U.S. Philips Corporation

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Grietje Neeltje Mol

Dirk Jan Broer

Christiane Maria Rosette De Witz

Frans Leenhouts

Roel Penterman

Cornelis M Jochem

Johannes A Van Haaren

Ingrid E Heynderickx

Dirk J Broer

Christianne Rm De Witz

A mechanical structure comprises an element which is moveable by nonmechanical means, such as heat or radiation, between a first state having a first shape and a second state having a second shape different. To this end, the element includes a layer of oriented polymerized liquid crystal which exhibits an anisotropic expansion when subjected to such means. In order to facilitate manufacture the element is positioned on a substrate which has a region of high adhesiveness and a region of low adhesiveness for polymerized liquid crystal. To manufacture such structures a layer of oriented polymerizable liquid crystal is formed on a substrate () which is provided with a patterned surface that provides adhesive regions () with high adhesiveness to polymerized liquid crystal and nonadhesive regions () with low adhesiveness to polymerized liquid crystal. After polymerization, for example a thermal shock is applied which causes the layer of polymerized liquid crystal to delaminate at the non-adhering region while remaining fixed to the adhesive regions. Thus, the method does not require time-consuming under-etching steps.

Mechanical structure including a layer of polymerised liquid crystal and method of manufacturing such

A foil moveable by non-mechanical means, such as light or heat, comprises an alternating array of first and second foil sections each resiliently and non-mechanically moveable between a flattened state and a bent state. The direction in which the first foil sections bend, when moved from the flattened to the bent state, is opposite to the direction in which the second foil sections bend when moved from the flattened to the bent state. When, in the flattened state, non-mechanically stimulating the first and second foil sections in unison, the first and second foil sections bend in opposite directions causing the foil to wrinkle, which results in a movement which is substantially linear. Using a different or removing the non-mechanical stimulus, the foil sections can be made to unbend resulting in a flattening and expansion of the foil to its original shape.

Flexible foil moveable by non-mechanical means

The invention relates to a micro-mechanical thermal structure for modulating a light beam and a method for manufacturing such a structure. The micro-mechanical structure comprises two layers of material with different thermal expansion coefficients in a first direction and a second direction respectively, in which the first direction is transverse to the second direction and the two layers comprise an oriented polymer and the director of the molecules of the oriented polymer of the first layer is transverse to the director of the molecules of the oriented polymer of the second layer. An array of such micro-mechanical structures may form a thermo-optical modulator for modulating light. The method comprises a step of providing a mold with an orientation-inducing layer to obtain a molecular orientation in a mono-meric state of liquid crystalline monomers and a step of fixing the molecular orientation by photo-polymerization.

Micro-mechanical thermo structure and method for manufacturing such micro-mechanical structure

The invention relates to a color filter layer of a cholesterically ordered material, in which the axis of the molecular helix is directed perpendicularly to said layer. According to the invention, the color filter layer comprises at least one dye which is able to absorb undesired colors caused by color shifts. A correct choice of the bandwidth of the primary colors of the color filter layer and the dyes significantly alleviates the problem of undesired color shift. The invention also relates to a liquid crystal color display device of the reflective type, which is provided with such a color filter layer.

Color filter layer of cholesterically ordered material, and reflective LCD provided with such a color filter layer

An illumination system (3) comprises an optical waveguide (9) of an optically transparent material having an exit surface (19) and four end faces (13, 14, 15, 16). The light from a light source (11) is coupled into the optical waveguide (9) via at least one of the end faces (13). The illumination system, for an LCD, further has a reflective polarizer (21) in combination with a diffuser (23) for polarizing the light supplied by the light source (11). The reflective polarizer (21) is integrated with the optical waveguide and constitutes the surface (25) of the optical waveguide (9) which is located opposite the exit surface (19). The diffuser (23) is present on a surface of the polarizer (21) remote from the optical waveguide (9).

Edge-lit illumination system containing cholesteric polarizer and

The Application relates to an illumination system comprising a fluorescent lamp and a broadband, cholesteric polarizer. Such a polarizer contains a layer of a polymeric material having a cholesteric order, which material is ordered in such a way that the axis of the molecular helix extends at right angles to the layer. The broadband character of the polarizer is obtained by causing the pitch of the molecular helix to increase from a minimum value at a first surface of the cholesteric layer to a maximum value at the second surface of the layer. In accordance with the invention, the polarizer should be positioned in the illumination system in such a manner that the cholesteric layer is directed towards the fluorescent lamp with its first surface. In addition, the value of the product p.sub.max.n.sub.e of the maximum value of the pitch in the cholesteric layer p.sub.max and of the extraordinary refractive index n.sub.e must range between 0.61 micron and 0.76 micron. By virtue of these measures, the illumination system has a surprisingly low viewing-angle dependence of the lightness and the color. The Application further relates to a linear polarizer for use in this illumination system as well as to a display device which comprises such a linear polarizer.

Illumination system using cholesteric polarizer, linear polarizer for

A molecularly oriented synthetic resin composition whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion in two mutually perpendicular directions, below the glass-transition temperature, is at least a factor of 3 smaller than in a third direction extending perpendicularly to the first two directions, is manufactured by curing a liquid-crystalline composition having a helicoidal order of molecules, so as to form a polymer network. The resins thus obtained are suitable for use as claddings on materials having a coefficient of thermal expansion which is smaller than that of most synthetic resins.

Molecularly oriented synthetic resin composition

The invention provides an optical glass fibre having a synthetic resin coating and a method of manufacturing same, the first layer of the synthetic resin coating being formed from a curable polyether urethane acrylate composition. The glass transition temperature of the synthetic rubber formed after curing is reduced to -50.degree. C. or lower by increasing the molecular weight of the polyether urethane acrylate and, if necessary, by using aromatic instead of aliphatic urethanes. During coating the viscosity is low due to the presence of monofunctional acrylates of low viscosity. The curable synthetic composition exhibits a high curing rate.

Optical glass fibre having a synthetic resin coating and method of

The invention provides an optical glass fiber having a synthetic resin cladding, in which the first layer of the synthetic resin cladding is formed from a curable synthetic resin composition which comprises a polyurethane acrylate and a siloxane copolymer containing acrylate groups. The synthetic rubber obtained by curing has the suitable properties of polysiloxane claddings, and additionally a greater mechanical strength as well as a greater resistance to wear.

Optical glass fiber having a synthetic resin cladding

The invention provides an optical fibre having a synthetic resin cladding, comprising a glass fibre, a first cladding layer of a synthetic rubber and a subsequent cladding layer of a synthetic resin the molecules of which are oriented substantially in the longitudinal direction of the glass fibre, in which a low application temperature, a low pressure and a high cladding rate can be used in that the oriented synthetic resin is formed from a curable synthetic resin composition which comprises one or more oligomeric compounds the molecules of which comprise reactive groups and the molecular weight of which is smaller than 5000. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such an optical fibre and a device for cladding a glass fibre with a curable synthetic resin composition in which an elongation flow in the curable synthetic resin composition is produced to effect the orientation in the curable synthetic resin composition.

Optical fibre comprising a synthetic resin cladding and method of and

The invention provides an optical glass fibre having a synthetic resin cladding and a method of manufacturing same, in which the first layer of the synthetic resin cladding is formed from a curable polysiloxane composition. The curing rate is increased by the presence of acrylate groups. The refractive index (exceeding 1.46) and the glass transition temperature (lower than -50.degree. C.) can be adjusted by the ratio of the dimethyl siloxane groups, methyl phenyl siloxane groups and diphenyl siloxane groups present. The curing rate can furthermore be increased by the addition of monomeric acrylate compounds.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Grietje Neeltje Mol