3m Innovative Properties Company

Matthew R C Atkinson

Gary Timothy Boyd

Robert A Yapel

Tri Dinh Pham

Steven D Solomonson

Steven H Kong

Orlin Bruce Knudson

Robert B Secor

Mitchell A F Johnson

Fei Lu

Scott R Kaytor

Joseph T Aronson

Slah Jendoubi

Catherine A Leatherdale

Jinwook Kim

Christopher Bland Walker, Jr

John Charles Clark

Charles L Bruzzone

Alexander J Kugel

Steven J McMan

Vivek Krishnan

Craig R Sykora

Mary M Caruso Dailey

Seong-Woo Woo

Serge Wetzels

Jennifer J Sokol

Abdullahi A Mohamud

Steven C Reed

Described herein is an article comprising (i) bead film comprising a binder resin layer and a plurality of microspheres partially embedded in the binder resin layer such that a portion of the microspheres outwardly protrude a first distance from the surface of the binder resin layer; (ii) a stabilizing layer disposed on the outwardly protruding microspheres opposite the binder resin layer, wherein the stabilizing layer intimately conforms to the protruding microspheres, and wherein the stabilizing layer has a Tg less than 100 C and a storage modulus at 150&#xb0; C. of at least 1.5 MPa; and (iii) a release agent, wherein (a) the binder resin layer comprises the release agent, (b) the stabilizing layer comprises the release agent, and/or (c) an intermediate layer comprises the release agent, wherein the intermediate layer is disposed between the monolayer of microspheres and the stabilizing layer, with the proviso that when the binder resin layer has a fluorine content along the polymeric backbone greater than 65 wt %, the stabilizing layer comprises a release agent selected from a silicone and a fluoropolymer. Also disclosed herein are methods of making thermoformable bead films.

Thermoformable beaded articles with removable stabilizing layer and methods thereof

A coil for transfer of information or energy is described. The coil includes an electrically conductive magnetically insulative first layer and a magnetically conductive second layer bonded to the first layer along the length of the first layer. The first and second layers are wound to form a plurality of substantially concentric loops. A width and a length of the second layer may be substantially co-extensive with a respective width and length of the first layer so as to expose opposing longitudinal edge surfaces of the first layer along the length of the first layer. At least one of the opposing longitudinal edge surfaces may include a regular pattern extending substantially along a same first direction and across substantially the entire coil. A method of making the coil is described.

Coil and method of making same

Optical films for redirecting light are described, and optical systems, such as display systems, incorporating such optical films are described. The optical film may include a first structured surface including a plurality of prismatic structures, and a second structured surface opposing the first structured surface and including a plurality of microstructures. An effective transmission of the optical film is not more than 1% less than a film with a comparable construction except for a smooth, non-structured second surface.

Light redirecting film and display system incorporating same

Microscatterometry system for generating an angularly resolved scattered light profile from the collected data.

Scatterometry system and method of using the same

An optical film having a structured surface is described. At least 90% of the structured surface has a slope magnitude that is less than about 5 degrees. The optical film may have an optical haze of less than about 10% and an optical clarity of less than about 50%, or may have an optical haze of less than about 7.5% and an optical clarity of less than about 60%, or may have an optical haze of less than about 3% and an optical clarity of less than about 65%.

A method including providing a substrate having thereon a layer including a multiphoton polymerizable composition, applying a light beam to at least one region of the layer, wherein the light beam cures or initiates cure of the multiphoton curable photoreactive composition; and processing a portion of the light beam reflected off the substrate to obtain a location signal of an interface between the layer and the substrate at each region.

Method and apparatus for processing multiphoton curable photoreactive compositions

An enhanced resolution scanned image of an object is produced by a scanning laser microscope which includes an illumination arm for scanning an object with a focused probe beam and a detection arm for receiving light from the object. The detection arm includes a detector which collects and detects light from the object to produce pixel data for a plurality of pixels. In addition, the detection arm includes a wavefront sensor for sensing phase variations of the light from the object to produce wavefront data for scanned pixel locations. From the wavefront shape of the collected light at each pixel location, a high frequency spectrum is determined which corresponds to uncollected scattered light from small scale features of that pixel location. An enhanced resolution image of a region of interest is produced based on the high frequency spectra of the scanned pixel locations.

Scanning laser microscope with wavefront sensor

The present invention provides for very rapid autofocusing of optical scanning systems. If a sample is sufficiently out of focus, the focal error signal used to focus a conventional half-blocked system can become saturated. Multiple steps toward the focus position then typically are required to bring the system into the operational range. To minimize this, a light adjustment system is provided to reduce the amount of light impinging on the half-blocked system when the focal error signal is at or near saturation. The half-blocked system then becomes primary controller again, and can move the system into a position generally close to the correct focal point. The light adjustment system then can be deactivated, but since the system now is much closer to focus, the half-blocked system can quickly bring the system into final focus. Alternatively, the photodetectors used to generate the focal error signal are segmented. The approximate distance to the correct focal point then is determined by comparing the amount of light detected by segments at different radial positions.

Autofocus z stage

Autofocus Z stage

Growing community of inventors

Cottage Grove, MN, United States of America

Matthew R C Atkinson