Polarizing element, polarizing element manufacturing method, liquid crystal device, and projection display

• US 7,969,534 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kumai, Yoshitomo, Zhang, Huiping
• Primary Examiner(s): Qi; Mike
• Application Number:
  US12/792,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 349/96, 359/486, 427/163.1
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3058 comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10

Abstract

A polarizing element manufacturing method includes (a) forming a plurality of fine metal wires by forming a metal film on a substrate and patterning the metal film, (b) applying, onto a base material, a glass precursor solution for forming a protective layer for protecting the fine metal wires, (c) placing the substrate on the base material so that ends of the fine metal wires are immersed in the glass precursor solution, and (d) forming the protective layer by drying the glass precursor solution, and bonding together the base material and the substrate with the protective layer therebetween.

Claims

1. A polarizing element comprising:

a substrate;

a first metal wire and a second metal wire provided on the substrate; and

a glass layer supported between the first and second metal wires, the glass layer and the metal wires forming a co-planar single surface defined by surfaces of the glass layer that are aligned with surfaces of the first and second metal wires,

wherein a region enclosed by the glass layer and the metal wires is a space.

2. The polarizing element of claim 1, wherein the glass layer is formed by curing a glass precursor solution.

3. The polarizing element according to claim 2, wherein the glass precursor solution is formed by dispensing inorganic oxide fine particles in a dispersion solvent including a silane compound.

4. A liquid crystal device comprising the polarizing element of claim 1.

5. A projection display comprising the liquid crystal device of claim 4 as an optical modulation device.

6. A polarizing element, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of metal wires disposed on the substrate;

a protective layer provided on the metal wires; and

at least one cavity disposed between adjacent metal wires and the protective layer,

wherein the protective layer and the metal wires form a co-planar single surface defined by surfaces of the protective layer that are aligned with surfaces of the metal wires.

7. The polarizing element of claim 6, wherein the cavity is a vacuum.

8. The polarizing element of claim 6, wherein the cavity is filled with air.

9. The polarizing element of claim 6, wherein the protective layer is a glass layer.

10. The polarizing element of claim 6, further comprising a cavity disposed between each pair of adjacent metal wires and the protective layer.

11. The polarizing element of claim 10, wherein each cavity is a vacuum.

12. The polarizing element of claim 10, wherein each cavity is filled with air.

13. A liquid crystal device comprising the polarizing element of claim 6.

14. A projector apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device of claim 13 as an optical modulation device.

15. A polarizing element, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of fine metal wirings disposed on the substrate;

a glass layer disposed on a surface of the fine metal wirings opposite a surface of the fine metal wirings that is disposed on the substrate such that a plurality of cavities are formed between the metal wirings, the substrate, and the glass layer,

wherein the glass layer and the fine metal wirings form a co-planar single surface defined by surfaces of the glass layer that are aligned with surfaces of the fine metal wirings.

16. The polarizing element of claim 15, wherein each cavity is a vacuum.

17. The polarizing element of claim 16, wherein each cavity is filled with air.

18. A liquid crystal device comprising the polarizing element of claim 15.

19. A projector apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device of claim 18 as an optical modulation device.

20. The polarizing element of claim 15, wherein the glass layer includes a plurality of inorganic oxide fine particles.