Rolic Ag

Hoffmann-la Roche Inc.

Niopic Moscow Research and Production Association

Jds Uniphase Corporation

Rolic Ltd.

Rolic Technologies Ag

Klaus Schmitt

Martin Schadt

Zoubair Mohammed Cherkaoui

Richard Buchecker

Rolf-Peter Herr

Hubert Seiberle

Stephen Kelly

Yuriy A Reznikov

Jurg Funfschilling

Carsten Benecke

Vladimir G Chigrinov

Victor Yurievich Reshetnyak

Teodor Lukac

Nicolic Vasilievich Novoseletsky

Vladimir Marcovich Kozenkov

Xin Hua Chen

Nikolai Malimonenko

Mikhail I Barnik

Karen Denise Hendrix

Alois Villiger

Thomas A Mayer

Kim Leong Tan

Andreas Schuster

Mohammed Ibn-Elhaj

David M Shemo

Jerry Zieba

David Pires

Joachim Reichardt

Markus Duelli

Jürg Fünfschilling

Angela Ohlemacher

Jurg Fufschilling

Sergey V Belyaev

Seraey V Belyaev

Nicolic V Novoseletsky

Vladimir M Kozenkov

The invention provides a method for generation of an orientation pattern in a photo-alignable material using parallax optic. The invention further provides optical devices comprising a parallax optical element and an element with patterned optical anisotropic properties. Such devices have angular dependent, optically anisotropic properties, which are useful for various applications.

Optical devices with patterned anisotropy incorporating parallax optic

The present invention relates to an apparatus which allows producing elements with individually patterned anisotropic properties, where the pattern may vary from element to element. An apparatus according to the invention comprises a support for a substrate and an exposure unit for providing spatially modulated aligning light with a first polarization plane, wherein the exposure unit contains a light source, a spatial light modulator, which can be controlled electronically, for example by a computer, and a projection lens. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for fast production of elements with individually patterned anisotropic properties using such an apparatus.

Fast generation of elements with individually patterned anisotropy

Sub-micron-structured (nanostructured) polymer film or coatings are made by coating a substrate with a mixture of materials. One of the materials is removed using a selective solvent, leaving pores or other nanostructure. The substrate may be grooved, providing a competing nanostructure. The coating may act as an antireflective coating, optical retarder, optical diffuser, or orientation layer.

Topologically structured polymer coating

The present invention relates to mesogenic, cross-linkable mixtures comprising (i) a cross-linkable liquid crystalline host compound comprising at least one cross-linkable liquid crystalline compound, and (ii) at least one chiral or achiral rod shaped additive component, wherein said additive component has a rigid core and comprises at least two fused or linked, optionally substituted, non-aromatic, aromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic groups, and also comprises at least one optionally substituted alkyl residue, and at least one polymerizable group and wherein the additive component has a transition temperature to the isotropic state of 40&#xb0; C. or lower. The invention also relates to the novel chiral or achiral rod-shaped additive compounds used for the preparation of these mixtures, to mixtures according to the invention in form of an elastomer, polymer gel, polymer network or polymer film, to polymer networks and liquid crystalline polymer films prepared from these mixtures and to optical or electrooptical components comprising polymer networks and liquid crystalline polymer films prepared from such mixtures. Further, the invention relates to the use of the chiral or achiral rod shaped compounds as components of a cross-linkable liquid crystalline mixture in the production of orientated liquid crystalline polymers, to liquid crystalline mixtures comprising these compounds, to liquid crystalline polymers and liquid crystalline polymer networks prepared from such liquid crystalline mixtures, and to liquid crystalline devices comprising these compounds.

Additive components for liquid crystalline materials

The invention relates to a polarization compensating element (PCE) for a liquid crystal, e.g. liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS), display system manufactured using a linearly photo-polymerizable polymer (LPP) for orienting a photo-polymerizable liquid crystal polymer (LCP) film. To decrease the reflection, polarization conversion, and interference events in an LPP/LCP assembly the &#x394;N birefringence value of the LCP material is minimized. Dielectric coatings are added at various locations throughout the assembly for minimizing the amount of reflection, polarization conversion, and interference effects and for suppressing spatial retardance ripples.

Polarization controlling elements

A liquid crystal switchable color filter switches between three color bands and is preferably used for time-sequential devices, such as projection devices, direct view displays and video cameras. The color filter may employ circularly polarizing selective reflection bands of at least four cholesteric filters together with three liquid crystal switches and related retarder layers. In one embodiment, the handedness of the second cholesteric is equal to the handedness of the third cholesteric filter and opposite to the handedness of the first and fourth cholesteric filter and, for the blocking state of a color band, the optic axis of the corresponding liquid crystal switch is parallel or perpendicular to the polarization direction. This concept leads to improved, excellent color saturation and requires less stringent production tolerances than in the prior art. Moreover, it advantageously allows overlapping color transmission bands thus improving the light efficiency.

Switchable color filter

A compound is of formula (I), in which: Ato A, Eand Eeach independently represent hydrogen or an optionally-substituted hydrocarbon group; Band Beach independently represent a single bond, an oxygen atom or an optionally-substituted hydrocarbon group; MGand MGeach independently represent an optionally-substituted ring system; CG is a divalent or polyvalent chiral group. The optically active compound may be used as a doping agent for liquid crystals for a wide range of applications including solid state cholesteric filters for projection displays, circular polarisers, optical filters, etc.

Optically active materials

Liquid crystal compounds

Compounds of formula (I) wherein A, C and D represent (1) or (2), B represents (3) or (4) wherein at least one of the substituents is other than hydrogen and also at least one of the phenylene rings may be replaced by a 1,4-phenylene ring in which one or two non-adjacent CH groups have been replaced by nitrogen; k, l, m are 0 or 1, wherein k&plus;l&plus;m must be equal to 1 or 2; Z , Z , Z each independently of the others represents a single bond, &mdash;CH CH &mdash;, &mdash;CH O&mdash;, &mdash;OCH &mdash;, &mdash;COO&mdash;, &mdash;OOC&mdash;, &mdash;CH&boxH;CH&mdash;COO&mdash;, &mdash;OOC&mdash;CH&boxH;CH&mdash;, &mdash;(CH ) &mdash;, &mdash;O(CH ) &mdash;, &mdash;(CH ) O&mdash; or &mdash;C&equiv;C&mdash;; R , R represent crosslinkable groups, and S , S represent spacer units.

Crosslinkable liquid crystalline compounds

Optically active butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol derivatives of formula (I). The compounds may be used as doping agents for liquid crystals for a wide range of applications, such as solid state cholesteric filters for projection displays, circular polarizers, and optical filters.

Optically active compounds

Chiral prolinol derivatives of formula (1). The compounds may be used as doping agents for liquid crystals for a wide range of applications, including solid state cholesteric filters for projection displays, circular polarizers and optical filters.

Chiral compounds and their use as doping agents in liquid crystals

An optical frequency conversion element has a wave-guiding layer which consists of a .chi..sup.(2) -active ferroelectric liquid crystal. The monomeric or polymeric liquid crystal material has a periodic structure which permits the so-called quasi phase matching of a guided laser beam. The period length of the structure is equal to twice the coherence length l.sub.c =.pi./.DELTA..beta. of the material, whereby .DELTA..beta.=.beta..sub.o (2.omega.)-2.beta..sub.o (.omega.), with .omega.=angular frequency of the fundamental wave, 0=zero-order mode and .beta.=propagation constant of the mode.

Optical element and compounds used in its manufacture

Polymerisable optically active compounds have the general formula: ##STR1## where: W.sup.1 denotes a polymerisable residue,

Polymerisable, optically active dioxolane diesters

In liquid crystal display cells comprising a liquid crystal (7) disposed between two substrate plates (1,2) provided with drive electrodes (3,4), the orientation layer (5,6) on the inner sides of the plates where the electrodes are disposed comprises an oriented photopolymer layer. This layer is formed by irradiating photopolymer layer. This layer is formed by irradiating photoreactive material with linear polarized light.

Liquid crystal display cells

The image-producing device comprises a liquid crystal cell with a liquid crystal (10, 21, 44) between two plates provided with drive electrodes (2, 6; 24, 25; 42, 46) and wall orientation layer (3, 7; 26,27; 43, 45) and an optically anisotropic polymeric additional element (9, 31, 52). The additional element, which can be a separate element or in the form of a coating or a foil stuck directly to the cell, comprises an oriented photopolymer.

Image display device

Growing community of inventors

Lorrach, Germany

Klaus Schmitt