3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Laurence R Gilbert

Timothy J Hebrink

James M Jonza

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Michael F Weber

Andrew T Ruff

Timothy J Nevitt

William Ward Merrill

Carl A Stover

George F Vesley

Ryan T Fabick

Edward J Kivel

Stephen A Miller

Daniel J McGurran

Bryan L Klaenhammer

Audrey A Sherman

Stephen A Johnson

Robert L Brott

Raghunath Padiyath

Ta-Hua Yu

Yaoqi Joe Liu

Mark B O'Neill

Susannah C Clear

William A Huffman

Bruce A Nerad

James A Olson

John A Wheatley

Jeffrey A Boettcher

Stephen J Strauss

Stephen J Kuncio

Kelly M Roscoe

Scott N Iverson

Ronald J Engfer

Tracey D Sorensen

Daniel Ting-Yuan Chen

Mitsuhiro M Kominami

Richard R Dahlen

Mark B O'NEILL

Daniel J Mcgurran

Multilayer infrared (IR) reflecting films are provided. An optical repeating unit of the film include a plurality of optical polymeric layers arranged to reflect light by constructive and destructive interference. Optical layer A is a high refractive index polymeric layer, and optical layer B is a low refractive index isotropic polymeric layer containing fluoropolymers. The film has an average reflectance of about 50% to about 100% in a near infrared wavelength range of about 850 nm to about 1850 nm, and an average transmission of about 70% to about 90% in a visible light range.

Visibly transparent broadband infrared mirror films having fluoropolymers and 7:1:1:7:1:1 layer thickness ratio

Polymeric multilayer optical films are described. More particularly, polymeric multilayer optical films having a first optical packet and a second optical packet are described. The second optical packet is disposed on the first optical packet. How the configuration of the layers of the optical packets affect hemispheric reflectivity of the overall film is also described. The polymeric multilayer optical film reflects more than 95% of light from 400 nm to 700 nm at normal incidence.

Polymeric multilayer optical film

Broadband reflectors include a UV-reflective multilayer optical film and a VIS/IR-reflective layer. In various embodiments, the VIS/IR reflective layer may be a reflective metal layer or a multilayer optical film. Concentrated solar power systems and methods of harnessing solar energy using the broadband reflectors and optionally comprising a celestial tracking mechanism are also disclosed.

Broadband reflectors, concentrated solar power systems, and methods of using the same

A transparent solar control film may have a single or multiple layer core that includes at least one layer of an orientated thermoplastic polymer material. Infrared radiation absorbing nanoparticles that preferentially absorb at least about 100 times more infrared radiation than visible radiation may be dispersed within the at least one layer of an oriented thermoplastic polymer layer. The transparent solar control film may have a haze value of less than about 5 percent.

Solar control film

Multilayer films are provided that exhibit a colored appearance when viewed at an oblique angle as a result of one or more reflection bands in the visible region of the spectrum. The films however provide no substantial reflection bands in either the visible or near infrared regions for light normally incident on the film. The films can be made to shift from clear at normal incidence to an arbitrary designed color at an oblique angle without necessarily becoming cyan.

Optical polarizing films

Optical polarizing films with designed color shifts

A multilayer optical polarizing film has optical layers whose refractive indices substantially match along orthogonal in-plane x- and y-axes, and that mismatch along a z-axis by at least 0.1 and in some cases by at least 0.15. The film has substantially no reflection bands at normal incidence, and for obliquely incident light has at least one reflection band, for p-polarized light only, that monotonically increases and that shifts to shorter wavelengths as the incidence angle increases.

P-polarizer with large z-axis refractive index difference

A color-tailorable, surface-metalized, pigmented optical body comprising a single or multiple layer polymeric core comprising at least one layer of a thermoplastic polymer material having dispersed therein a particulate pigment, and a metallic layer located on at least one outer surface of the polymeric core. The optical bodies are generally constructed such that the at least one of the L*, a*, and b* color scales of the polymeric core differs from the L*, a*, and b* color scales of the metallic layer.

Color tailorable pigmented optical bodies with surface metalization

A transparent multilayer device which reflects light in the infrared region of the spectrum while transmitting light in the visible region of the spectrum. The device comprises a multilayered polymer film and a transparent conductor. The multilayered polymer film preferably comprises layers of a semi-crystalline naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns and layers of a second polymer having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns. The layers of semi-crystalline naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester preferably have a positive stress optical coefficient. The transparent conductor comprises at least one layer containing a metal or a metal compound in which the metal compound is preferably selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal alloys, and combinations thereof. Silver and indium tin oxide are particularly preferred transparent conductors. The transparent multilayer devices may be applied to the surface of a glass or plastic substrate, such as an exterior window in a building, or to a windshield or window in an automobile, truck, or aircraft.

Transparent multilayer device

A multilayer optical film comprising: (a) an optical stack comprising alternating layers of at least a first polymer and a second polymer; and (b) a holographic image.

Multilayer polymer film with additional coatings or layers

A multilayer polymer film has an optical stack including a plurality of alternating polymer layers with skin layers having mechanical, optical, or chemical properties differing from those of the layers in the optical stack, wherein the refractive indices in the in-plane direction n and n , and the refractive index in the thickness direction n for each layer are all selected to obtain optical effects such as reflection, transmission, and/or polarization.

In a multilayer dielectric reflector, treating the surface of the reflector selectively increases the amount of light transmitted through the reflector. Various surface treatments can be used to permit light to transmit through the reflector that would otherwise be reflected by the reflector. In one such reflector, different portions of the surface have different coupling efficiencies for coupling light having a high propagation angle into the multilayer reflector. Those portions having higher coupling efficiencies on each side of the reflector have a higher degree of transmission.

Multilayer reflector with selective transmission

A metal-coated multilayer mirror having high reflectivity and high specularity. The mirror comprises a multilayered polymer film and a reflective metal layer. The multilayered polymer film preferably comprises layers of a crystalline, semi-crystalline, or liquid crystalline material, such as a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester, having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns and layers of a second polymer having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns. Preferably, the layers of semi-crystalline naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester have a positive stress optical coefficient. The reflective metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, aluminum, nickel, copper, and titanium, with silver and aluminum being particularly preferred. The metal-coated multilayer mirrors are useful in applications requiring broad bandwidth reflection, high specularity, low manufacturing costs, and high reflectivity.

Metal-coated multilayer mirror

Growing community of inventors

Marine on St. Croix, MN, United States of America

Laurence R Gilbert