
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/868 Arrangements for polarized light emission H10K50/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 : comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8793 : Arrangements for polarized light emission H10K59/8791 takes precedence

Abstract

A reflectance-adjustable reflector including a phase modulation element and a first polarizer is provided. The phase modulation element includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a phase modulation layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first electrode layer located between the first substrate and the phase modulation layer, and a second electrode layer located between the second substrate and the phase modulation layer. Thicknesses of the first substrate and the second substrate are between 0.01 mm and 0.5 mm. The first polarizer is disposed on the first substrate. The first substrate is located between the first polarizer and the first electrode layer. A total thickness of the phase modulation element and the first polarizer is less than 1 mm. A reflectance-adjustable display device is also provided.

Claims

1. A reflectance-adjustable reflector, comprising:

a phase modulation element, comprising;

a first substrate;

a second substrate, opposite to the first substrate, wherein thicknesses of the first substrate and the second substrate are between 0.01 mm and 0.5 mm;

a phase modulation layer, located between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a first electrode layer, located between the first substrate and the phase modulation layer; and

a second electrode layer, located between the second substrate and the phase modulation layer;

a first polarizer, disposed on the first substrate, wherein the first substrate is located between the first polarizer and the first electrode layer, a total thickness of the phase modulation element and the first polarizer is less than 1 mm, and the first polarizer is a reflection-type polarizing film; and

an absorption-type polarizing film, located between the first polarizer and the first substrate, wherein a total thickness of the phase modulation element, the first polarizer, and the absorption-type polarizing film is less than 1 mm.

2. The reflectance-adjustable reflector according to claim 1, wherein the phase modulation layer is a liquid crystal layer, and the reflectance-adjustable reflector further comprises:

a first phase compensation layer, located between the first polarizer and the first substrate; and

a second phase compensation layer, disposed under the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is located between the second phase compensation layer and the second electrode layer, and a total thickness of the phase modulation element, the first polarizer, the first phase compensation layer, and the second phase compensation layer is less than 1 mm.

3. The reflectance-adjustable reflector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light absorbing layer, disposed on the first polarizer, wherein the first polarizer is located between the light absorbing layer and the first substrate.

4. The reflectance-adjustable reflector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light absorption-adjustable layer, disposed on the first polarizer, wherein the first polarizer is located between the light absorption-adjustable layer and the first substrate.

5. The reflectance-adjustable reflector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reflective layer, disposed under the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is located between the reflective layer and the second electrode layer.

6. The reflectance-adjustable reflector according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer is a reflective electrode layer.

7. A reflectance-adjustable display device, comprising:

a display device, having a display surface; and

a reflectance-adjustable reflector, located on the display surface and comprising;

a phase modulation element, comprising;

a first substrate;

a second substrate, located between the display device and the first substrate, wherein thicknesses of the first substrate and the second substrate are between 0.01 mm and 0.5 mm;

a phase modulation layer, located between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a first electrode layer, located between the first substrate and the phase modulation layer; and

a second electrode layer, located between the second substrate and the phase modulation layer;

a first polarizer, disposed on the first substrate, wherein the first substrate is located between the first polarizer and the first electrode layer, and a total thickness of the phase modulation element and the first polarizer is less than 1 mm, wherein the first polarizer is a reflection-type polarizing film; and

an absorption-type polarizing film, located between the first polarizer and the first substrate, wherein a total thickness of the phase modulation element, the first polarizer, and the absorption-type polarizing film is less than 1 mm.

8. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device and comprises a backlight module and a display panel located between the reflectance-adjustable reflector and the backlight module.

9. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the display device is an organic light emitting display device that comprises a circular polarizer adjacent to the reflectance-adjustable reflector.

10. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the display device is an electrophoretic display device.

11. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the display device is an organic light emitting display device.

12. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the phase modulation layer is a liquid crystal layer, and the reflectance-adjustable reflector further comprises:

a first phase compensation layer, located between the first polarizer and the first substrate; and

a second phase compensation layer, disposed under the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is located between the second phase compensation layer and the second electrode layer, and a total thickness of the phase modulation element, the first polarizer, the first phase compensation layer, and the second phase compensation layer is less than 1 mm.

13. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the reflectance-adjustable reflector further comprises:

a light absorbing layer, disposed on the first polarizer, wherein the first polarizer is located between the light absorbing layer and the first substrate.

14. The reflectance-adjustable display device according to claim 7, wherein the reflectance-adjustable reflector further comprises:

a light absorption-adjustable layer, disposed on the first polarizer, wherein the first polarizer is located between the light absorption-adjustable layer and the first substrate.