3m Innovative Properties Company

Qingbing Wang

John Allen Wheatley

William Blake Kolb

Timothy J Hebrink

Tri Dinh Pham

Gary Timothy Boyd

Encai Hao

Steven H Kong

Daniel J Theis

Nicholas A Johnson

Haiyan Zhang

Joseph T Aronson

Michael R Leaf

Michael Benton Free

Matthew S Stay

William D Coggio

Michael L Steiner

David Scott Thompson

Tao Liu

Jun-Ying Zhang

Guanglei Du

Scott Melvyn Tapio

Glenn E Casner

Brian W Ostlie

Keith R Bruesewitz

Brian T Weber

Patrick M Campbell

Robert L Erwin

Shu-Ching Fan

Steven J Botzet

Connie L Johnson

Bradley S English

David K Sayler

An optical film having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a thickness normal to the first and second surfaces is cut. Cutting the film forms a channel at least partially through the thickness of the film. A light control material is printed proximate to a surface of the film. The ink traverses through the channel by capillary motion.

Optical film with light control edge

A unitary optical film stack comprising a light redirecting film assembly; a light diffusion film assembly; and an optical adhesive; wherein the light redirecting film assembly and the light diffusion film assembly are physically coupled non-continuously to minimize optical coupling.

Unitary optical film assembly

An optical film assembly comprising a first optical film, a coupling member, and a second optical film wherein the first optical film comprises a prismatic film, the second optical film comprises a diffuser, wherein the coupling member is bonded to the first optical film and to the second optical film such that the first optical film and second optical film are physically coupled, and the coupling member is bonded to at least one of the first optical film and the second optical film non-continuously such that an optically effective air gap is provided. Also, a method for making such optical film assemblies.

Optical diffusing film laminate and method of making

Optical diffusing films are made by microreplication from a structured surface tool. The tool is made using a 2-part electroplating process, wherein a first electroplating procedure forms a first metal layer with a first major surface, and a second electroplating procedure forms a second metal layer on the first metal layer, the second metal layer having a second major surface with a smaller average roughness than that of the first major surface. The second major surface can function as the structured surface of the tool. A replica of this surface can then be made in a major surface of an optical film to provide light diffusing properties. The structured surface and/or its constituent structures can be characterized in terms of various parameters such as optical haze, optical clarity, Fourier power spectra of the topography along orthogonal in-plane directions, ridge length per unit area, equivalent circular diameter (ECD), and/or aspect ratio.

Optical diffusing films and methods of making same

A microreplicated optical film () for use in optical displays, backlights, and the like includes a prismatic layer () carried by a substrate (). In use, the optical film may be combined in a system with other components such that the optical film is positioned between an extended light source () and a polarizer (). In such cases, if the substrate has an appreciable birefringence, a subtle but characteristic colored pattern known as substrate color mura (SCM) may be detected by a user of the system. To reduce or eliminate the SCM with little or no adverse effect on brightness enhancement capabilities of the optical film, the optical film may include an embedded structured surface () between the substrate and the prismatic layer. In order to avoid another optical artifact known as sparkle, at least 80% of the embedded structured surface is preferably occupied by features such as defocusing lenslets or random planar facets.

Brightness enhancement film with substantially non-imaging embedded diffuser

Brightness enhancing films with embedded diffusers are described. More specifically, films including a birefringent substrate, a prismatic layer carried by the substrate having linear prisms, and an embedded structured surface disposed between the substrate and the prismatic layer are disclosed. The embedded structured surface may include closely-packed structures. Processes for producing embedded structured surfaces having particular topographies are also disclosed.

Brightness enhancing film with embedded diffuser

A display system includes a switchable display screen comprising a first transparent substrate, a first transparent conductive layer disposed upon the first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and a second transparent conductive layer disposed upon the second transparent substrate. The display screen further includes a polymer-stabilized cholesteric texture layer and spacer elements disposed between and in contact with the first transparent conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The display screen comprises a plurality of addressable regions, each region capable of being switched from a transparent state to a diffuse state.

Addressable switchable transparent display

A brightness enhancement film includes a plurality of linear prisms disposed on a birefringent substrate. A light ray that enters the film from the substrate side and exits the film from the linear prisms side undergoes substantially a same phase retardation for mutually orthogonal polarization states while travelling within the film. The light ray exits the film at an angle from a normal to the substrate that is greater than 20 degrees.

Approaches to control color mura in optical films

A backlight system includes an extended area light guide () and crossed first () and second () prismatic recycling films. The light guide provides a first light distribution that has a maximum luminance at a first polar angle, e.g., from 70 to 90 degrees, relative to the optical axis () of the system. The recycling films provide a second light distribution. No diffuser film is provided between the light guide and the recycling film disposed nearest the light guide. Instead, light is specularly transmitted from the output surface () of the light guide to the input surface () of the recycling film nearest the light guide. The recycling films comprise prisms having refractive indices tailored to provide the second light distribution with a maximum luminance at a polar angle of 10 degrees or less. The prisms preferably have a refractive index from 1.63 to 1.76. Related methods and articles are also disclosed.

Simplified edge-lit backlight system

Lightguide is disclosed. The lightguide includes a light guiding layer for propagating light by total internal reflection, and an optical film that is disposed on the light guiding layer. The optical film includes a plurality of voids, an optical haze that is not less than about 30%, and a porosity that is not less than about 20%. Substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

Lightguide with optical film containing voids and blacklight for display system

Lightguides are disclosed. More particularly, lightguides that include a lightguiding layer and a light extracting layer having a structured surface are disclosed. The light guiding layer is optically coupled to a first set of structures of the structured surface at given locations, and is not optically coupled to a second set of structures at given locations, thereby producing total internal reflection at the second locations. The selective optical coupling may be achieved by a number of different contemplated means as discussed herein. The lightguides allow for distribution of light along with redirection towards an image viewer without a number of commonly required optical elements in backlights.

Light guides

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Qingbing Wang