3m Innovative Properties Company

Other

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Intellectual Properties Company

Brian D Cull

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Michael F Weber

Sanford Cobb, Jr

David L Wortman

Kevin M Hoffman

The present invention includes a backlight system incorporating a back reflector and/or a lamp cavity reflector constructed of a multilayer optical film.

Backlight system with multilayer optical film reflector

A transflector is described which increases efficiency and brightness under both ambient and supplemental lighting conditions in visual display applications. In one embodiment, the transflector includes a reflective polarizing element that reflects one polarization of light and transmits the other. In an alternate embodiment, the transflector includes a reflective polarizing element and a diffusing element such that the transflector diffusely reflects light of one polarization and transmits the other. The transflector is useful for both reflective and transflective liquid crystal displays.

Transflective displays with reflective polarizing transflector

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.

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

Reflective polarizers having extended red band edge for controlled off

Highly efficient diffusely reflecting multilayer mirrors diffusely reflect light incident upon them. Highly efficient diffusely reflecting multilayer polarizers diffusely reflect light of one polarization while diffusely transmitting the other polarization. The diffusely reflecting mirror includes a light diffusing element and a multilayer mirror element. The diffusely reflecting polarizer includes a light diffusing element and a multilayer reflective polarizing element.

Diffuse reflectors

Diffusely reflecting multilayer polarizers and mirrors

Growing community of inventors

Maplewood, MN, United States of America

Brian D Cull