3m Innovative Properties Company

Other

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Imation Corporation

3m Innovative Properties

Jeffrey M Florczak

Martin B Wolk

Catherine A Leatherdale

Fred Boyle McCormick

Robert J DeVoe

Paul Frederic Baude

Yong Hsu

Patrick R Fleming

Douglas Scott Dunn

Todd A Ballen

Robert L W Smithson

Stephen P Maki

John E Potts

Robert T Krasa

Richard M Osgood, Iii

Craig R Sykora

Dora M Paolucci

Dennis P O'Brien

Rui Yang

Kevin W Gotrik

Steven D Theiss

Michael B Hintz

Robert D Lorentz

Harvey Kalweit

Carlos A Barrios

Michael S Graff

Michael W Dolezal

Jeffrey Bruce Hill

Paul R Iverson

Joseph Skorjanec

Mark A Peterson

Phillip A Taylor

Steven L Johnson

Xiaoming Kou

Richard M Osgood

Catherine Anne Leatherdale

Richard M Iii Osgood

Stephan P Maki

A multilayer magnetic sheet is described which comprises a plurality of stacked magnetic component layers separated by first electrically insulating layers. Each of the plurality of magnetic component layers comprises a plurality of isolated magnetic sublayers having a magnetic layer thickness of less than one micron. The multilayer magnetic sheet has a magnetic fraction between about 5% and about 80%; a total magnetic thickness of greater than or equal to 5 microns; and a relative composite permeability of greater than about 20.

Magnetic multilayer sheet

Methods of fabricating optical elements that are encapsulated in monolithic matrices. The present invention is based, at least in one aspect, upon the concept of using multiphoton, multi-step photocuring to fabricate encapsulated optical element(s) within a body of a photopolymerizable composition. Imagewise, multiphoton polymerization techniques are used to form the optical element. The body surrounding the optical element is also photohardened by blanket irradiation and/or thermal curing to help form an encapsulating structure. In addition, the composition also incorporates one or more other, non-diffusing binder components that may be thermosetting or thermoplastic. The end result is an encapsulated structure with good hardness, durability, dimensional stability, resilience, and toughness.

Multiphoton curing to provide encapsulated optical elements

Translucent, transparent, or semi-translucent microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which a composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. The sheeting may have at least one layer of material having a surface of microlenses that form one or more images at positions internal to the layer of material, at least one of the images being a partially complete image. Additional layers, such as retroreflective, translucent, transparent, or optical structure layers may also be incorporated into the sheeting.

Sheeting with composite image that floats

A process for making a microlens array or a microlens array masterform comprises

Process for making microlens arrays and masterforms

A method for enhancing photoreactive absorption in a specified volume element of a photoreactive composition. In one embodiment, the method includes: providing a photoreactive composition: providing a source of light (preferably, a pulsed laser) sufficient for simultaneous absorption of at least two photons by the photoreactive composition, the light source having a beam capable of being divided: dividing the light beam into a plurality of equal path length exposure beams: and focusing the exposure beams in a substantially non-counter propagating manner at a single volume element of the photoreactive composition simultaneously to react at least a portion of the photoreactive composition. In another embodiment, a method includes: providing a photoreactive composition capable of photoreactive absorption: and exposing the photoreactive composition to laser light from a plurality of substantially non-counter propagating directions simultaneously, wherein the light overlaps in time and space at a predetermined focus spot.

Multidirectional photoreactive absorption method

Methods of fabricating optical elements that are encapsulated in monolithic matrices. The present invention is based, at least in one aspect, upon the concept of using multiphoton, multi-step photocuring to fabricate encapsulated optical element(s) within a body of a photopolymerizable composition. Imagewise, multi-photon polymerization techniques are used to form the optical element. The body surrounding the optical element is also photohardened by blanket irradiation and/or thermal curing to help form an encapsulating structure. In addition, the composition also incorporates one or more other, non-diffusing binder components that may be thermosetting or thermoplastic. The end result is an encapsulated structure with good hardness, durability, dimensional stability, resilience, and toughness.

A method of increasing the efficiency of a multiphoton absorption process and apparatus. The method includes: providing a photoreactive composition; providing a source of sufficient light for simultaneous absorption of at least two photons; exposing the photoreactive composition to at least one transit of light from the light source; and directing at least a portion of the first transit of the light back into the photoreactive composition using at least one optical element, wherein a plurality of photons not absorbed in at least one transit are used to expose the photoreactive composition in a subsequent transit.

Multipass multiphoton absorption method and apparatus

Microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which the composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Methods for providing such an imaged sheeting, including by the application of radiation to a radiation sensitive material layer adjacent the microlenses, are also disclosed.

The invention relates to inducing a refractive index change in the glass substrate of a polymer coated optical device by using a high numeric aperture lens to focus a femtosecond laser beam through the polymeric coating to the substrate without damaging the polymeric coating.

Index modulation in glass using a femtosecond laser

A thermal transfer element for forming a multilayer device may include a substrate and a multicomponent transfer unit that, when transferred to a receptor, is configured and arranged to form a first operational layer and a second operational layer of a multilayer device. In at least some instances, the thermal transfer element also includes a light-to-heat conversion (LTHC) layer that can convert light energy to heat energy to transfer the multicomponent transfer unit. Transferring the multicomponent transfer unit to the receptor may include contacting a receptor with a thermal transfer element having a substrate and a multicomponent transfer unit. Then, the thermal transfer element is selectively heated to transfer the multicomponent transfer unit to the receptor according to a pattern to form at least first and second operational layers of a device. Often, when the thermal transfer element includes a LTHC layer between the substrate and the transfer layer, the thermal transfer element can be illuminated with light according to the pattern and the light energy is converted to heat energy to selectively heat the thermal transfer element.

Multilayer devices formed by multilayer thermal transfer

Disclosed are thermal transfer elements and processes for patterning solvent-coated layers and solvent-susceptible layers onto the same receptor substrate. These donor elements and methods are particularly suited for making organic electroluminescent devices and displays. The donor elements can include a substrate, an optional light-to-heat conversion layer, and a single or multicomponent transfer layer that can be imagewise transferred to a receptor to form an organic electroluminescent device, portions thereof, or components therefor. The methods offer advantages over conventional patterning techniques such as photolithography, and make it possible to fabricate new organic electroluminescent device constructions.

Thermal transfer element and process for forming organic electroluminescent devices

Method for patterning thin films

Growing community of inventors

Maplewood, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey M Florczak