High index coated light management films

• US 6,951,400 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schaepkens, Marc, Olczak, Eugene, Coyle, Dennis, Chisholm, Bret
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeade, Bertrand
• Application Number:
  US10/248,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 362/29, 362/326, 362/331, 362/332, 362/333, 362/339, 362/337, 362/330, 362/293, 428/336, 359/599
• US Class Current: 362/29
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/287 comprising at least one layer of organic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3041 comprising multiple thin layers, e.g. multilayer stacks
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0046 Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0071 with elongated shape, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

There is provided an optical structure. The optical structure includes a light source. The optical structure also includes an organic light management film having an index of refraction of less than 1.7 disposed above the light source, and a transparent inorganic film having an index of refraction of greater than 1.7 disposed adjacent the organic light management film. A optical device is also provided including the organic light management film and the transparent inorganic film. A method of forming the optical structure is also provided. The method includes depositing the transparent inorganic film under vacuum.

Claims

1. An optical structure comprising:

a light source;

an organic light management film having an index of refraction of less than 1.7 disposed above the light source; and

a transparent inorganic film having an index of refraction of greater than 1.7 disposed on the organic light management film.

2. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises a first transparent inorganic film and a second transparent inorganic film, the first transparent inorganic film disposed on a first portion of the organic light management film and the second transparent inorganic film disposed on a second portion of the organic light management film different from the first portion.

3. The optical structure of claim 2, wherein the first transparent inorganic film has an index of refraction which is different from the index of refraction of the second transparent inorganic film.

4. The optical structure of claim 1, further comprising an interlayer disposed between the light source and the organic light management film.

5. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the organic light management film includes a substrate layer and an overlayer.

6. The optical structure of claim 5, wherein substrate layer includes a plurality of raised features.

7. The optical structure of claim 6, wherein the plurality of raised features are plurality of prismatic features.

8. The optical structure of claim 5, wherein the overlayer includes a plurality of raised features.

9. The optical structure of claim 8, wherein the plurality of raised features are plurality of prismatic features.

10. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent inorganic film includes a plurality of raised features.

11. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the organic light management film is one of a quarter wave plate, a brightness enhancing film, a retardation foil, a diffuser film, a color filter, a low pass filter, a band pass filter, a high pass filter, a color selective transflector, a neutral density filter, an IR blocking filter an UV blocking filter and combinations thereof.

12. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent organic polymer film comprises a polycarbonate.

13. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises a thin metal.

14. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises one of an oxide and a nitride.

15. The optical structure of claim 14, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises one of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride.

16. The optical structure of claim 14, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises a metal oxide.

17. The optical structure of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide comprises at least one of titanium oxide, zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, and cadmium tin oxide.

18. The optical structure of claim 14, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises boron carbon nitride.

19. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the organic light management film and the transparent inorganic film act as an interference filter.

20. The optical structure of claim 19, including further alternating layers of the organic light management film and the transparent inorganic film.

21. The optical structure of claim 20, wherein alternating layers of the organic light management film and the transparent inorganic film act as one of a narrow band antireflection filter and a wide band reflection filter.

22. An optical device comprising:

a backlight comprising a source of light;

a modulation array comprising a liquid crystal material disposed above the back light;

an organic light management film having an index of refraction of less than 1.7 disposed above the backlight; and

a transparent inorganic film having an index of refraction of greater than 1.7 disposed on the organic light management film.

23. The optical device of claim 22, wherein the organic light management film is disposed between the backlight and the modulation array.

24. The optical device of claim 22, wherein the modulation array is disposed between the backlight and the organic light management film.

25. The optical device of claim 22, wherein the organic light management film is one of a quarter wave plate, a brightness enhancing film, a retardation foil, a diffuser film, a color filter, a low pass filter, a band pass filter, a high pass filter, a color selective transflector, a neutral density filter, an IR blocking filter, a UV blocking filter and combinations thereof.

26. The optical device of claim 22, wherein the transparent organic polymer film comprises polycarbonate.

27. The optical device of claim 22, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises one of an oxide and a nitride.

28. The optical device of claim 27, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises one of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride.

29. The optical device of claim 27, wherein the transparent inorganic film comprises a metal oxide.

30. A method of forming an optical structure comprising:

providing an organic light management film having an index of refraction of less than 1.7;

depositing under vacuum a transparent inorganic film having an index of refraction of greater than 1.7 on the organic light management film; and

disposing the organic light management film into an optical structure which includes a light source before or after the step of depositing under vacuum.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the depositing under vacuum comprises:

depositing the transparent inorganic film by physical vapor deposition.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the depositing under vacuum comprises:

depositing the transparent inorganic film by at least one of electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation and sputtering.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the depositing under vacuum comprises:

depositing the transparent inorganic film by chemical vapor deposition.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the depositing under vacuum comprises:

depositing the transparent inorganic film by at least one of chemical vapor deposition, plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition, expanding thermal plasma deposition, and atmospheric plasma chemical vapor deposition.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the transparent inorganic film is deposited conformally on the organic light management film.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the transparent inorganic film is directionally deposited on the organic light management film.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the transparent inorganic film is directionally deposited on the organic light management film at an oblique angle relative to the substrate.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the transparent inorganic film is directionally deposited on only a portion of the organic light management film.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the organic light management film comprises a substrate layer and an overlayer.