Reflective polarizers having extended red band edge for controlled off axis color

• US 5,808,794 A
• Filed: 07/31/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Weber, Michael F., Ouderkirk, Andrew J., Hoffman, Kevin M., Cull, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willis, Davis L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US08/690,527
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 359/487, 359/488, 359/498, 359/502, 359/495, 349/96, 349/97, 362/19, 362/31
• US Class Current: 359/485.03
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/305 including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one

Abstract

Reflective polarizers, which transmit one polarization and reflect the other polarization, have an extended red band edge in the off-axis transmission spectrum to control off axis color (OAC) hue. To control the OAC hue, the red band edge of the off-axis transmission spectrum, or OAC spectrum, is shifted beyond the boundary for red light, or to at least 600 nm. Even more preferably, the OAC spectrum is extended further into the red than any red emission peak of an associated lamp providing light into a system in which the reflective polarizer is used. The concept applies equally well to any type of reflective polarizer, such as multilayer reflective polarizers, cholesteric reflective polarizers, and the like. The resulting reflective polarizers are very useful for many different applications, such as liquid crystal displays.

Claims

1. A reflective polarizer which transmits light of one polarization and reflects light of another polarization, the reflective polarizer having an OFF AXIS COLOR (OAC) red band edge of at least 600 nm for light having a 45 degree angle of incidence, and having an average transmission from 400-800 nm of less than about 12% for light polarized parallel to an extinction axis at the reflective polarizer at normal incidence.

2. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 620 nm at a 60 degree angle of incidence.

3. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 650 nm at a 60 degree angle of incidence.

4. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 650 nm at a 75 degree angle of incidence.

5. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 630 nm at a 60 degree angle of incidence.

6. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 630 nm at an 80 degree angle of incidence.

7. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 650 nm at an 80 degree angle of incidence.

8. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, further having an OAC red band edge of at least 670 nm at an 60 degree angle of incidence.

9. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the reflective polarizer is a multilayer reflective polarizer.

10. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the reflective polarizer is a cholesteric reflective polarizer.

11. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the extinction spectrum at normal incidence has a red band edge of at least 800 nm.

12. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the extinction spectrum at normal incidence has a red band edge of at least 830 nm.

13. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the extinction spectrum at normal incidence has a red band edge of at least 850 nm.

14. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the extinction spectrum at normal incidence has a red band edge of at least 870 nm.

15. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the extinction spectrum at normal incidence has a red band edge of at least 900 nm.

16. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the OAC red band edge is defined as a wavelength at which reflectance for the transmission axis at off normal incidence for p-polarized light increases from a baseline value to 10 percent of an OAC spectrum'"'"'s peak reflection value.

17. The reflective polarizer of claim 1, wherein the reflective polarizer is part of a liquid crystal display system.

18. The reflective polarizer of claim 17, wherein the liquid crystal display system is a backlit liquid crystal display system.

19. The reflective polarizer of claim 17, wherein the liquid crystal display system is a reflective liquid crystal display system.

20. The reflective polarizer of claim 17, wherein the liquid crystal display system is a transflective liquid crystal display system.