3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties

Brown University

Rolic Ag

Richard C Allen

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Timothy J Nevitt

Michael F Weber

Carl A Stover

Arthur L Kotz

Biswaroop Majumdar

Lockwood W Carlson

William Ward Merrill

Ronald J Tabar

Peter D Condo

Matthew B Johnson

Kevin M Hamer

Elisa M Cross

Joan M Strobel

Fred J Roska

Steven J Rhyner

Susan L Kent

Stephen A Johnson

Timothy J Hebrink

Patrick R Fleming

Philip Edwin Watson

Keith Michael Kotchick

Kristin LaVelle Thunhorst

Diane North

Joseph A Gangi

John Allen Wheatley

Martin Schadt

William M Lamanna

Olester Benson, Jr

James A Baker

James M Jonza

Hubert Seiberle

Robin Edgar Wright

William A Hendrickson

Andrew T Ruff

Bruce D Stambaugh

Gregory Edward Gilligan

Thomas Bachels

Jon E Stickrod

Ralph H Bland

James D Smith

Kenneth B Smith

Jeffrey F Bradley

Jürg Fünfschilling

Gregg A Hietpas

Sanford Cobb, Jr

John C Schultz

William J Kopecky

Jeffrey C Chang

Robert S Moshrefzadeh

Jeffrey L Solomon

William J Bryan

Bruce Brandon Wilson

Michael James Escuti

Ellen O Aeling

James C Breister

Harold E Rude

Michael Charles Lea

Gregory P Crawford

Robert R Condon

Roger J Stumo

Charles R Kleissler

Sebastian F Zehentmaier

Yeun-Jong Chou

David B Redmond

David I Wortman

Anthony F Flannery

John M Klaeser

David J Koch

Thomas P Bachels

Jurg Funfschilling

A fabric with a laminated adhesive-backed protective layer. The adhesive-backed protective layer has a matte finish that is low gloss and may approximate the fabric itself.

Low gloss laminated article

A polarizer is formed with an arrangement of polymer fibers substantially parallel within a polymer matrix. The polymer fibers are formed of at least first and second polymer materials. At least one of the polymer matrix and the first and second polymer materials is birefringent, and provides a birefringent interface with the adjacent material. Light is reflected and/or scattered at the birefringent interfaces with sensitivity to the polarization of the light. In some embodiments, the polymer fibers are formed as composite fibers, having a plurality of scattering polymer fibers disposed within a filler to form the composite fiber. In other embodiments, the polymer fiber is a multilayered polymer fiber. The polymer fibers may be arranged within the polymer matrix as part of a fiber weave.

Reflective polarizers containing polymer fibers

A light exposure system is used to expose an alignment layer formed of anistropically absorbing molecules so as to allow alignment of subsequently applied liquid crystal polymer (LCP) molecules. The light incident on the alignment layer is polarized. When a single polarizer is used, the azimuthal polarization direction varies across the substrate carrying the alignment layer. Various approaches to reducing the azimuthal polarization variation may be adopted, including the introduction of various types of polarization rotation reduction element and in selecting an appropriate tilt angle for the light source. Furthermore, a reflective structure may be inserted between the light source and the alignment layer. Use of the reflective structure increases the total amount of light incident on the alignment layer.

Polarized UV exposure system

An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxally stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an out-of-plane retardance being 50 nm or greater.

Compensators for liquid crystal displays with biaxially stretched single film with crystallization modifier

Optical elements containing a polymer fiber weave

An assembly that includes a first reflective polarizer substantially reflecting light having a first polarization state and substantially transmitting light having a second polarization state, a polarization rotating layer or depolarizing layer (or both) positioned to receive light passing through the first reflective polarizer, and a second reflective polarizer positioned to receive light passing through the polarization rotating layer or depolarizing layer, the second reflective polarizer substantially reflecting light having a third polarization state back through the polarization rotating layer or depolarizing and substantially transmitting light having a fourth polarization state. Articles containing the assembly can be formed.

Reflective polarizer assembly

A process for making an optical film includes stretching a polyolefin film in a first direction and stretching the polyolefin film in a second direction different than the first direction forming a biaxially stretched polyolefin film. At least a portion of the stretching of the polyolefin film in the second direction occurs simultaneous with the stretching of the polyolefin film in the first direction. The biaxially stretched polyolefin film has a length and a width and substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The biaxially stretched polyolefin film has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an out-of-plane retardance being 50 nm or greater.

Process for manufacturing polymeric optical film

An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxially stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an absolute value for an out-of-plane retardance being 55 nm or greater.

Compensators for liquid crystal displays

An optical film includes a layer of simultaneous biaxially stretched polyolefin film that is substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The layer has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal. The layer has an in-plane retardance of 100 nm or less and an absolute value of an out-of-plane retardance being 55 nm or greater.

Polymeric optical film

Compensation of a liquid crystal display can be achieved using a compensation structure, having, in the following order: a) a first o-plate; b) a first retarder; c) a liquid crystal cell; d) a second retarder; and e) a second o-plate. The first and second retarders can be c-plates or biaxial retarders.

Liquid crystal displays including two o-plates and two c-plates, with helical arrangement of azimuthal orientations

A film that includes a first reflective polarizer substantially reflecting light having a first polarization state and substantially transmitting light having a second polarization state, a polarization rotating layer or depolarizing layer (or both) positioned to receive light passing through the first reflective polarizer, and a second reflective polarizer positioned to receive light passing through the polarization rotating layer or depolarizing layer, the second reflective polarizer substantially reflecting light having a third polarization state back through the polarization rotating layer or depolarizing and substantially transmitting light having a fourth polarization state. Articles containing the film can be formed.

Non-inverting transflective assembly

An optical film is provided which comprises a disperse phase of polymeric particles disposed within a continuous birefringent matrix. The film is oriented, typically by stretching, in one or more directions. The size and shape of the disperse phase particles, the volume fraction of the disperse phase, the film thickness, and the amount of orientation are chosen to attain a desired degree of diffuse reflection and total transmission of electromagnetic radiation of a desired wavelength in the resulting film.

Optical film with co-continuous phases

A method for forming a display device including generating a face plate element by providing a first substrate with a photoactive resin thereon and exposing the photoactive resin to a light interference pattern formed by three collimated and coherent light sources, resulting in columnar features. A display device including an optical display element and a polymer face plate that receives or directs light to the optical display element. The face plate includes columnar areas where an index of refraction of the columnar areas is different from the index of refraction of a cladding area surrounding the columnar areas. The columnar areas are formed by exposure of a photoactive resin to a light interference pattern formed by three collimated and coherent light sources. A method of manufacturing a wave guide including providing a first substrate with a photoactive resin thereon and creating a wave guide channel in a wave guide template. The wave guide channel is filled with a liquid crystal material that is exposed to a light grating to create a variation in an index of refraction of the liquid crystal material in the wave guide channel.

Optical devices incorporating photo reactive polymers

Growing community of inventors

Lilydale, MN, United States of America

Richard C Allen