Polarizing beam splitter plates providing high resolution images and systems utilizing such polarizing beam splitter plates

• US 10,606,094 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ouderkirk, Andrew J., Carls, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nikmanesh, Seahvosh
• Application Number:
  US16/543,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20190369410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/109 using a squeegee
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/00 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0038 involving application of liquid to the layers prior to lamination, e.g. wet laminating B32B37/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1018 using only vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1027 Pressing using at least one press band
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1284 Application of adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/18 involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3041 comprising multiple thin layers, e.g. multilayer stacks
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2073 Polarisers in the lamp house peculiar to electronic spatial light modulators H04N9/3197

Abstract

Polarizing beam splitter plates and systems incorporating such beam splitter plates are described. The polarizing beam splitter plate includes a first substrate and a multilayer optical film reflective polarizer that is disposed on the first substrate. The polarizing beam splitter plate includes a first outermost major surface and an opposing second outermost major surface that makes an angle of less than about 20 degrees with the first outermost major surface. The polarizing beam splitter plate is adapted to reflect an imaged light received from an imager towards a viewer or screen with the reflected imaged light having an effective pixel resolution of less than 12 microns.

Claims

1. An optical assembly comprising:

an optically transparent substrate comprising opposing non-parallel major surfaces making an angle less than about 20 degrees therebetween; and

a multilayer polymeric optical film adhered to one of the major surfaces of the substrate, the optical film configured to substantially reflect light having a first polarization state and substantially transmit light having an orthogonal second polarization state, the optical film having a major surface, such that a root mean square average of a deviation of the major surface along a thickness direction of the optical film is less than 80 nm.

2. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein a root mean square average of a deviation of the major surface along the thickness direction of the optical film is less than 70 nm.

3. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein a root mean square average of a deviation of the major surface along the thickness direction of the optical film is less than 55 nm.

4. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein an average of an absolute value of the deviation of the major surface along the thickness direction of the optical film is less than 45 nm.

5. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein an average of an absolute value of the deviation of the major surface along the thickness direction of the optical film is less than 35 nm.

6. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical film is adhered to the substrate via an adhesive layer.

7. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a glass.

8. The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a polymer.

9. A polarizing beam splitter comprising the optical assembly of claim 1.

10. A projection system comprising the optical assembly of claim 1.