text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Aug 26, 2008
|Filing date
|Jun 28, 2006
|Priority date
|Mar 23, 1992
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Roland Winston, Robert L. Holman, Benjamin A. Jacobson, Robert M. Emmons, Philip Gleckman
|Original Assignee
|3M Innovative Properties Company
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (99), Non-Patent Citations (15), Referenced by (9), Classifications (46), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 11/130,066, filed on May 16, 2005; which is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 10/641,304, filed on Aug. 14, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,242; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/995,497, filed on Nov. 27, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,452; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/533,043, filed Mar. 22, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,999; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/999,149, filed Dec. 29, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,196; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/783,212, filed Jan. 13, 1997, now U.S. Pat. 6,002,829; which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/486,784, filed on Jun. 7,1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,830; which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/226,016, filed Apr. 11, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,720; which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/029,883, filed Mar. 11, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,322; and which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/855,838, filed on Mar. 23, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,641.
The present invention is concerned generally with a luminaire device for providing selected light illumination. More particularly, the invention is concerned with luminaires, such as a wedge, for backlighting by light output from a liquid crystal display layer and also by manipulating light polarization, recycling light of selected polarization and filtering selected light polarizations to enhance light illumination and image output.
A variety of applications exist for luminaire devices, such as, for liquid crystal displays. For flat panel liquid crystal displays, it is important to provide adequate backlighting while maintaining a compact lighting source. It is known to use wedge shaped optical devices for general illumination purposes. Light is input to such devices at the larger end; and light is then internally reflected off the wedge surfaces until the critical angle of the reflecting interface is reached, after which light is output from the wedge device. Such devices, however, have only been used to generally deliver an uncollimated lighting output and often have undesirable spatial and angular output distributions. For example, some of these devices use white painted, layers as diffuse reflectors to generate uncollimated output light.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved optical device and method of manufacture.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel three dimensional luminaire.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved multilayer tapered luminaire for optical purposes, such as for controlled utilization of light polarization.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel tapered luminaire device for controlled transmission or concentration of light.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel optical device for providing collimated polarized light illumination from the device.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved tapered luminaire having a polarization filter layer.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire allowing conversion of polarized light to enhance illumination output from the invention.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved illumination system wherein a combination of a polarization filter layer and a light redirecting layer are utilized to provide improved light illumination over a controlled angular range of output to the viewer.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire optical device wherein a combination of a polarization filter, polarization converting layer and a post LCD diffuser layer are used to enhance light illumination from the optical device.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved luminaire optical device wherein an LCD layer is disposed adjacent an overlying post LCD diffuser layer to enable control of light distribution over broader angles to viewers without loss of light output or image qualities.
It is also another object of the invention to provide an improved luminaire optical device having an internal polarization cavity for converting luminaire light to one polarization state for enhanced illumination gain.
It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire optical device having a selected arrangement of a structured back reflector layer with a polarization, beam splitter to enhance illumination efficiency.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved luminaire optical device having a polarization converting layer interacting with a structural back reflector layer to provide enhanced illumination efficiency.
It is also a further object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire optical device having a polarization beam splitter, a quarter wave converting layer and a microstructural back reflector layer to provide enhanced illumination gain.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved luminaire optical device having a selectable arrangements of polarization splitting layers including one of (a) the splitting layer evaporated directly onto a base layer of the luminaire, and (b) evaporation of the splitting layer onto a separate glass plate.
It is also an additional object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire optical device including a quarter plate polarization converting element in one of a set of selectable arrangements of (a) disposed between a back reflector and luminaire base layer with air layers between, (b) coupled directly to a back reflector with an air layer between the luminaire base layer and the directly coupled layers, (c) coupled directly to the luminaire base layer with an air layer between the converting element and a metallic back reflector layer or a BEF type of back reflector, (d) coupled directly to the luminaire base layer on one side and a high efficiency mirror on the other side, and (e) coupled directly to the luminaire base layer on one side thereof and an air layer and back reflector on the other side of the base layer.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved luminaire optical device having a textured base layer for enhancing illumination properties.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire optical device utilizing a film based reflective polarizer in combination with a converter layer and BEF type back reflector.
It is also a further object of the invention to provide an improved luminaire optical device having a base layer separated by various air layers with polarized splitter, redirecting, converter, and back reflector layers disposed above and/or below the base layer.
It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide a novel luminaire optical device including a back reflector below a base layer and a redirecting layer adjacent the top surface of the base layer and a reflective polarizer and redirecting/diffuser layer positioned above the redirecting layer.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings described below.
A multilayer luminaire device constructed in accordance with one form of the invention is illustrated in
The multilayer luminaire device 10 (hereinafter "device 10") shown in
For the case where the surfaces 14 and 16 are flat, a single angle of inclination φ for a linear wedge is defined by the top surface 14 and the bottom surface 16. In the case of nonlinear wedges, a continuum of angles φ are definable; and the nonlinear wedge can be designed to provide the desired control of light output or concentration. Such a nonlinear wedge will be described in more detail later.
In the embodiment of
Coupled to the first layer 28 is a second layer 30 (best seen in
In such a multilayer configuration for the device 10 shown in
In order to generate an output of the light 24 from the device 10, the second layer 30 includes means for scattering light, such as a paint layer 33 shown in
By appropriate choice, light can also be redirected back through the wedge layer 12 and into ambient (see light 29 in
In other forms of the invention a further plurality of layers with associated "n" values can exist In one preferred form of the invention the index of the lowest index layer can replace n2 in equations for numerical aperture and output angle (to be provided hereinafter). Such further layers can, for example, be intervening between the wedge layer 12 and the first layer 28, intervening between the first layer 28 and the second layer 30 or be overlayers of the wedge layer 12 or the second layer 30.
In certain embodiments the preferred geometries result in output of light into ambient without being reflected back through the wedge layer 12. For example, in
In yet another example shown in
As shown in
The faceted surface 34 in
Δθ=2φ[(n 1 2 −n 2 2)/(n 3 2 −n 2 2)]1/2
Thus, since φ can be quite small, the device 10 can be quite an effective collimator. Therefore, for the linear faceted surface 34, the exiting redirected light 29 has a minimum angular width in air of approximately:
Δθair=n 3Δθ=2φ(n 1 2 −n 2 2)/[1−(n 2 /n 3)2]1/2.
As described hereinbefore, and as shown in
Fresnel reflections from the various interfaces can also broaden the output angle beyond the values given above, but this effect can be reduced by applying an anti reflection coating 31 on one or more of the internal interfaces, as shown in
The brightness ratio ("BR") for the illustrated embodiment can be determined by reference to
The flat, or linear, faceted surfaces 34 shown, for example, in
Other useful facet shapes can include, for example, parabolic, elliptical, hyperbolic, circular, exponential, polynomial, polygonal, and combinations thereof The user can thus construct virtually arbitrary distributions of averaged brightness of illumination using different facet designs. For example, polygon shaped facets can be used to produce output angular distributions having multiple peaks.
Examples of brightness distribution over various ranges of angular output using a curved-faceted -reflector are illustrated in
The invention herein can be used to overcome the above described nonuniformities by controlling the orientation of the faceted surface 34. As illustrated, for example, in
In another example of overcoming nonuniformities of illumination, an array of micro-prisms for the faceted surface 34 can be laid over a conventional diffuse backlight 101 (see
This progressive facet angle change will produce an angular distribution which varies by approximately ten degrees across the screen 89, and satisfies the generic constraints outlined above.
Whatever the desired facet shapes, the faceted surface 34 (see,
Nonlinear Wedges.
In another form of the invention the wedge layer 12, which is the primary lightguide, can be other than the linear shape assumed hereinbefore. These shapes allow achievement of a wide variety of selected light distributions. Other shapes can be more generally described in terms of the thickness of the wedge layer 12 as a function of the wedge axis "z" shown in
A(z)=A O −C�z (1)
A large range of desired spatial and angular distributions can be achieved for the light output power (power coupled to the second layer 30). This light output power is thus the light available for output to the ambient by the appropriately faceted surfaces 34 or 36, or even by the diffuse reflector 33 (see
For example, if L and M are direction cosines along the x and y axes, respectively, then LO and MO are the values of L and M at the thick edge (z=0). This initial distribution is Lambertian within some well-defined angular range, with little or no light outside that range. This distribution is especially important because ideal non-imaging optical elements have limited Lambertian output distributions. The key relationship is the adiabatic invariant, A(z)cos(θc) which is approximately equal to A0L0 and which implicitly gives the position (z) of escape. To illustrate this concept, suppose we desire uniform irradiance so that dP/dz=constant Suppose further that the initial phase space uniformly fills an elliptical area described by the following expression:
L O 2/σ2 +M 0 2/τ2=1 (2)
where τ is the dimension of an ellipse along the M axis and σ is the dimension of the ellipse along the L axis.
Then, dP/dL=const�[1−L2/σ2]1/2 but dA/dz=[AO/Lc]dLO/dZ where Lc=cosθc. Therefore, [1−(LcA)2/(AOσ)2]1/2dA=constant times dz. Suppose σ=Lc in the preferred embodiment. This result can be interpreted by the substitution A/A0=sin u, so that A=A0 sin u and u+� sin (2u)=(π/2)(1−z/D) where D is the length of the wedge layer 12.
If the desired power per unit length is dP/dz, more generally, then the desired shape of the wedge layer 12 is determined by the differential equation:
Note that in all these cases the output distribution has only approximately the desired form because it is modified by Fresnel reflections. Note also that even when the wedge device 10 is curved, if the curvature is not too large, it may still be useful to define an average angle φ which qualitatively characterizes the system.
In another aspect of the invention the geometry of the above examples has an x,y interface between two refractive media with indices n1 and n2. The components nM,nN are conserved across the interface so that n1M1=n2M2, n1N1=n2M2. The angle of incidence projected in the x,z plane is given by sin θeff=N/(L2−N2)1/2. Then using the above relations, sin θ2eff/sin θ1 eff=(n1/n2)[1−M1 2]1/2/[1−(n1/n2)2M1 2]1/2=(n1/n2)eff. For example, for n1=1.49, n2=1.35, M1=0.5, the effective index ratio is 1.035 (n1/n2), which is only slightly larger than the actual index ratio.
Variation of Index of Refraction Over Spatial Parameters.
In the general case of tapered light guides, the wedge layer 12 is generally along the z axis with the narrow dimension along the x axis (see, for example,
In a first example the wedge device 10 shown in
In a second example, the index profile is no longer uniform but falls off both in x and in z. If the fall-off in z is much slower than in x, the light ray path is still almost periodic, and the above adiabatic invariance still applies. Then, as the light ray 24 propagates in z, the path in x,nL space is almost periodic. Therefore the maximum value of L(z) increases and at some z may reach the critical value for escape. The z Value for escape depends on the details of the index (n) profile. When this is specified, the analysis proceeds as in example one above. Thus, for a parabolic index profile, the index profile has the form n2(x)=n2 0[1−2Δ(x/ρ)2] for −ρ<xρ,=n1 2=n2 0[1−2Δ] for |x|>ρ. Then, the critical angle at x=0 is still given by sin2 θc2 Δ=1−(n1/n0)2. Then, if we have n0 a slowly decreasing function of z, the slope θ at x=0 will slowly increase by the adiabatic invariance of φnLdx, while θc decreases so that light rays will escape. The details of the light ray distributions will depend on how the index (n) varies with z.
Nonwedge Tapered Geometries
In the-most general case the light can be input into any shape layer (e.g., parallelepiped, cylinder or non-uniform wedge), and the principles described herein apply in the same manner, In addition, the index of refraction can be varied as desired in (x,y,z) to achieve the appropriate end result when coupled to means to output light to ambient.
For example, consider a disc-shaped light guide 46 which is tapered in the radial direction r shown in
φnkzdz˜constant. (adiabatic invariance) (4)
nrk θ=constant. (angular momentum conservation) (5)
The adiabatic invariance condition is identical with that for the wedge device 10, and the previous discussions pertinent to the wedge device 10 also thus apply to the light guide 46. The angular momentum conservation condition requires that as the light streams outward from source 47 with increasing radius, the kθ value decreases. Therefore, the light becomes collimated in the increasing radial direction. This makes the properties fundamentally like the wedge device 10, and the light 48 can be made to emerge as light 52 at a selected angle to face 51, collimated along the z direction.
For purposes of illustration we take the guide material to have a constant index of refraction n. For such geometries the light rays 48 along the two-dimensional cross sectional plane taken along 5B-5B behave just as in the case of the wedge device 10 counterpart described hereinbefore. Similarly, various additional layers 54 and 56 and other means can be used to achieve the desired light handling features. For example, for the disc light guide 46 a preferred facet array 56 is a series of circles, concentric with the disk 46. Thus, if the facets 56 are linear in cross section, the light rays 52 will emerge in a direction collimated within a full angle of 2φ times a function of the indices of refraction as in the device 10 described hereinbefore.
Tapered Luminaires with Two Low-index Layers.
In another form of the invention shown in
Adjacent the first layer 61 is layer means, such as a bottom transparent layer means, like a first intermediate layer 66 of index n2 disposed adjacent to, or underlying, the bottom layer surface 64. In addition, the layer means can embody a top transparent layer means, second intermediate layer 81 of index n2 disposed adjacent to the top layer surface 62. At least one of the layers 66 and 81 can be an air gap, or other gas or a transparent dielectric gap.
An air gap can be established by conventional means, such as by external supports, such as suspending the layers under tension (not shown) or by positioning spacers 68 between the first layer 61 and the adjacent light redirecting layer 70. Likewise, the spacers 68 can be positioned between the first layer 61 and the second light redirecting layer 82. Alternatively, solid materials can be used for the transparent dielectric to constitute layers 66 and 81 and can improve structural integrity, robustness and ease of assembly. Such solid materials can include,-for example, sol-gels (n2=1.05-1.35), fluoropolymers (n2=1.28-1.43), fluoride salts (n2=1.38-1.43), or silicone-based polymers and adhesives (n2=1.40-1.45). Such solid materials for the transparent dielectric need no separate means to support or maintain it, but can result in lower N.A. acceptance since the index is higher than for an air gap.
The layers 66 and 81 allow transmission of light received from the first layer 61. In this embodiment, part of the light will achieve θc first relative to the top layer surface 62, and light will enter the layer 81 for further processing by the light redirecting layer 82. The remaining light will thereby achieve θc first relative to the bottom layer surface 64, thus entering the layer 66 for further processing by the light redirecting layer 70.
In one preferred form of the invention (see
|arcsin(n 2a /n 1)−arcsin(n 2b /n 1)|<6φ (6)
In this case significant, but unequal, fractions of light will enter each of the layers 66 and 81 for further processing by redirecting layers 70 and 82, respectively. The larger fraction will enter the layer having the higher of the two indices n2a and n2b. The redirecting layer 70 processes only the fraction which enters the layer 66. Therefore, the influence of the redirecting layer 70 on the output angular distribution of light can be changed by varying the relationship between the indices n2a and n2b.
In another preferred form of the invention the layers 66 and 81 can be the same transparent material of index n2<n1. In general, lower values of n2 will enhance the efficiency of the device 10 by increasing the numerical aperture at the light input surface 65. Therefore, collection efficiency can be maximized when the layers 66 and 81 are gaps filled with air or other gases (with n2=1-1.01).
The thickness of the layers 66 and 81 can be selectively varied to control the output power spatial distribution of the device 10 or to enhance its visual. uniformity. For example, increasing the thickness of the layer 81 by 0.002″-0.030″ sharply reduces non-uniformities which tend to appear at the thicker end of the device 10. The thickness of layers 66 and 81 can also be smoothly varied with position to influence a desired spatial distribution of the light being output (see
In one preferred form of the invention shown in
Use of a planar specular reflector leads to the narrowest angular distribution within the layer 81. Therefore, the reflector can simplify design of the light redirecting layer 82 when the desired output angular distribution is unimodal. Diffuse or faceted reflectors can also be used for the layer 71 in order to achieve a large range of angular distributions (see
In general each facet of the layer 71 can be shaped to control the angular distribution of the light reflected back through the layer 66 and the first layer 61 for further processing by the redirecting layer 82. The angular distribution within the device 10 will in turn influence the angular distribution of the light output into ambient from the redirecting layer 82. For example, curved facets can be used to smoothly broaden the angular distribution, as well as providing a diffusing effect to improve uniformity. The reflective layer 71 can also influence the output power spatial distribution as well as the angular distribution. The reflectivity, specularity, or geometry of the reflective layer 71 can be varied with position to achieve a desired output distribution. For example, as described hereinbefore, small variations in the slope (see
The light redirecting layer 82 has an index n3>n2, and is substantially transparent or translucent The light in the low-index layer 81 enters the layer 82 and is redirected into ambient The transmissive redirecting layer 82 also redirects the light which has been processed by reflection from the redirecting layer 71 then transmitted back through the low-index layer 66 and the first layer 61. The transparency or geometry of the layer 82 can be varied with position to further influence the output spatial distribution of the device 10. In one preferred form of the invention the redirecting layer 82 includes a faceted surface at the interface with the low-index layer 81, as shown in
In another preferred embodiment, the facet angle surfaces of the redirecting layer 82 can be varied progressively to compensate for the variation in viewing angle with position, when viewed from typical viewing distances. The details of such a compensation effect were described earlier in reference to the design of the reflecting facet layer in the embodiment shown in
In another form of invention the layers 66 and 81 can have similar but slightly different indices n2 and n2′, respectively. The operating principles of the device 10 will be substantially similar as long as the critical angles associated with interfaces between the first layer 61 and the two layers 66 and 81 do not differ by more than the first layer convergence angle:
|arcsin(n 2 ′ /n 1)−arcsin(n 2 /n 1)|<φ (7)
Therefore, in this case approximately equal fractions of the light will enter layers 66 and 81, for flirter processing by the redirecting layers 70 and 82, respectively.
All forms of the invention can further include an output diffuser layer 40, shown in phantom in
In one preferred embodiment shown in
In another preferred embodiment shown in
In all embodiments using multiple micro-structured layers, the facet or lenslet spacings of these layers described hereinbefore can be chosen to have non-rational ratios, in order to avoid undesirable Moir� interaction between layers or with a liquid crystal display.
Similar lenticular diffusers can be used with non-wedge geometries having wedge shaped cross-actions, with similar advantages if the diffuser cross-sections are approximately as shown in
Light Sources and Couplers
In a more preferred form of the invention shown in
Linear prisms parallel to the y-axis can improve uniformity by adjusting the input angular distribution to match more closely the input numerical aperture. Linear prisms parallel to the x-axis can limit the output transverse angular distribution, and also improve output brightness when used with a fluorescent lamp light source. In other forms of the invention, diffusion of input light is desirable wherein a diffuser 79 is used to diffuse the light distribution to spread out the light to improve light uniformity. The diffuser 79 is preferably a lenticular array, with cylindrical lenslets parallel to the y-axis. The diffuser 79 can also be a standard surface or volume diffuser, and can be a discrete film or coupled integrally to the wedge layer 61. Multiple prismatic or diffuser films can be used in combination. Such a film form of the diffuser 79 and the faceted film 74 can be interchanged in position to vary their effects.
In another preferred form of the invention, a portion of a dielectric total internally reflecting CPC portion 100 (compound parabolic concentrator) can be interposed between the light source 76 and the first layer 61 (see
Reflector elements 92 and 94 shown in
In one form of the present invention shown in
While an involute provides maximum efficiency, other shapes can generally be more easily manufactured. Polymer films can be readily bent into smooth curves which include almost semicircular arcs, as described above. It can be shown that when the cross-section of the light source 76 and semicircular section of the reflector element 92 are concentric as shown in
In another preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the reflector element 94 in
1. The cross-section of the reflector element 94 has a maximum extent in the x-dimension equal to the maximum thickness of the wedge layer 12 (or light pipe);
2. The cross-section of the reflector element 94 has no optically sharp corners;
3. The radius of curvature of the reflector element 94 is as large as possible; and
4. The light source 76 is as far as possible from the wedge layer 12, but is far enough from the reflector element 94 to avoid contact with worst-case manufacturing variations.
The involute and the U-shaped reflector elements 92 and 94 previously described are designed to output light to the aperture of the wedge layer 12 with angles approaching �90 degrees relative to the aperture surface normal. In another preferred embodiment, the reflector element 94 is shaped to output light with an angular distribution which is closer to the N.A. of the device 10. As shown in
In another embodiment of the invention shown in
Manufacture of Luminaire Devices
In one form of the invention, manufacture of the device 10 can be accomplished by careful use of selected adhesives and lamination procedures. For example, the wedge layer 12 having index n1 can be adhesively bonded to the first layer 28 having index n2. An adhesive layer 60 (see
In applying the layer 12 to the layer 28 and other such layers, the process of manufacture preferably accommodates the formation of internal layer interfaces which are substantially smooth interfacial surfaces. If not properly prepared such internal layers can detrimentally affect performance because each interface between layers of different indices can act as a reflecting surface with its own characteristic critical angle. If the interfacial surfaces are substantially smooth, then the detrimental effect of uneven surfaces is negligible. Therefore in effectuating the lamination of the various layers of the device 10, the methodology should utilize adhesives and/or joining techniques which provide the above described smooth interfacial layers. Examples of lamination processes include, without limitation, joining without additional adhesive layers, coatings applied to one layer and then joined to a second layer with an adhesive and applying a film layer with two adhesive layers (one on each layer surface to be joined to the other).
In a preferred embodiment lamination of layers is done without any additional internal layer whose potential interfacial roughness will distort the light distribution. An example of such a geometry for the device 10 can be a liquid layer between the wedge layer 12 and the second layer 30. This method works best if the first layer 29 (such as the liquid layer) acts as an adhesive. One can choose to cure the adhesive either before, partially or completely, or after joining together the various layers of the device 10. The optical interface is thus defined by the bottom surface of the wedge layer 12 and the top surface of the second layer 30.
In another embodiment wherein a coating is used with an adhesive layer, the first layer 28 can be the coating applied to the second layer 30. Then, the coated film can be laminated to the wedge layer 12 in a second step by applying an adhesive between the coated film and the wedge layer 12. It is preferable to apply the low index coating to the second layer 30 rather than directly to the wedge layer 12 since the second layer 30 is typically supplied in the form of continuous film rolls. In practice it is more cost effective to coat such continuous rolls than to coat discrete pieces. With this methodology it is more convenient to control thickness of the applied low index layer.
In another embodiment, the second layer 30 is manufactured in such a way that it adheres to the first layer 28 directly without use of additional adhesives. For example, the second layer 30 can be manufactured by applying a layer of polymer material to the first layer 28, and then casting this material to have the desired second layer geometry. In another example, the first layer 28 can serve as a carrier film during the embossing of the second layer 30. By use of appropriate temperatures during the embossing process, the second layer 30 can be heat-fused to the first layer 28. Such heat-fusing can be accomplished using a conventional FEP first-layer film by embossing at almost five hundred degrees F or higher.
In a further embodiment using a film and two adhesives, the first layer 28 can be an extruded or cast film which is then laminated to the wedge layer 12, or between the wedge layer 12 and the second layer 30 using adhesive between the two types of interfaces. In order to minimize the detrimental light scattering described hereinbefore, the adhesive layer should be flat and smooth. The film can be obtained as a low index material in commercially available, inexpensive forms. Such additional adhesive layers can increase the strength by virtue of the multi-layer construction having adhesive between each of the layers.
In the use of adhesive generally, the performance of the device 10 is optimized when the index of the adhesive between the wedge layer and the first layer is as close as possible to the index of the first layer 28. When the critical angle at the wedge/adhesive interface is as low as possible, then the light undergoes a minimal number of reflections off the lower quality film interface before exiting the device 10. In addition, the index change at the surface of the first layer film is minimized which decreases the effects of film surface roughness.
Manufacture of faceted surfaces can be accomplished by micro-machining a mold using a master tool. Machining can be carried out by ruling with an appropriately shaped diamond tool. The master tool can be replicated by known techniques, such as electroforming or casting. Each replication step inverts the shape of the desired surface. The resulting mold or replicates thereof can then be used to emboss the desired shape in the second layer 30. A directly ruled surface can also be used, but the above described embossing method is preferred. Known "milling" processes can include chemical etching techniques, ion beam etching and laser beam milling.
In yet another method of mechanical manufacture, the faceted surface 34 (see
The tooling for the faceted surface 34 can be manufactured by single-point diamond machining, wherein the distance between cutting tool and the work is varied to trace out the desired profile. The diamond cutting tool must be very sharp, but in principle nearly arbitrary profiles can be created. A given design can also require specific adaptations to accommodate the non-zero radius of the cutting tool. If curved facet surfaces are required, then circular arcs are preferred to facilitate fabrication. The cutting tool is moved through the cutting substrate and cuts a groove having the approximate shape of the tool. It is desirable to machine the entire piece using a single diamond tool. When this method is used for making a "focusing" type of the faceted surface 34, the variable groove profile therefore should be designed such that the various groove profiles can be machined by the same tool. The required shape variations can still be accomplished by varying the angle of the tool, as well as the groove spacing and depth.
Design of the faceted surface 34 preferably satisfies a few general constraints:
1. Approximately linear variation in the center of the illumination angular distribution as a function of position. A variation of 11 degrees (�5.5�) from top to bottom of typical computer screens is effective;
2. The width of the variable angular distribution of light output should be approximately proportional to the local illuminance in order to achieve approximately uniform brightness to an observer. Examples given below show the spatial distribution is approximately uniform, so the angular cones have approximately uniform width; and
3. Spacing between grooves of the facets 38 should be large enough or irregular enough to avoid diffraction effects, but also be chosen to avoid Moir� patterns when used with an LCD panel. In practice these requirements limit the allowed spatial variations.
In the manufacture of the device 10, for example, the viewing angle depends on the tilt and curvature of each of the facets 38. Focusing is accomplished by rotating the facet structure as a function of position. Using the example of a 150 mm screen viewed from 500 mm away, the illumination cone can be varied by 17 degrees (i.e., �8.5 degrees) from top to bottom. For typical materials, acrylic and FEP, this requires the facet structure to rotate by approximately 5.7 degrees from top to bottom of the screen 89 (see
Design constraints can result when limitations (1)-(3) are combined with the need to machine variable curved grooves with a single tool. For example, maintaining a constant angular width (Constraint #1) at a constant cutting depth requires a compensating variation in groove spacing or groove depth. Specifically, a linear change in groove spacing can reduce the brightness variation to a negligible level when the form tool which cuts the groove is shaped so that portions of each curved reflector facets (see
Further methods of manufacture can include vapor deposition, sputtering or ion beam deposition of the first layer 28 since this layer can be quite thin as described hereinbefore. Likewise, the second layer 30 can be controllably applied to form the faceted layer 30 shown in
Wedge Light Pipe as a Simple Collimator Device
In the most general embodiment the wedge layer 12 can function in the context of the combination as a simple collimating optical element. The substantially transparent wedge layer 12 has an optical index of refraction n1 and the top surface 14 and the bottom surface 16 converge to establish at least one angle of inclination φ (see
Substantially uncollimated light is introduced through the back surface 20 by the source 22. The light propagates within the wedge layer 12, with each ray decreasing its incident angle with respect to the top and bottom surfaces 14 and 16 until the incident angle is less than the critical angle θc. Once the angle is less than θc, the ray emerges into ambient. Rays which emerge through the bottom surface 16 are reflected back into the wedge layer 12 and then output into ambient By virtue of the angle-filtering effect previously described, the output light is collimated within a cone of angular width approximately:
Δθ≅2φ1/2(n 2−1)1/4 (8)
An area 99 to be illuminated lies beyond the end of the wedge layer 12 and substantially within the above-defined cone of width Δθ.
In another preferred embodiment a light-redirecting means can be positioned beyond the end of the wedge layer 12 and substantially within the above-defined cone of width Δθ. The light-redirecting means can be a lens, planar specular reflector, or curved reflector. The light-redirecting means reflects or refracts the light to the area to be illuminated. Further details and uses of such redirecting means, such as lenticular diffusers, will be described hereinafter.
In the embodiments of
In other architectures, one transmissive and one reflective redirecting layer can be combined. These are combinations of reflective redirecting layers with the various types of transmissive redirecting layers discussed above. Reflective redirecting layers can be specular, partially diffuse, diffuse, faceted or any combination thereof. These architectures are preferred when light emission is desired from one side only, or in some cases when minimum cost is paramount. Examples of such architectures are in
The more converging N.A.-matching section (such as half tapered section 240) is advantageous in combination with the faceted redirecting layers, because the redirecting and low-index layers do not need to overly the more converging section; therefore, the light-accepting aperture of the device 10 is increased without increasing the total thickness. The advantage is also conferred by the filly-tapered section 222 shown in
As understood in the art the various elements shown in the figures can be utilized with combinations of elements in tapered luminaire devices. Examples of two such combination geometries are shown in
Use of Imaging or Colored Layers
All embodiments of the invention can incorporate one or more layers which have variable transmission to form an image, or which impart color to at least a portion of the angular output. The image-forming layer can include a static image, such as a conventional transparent display, or a selectively controlled image, such as a liquid crystal display. The image-forming or color-imparting layer can overlay one of the redirecting layers, or alternatively it can comprise an intermediate layer between one of the low-index layers and the associated redirecting layer, or an internal component of a redirecting layer. For example, overlying image-forming layers 129 are shown in phantom in
In one preferred embodiment, the image-forming layer (such as 129 and 170) is a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer. By proper arrangement of the layers, the image or color may be projected from the device within selected portions of the output angular distribution. The image or selected color can be substantially absent in the remaining portions of the output angular distribution.
Bi-Modal Reflective Wedge for LCD Panel Illumination
In some applications it is desired to illuminate a single LCD panel selectively with either ambient light or by active back-lighting. In these applications ambient illumination is selected in well-lit environments in order to minimize power consumption by the display. When available environmental illumination is too low to provide adequate display quality, then active backlighting is selected. This selective bi-modal operating mode requires a back-illumination unit which can efficiently backlight the LCD in active mode, and efficiently reflect ambient light in the alternative ambient mode.
The most widespread prior art bi-modal liquid crystal display is the "transflective display" 101, such as is shown in
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in
The lenticular redirecting layer 106 and the wedge-layer 12 are substantially transparent to the incident and reflective light, so that in ambient mode the device 10 operates in a manner similar to conventional ambient-mode-only displays. When an active mode is selected, the light source 22 is activated, and the multiple layers act to spread the light substantially uniformly over the device 10 by virtue of the relationship between the indices of refraction and convergence angles of the layers, as described before. The resulting uniform illumination is emitted through the top surface 14 of the wedge layer 12. In a preferred embodiment, the reflector layer 105 is nearly specular in order to maximize ambient-mode performance. In this preferred embodiment the light emitted from the top surface is emitted largely at grazing angles, unsuitable for transmission by the LCD display panel 107. The redirecting layer 106 redirects a fraction of this light by a combination of refraction and total internal reflection, as described hereinbefore. The redirecting layer 106 is preferably designed such that at least 10-20% of the light is redirected into angles less than 30 degrees from the LCD normal, because typically the LCD transmission is highest in this angular range. It is sufficient to direct only a fraction of the back-illumination into suitable angles, because the prior art transflective display is quite inefficient in the active mode of operation.
Processing Polarized Light
In another aspect of the invention, the light being processed by the optical device 10 has an inherent polarization (such as, linear, circular and elliptical) that can be used to advantage in improving the illumination from a liquid crystal display ("LCD)") system or other output which depends on using polarized light. In a system which employs an LCD, it is necessary to remove one type of polarized light 308 and pass to the LCD layer only the other type of polarized light. For example in
In the most general explanation of a polarization filter, referring to
By definition, any layer which exhibits the above characteristics over a suitable angular and spectral range is a form of the polarization filter layer 307. Generally, the polarization states considered can be of arbitrary type such as linear, circular, or elliptical. In later sections we will quantify the performance of the polarization filter layer 307 by a degree of polarization (PT) defined as:
For lossless layers, the transmittance is related to the reflectance, R, by
R 51 =O 5 /P 1 and R 62 =P 6 /P 2
There are a variety of implementations of a layer medium which has the properties described above for the polarization filter layer 307. These include, but are not restricted to, implementations containing one or more of the following types of layers: (1) thin-film layers produced by coating, extrusion, or some other process which are either non-birefringent or birefringent and are designed to operate as optical interference coatings; (2) "thick" film layers which are more than a single quarter wavelength optically thick somewhere in the spectral band of interest and may be produced by stacking, coating, extrusion, lamination, or some other process and are designed to operate as a Brewster Stack even when the angles and indexes do not exactly match the Brewster angle conditions; (3) a combination of the thin-film and thick film approaches; (4) correlated, partially correlated, or uncorrelated surface roughness or profile which results in polarization dependent scattering and produced by any method including etching, embossing, micro-machining, or other method; (5) and layers based on dichroic material. In general, an aggregate layer formed by one or more the above layer types is a suitable form of the polarization filter layer 307 layer if it satisfies the general functional specifications described above for polarization filter layers.
The implementations of the polarization filter layer 307 can consist of either thin-film or thick-film birefringent or non-birefringent layers. Particular examples and discussion of birefringent layers will be provided in a labeled subsection presented hereinafter.
One example embodiment of a thick film form of the polarization filter layer 307 is based on a specific design center wavelength (6O) and a specific design operating angle (3inc) as shown in
ninc sinθinc=nL sinθL
ninc sinθinc=nH sinθH
For p-polarized form of the light 317 incident on an interface between two optically isotropic regions, there is an angle called the Brewster's Angle at which the reflectivity of the interface is zero. This angle measured to the surface normal (θH/L, θL/H) is:
The reflectivity of the interfaces to s-polarized light at Brewster's Angle can be significant. The layers 313 which preferentially transmits the p-polarization state is designed by spacing these interfaces by quarter-wave optical thicknesses. Such quarter wavelength thicknesses (tL, tH) are given by:
One can show that the H and L indexes of refraction are related by the design equation:
As an example, consider the specific case of:
nH=1.5,ninc=1.0,θinc=80�,λO=500 nm
This implies that the design index of refraction of the low index layer and the physical thicknesses of the low and high index layers 314 and 315 should be respectively nL=1.31, tL=145 nm, tH=110 nm. These can be achieved by using sputtered glass and vacuum deposited lithium chloride for nH=1.5 and nL=1.31, respectively. Assuming that the design is a matched design as in
Performance data for the polarization filter layer 307
Layer Count
There are a variety of similar alternative designs. More than a single refractive index may be used as part of the thin-film structure of the layers 313. The surrounding layers need not be air and the exact number of low and high index layers is variable. The carrier or substrate could have other refractive index values. The layers 313 can be varied from their quarter-wave thickness at the design angle and the wavelength so as to improve spectral and angular bandwidths. In fact, the operability of the layers 313 can be quite broad band and the Brewster angle design does not have to be followed with great precision in index and angle. For example, you can trade off s-reflectivity with p-transmission by changing refractive indexes. The whole system can be flipped without changing its function.
A variety of preferred embodiments include at least two layers of different indices. Such arrangements have the nH and nL such that nH/nL>1.15 in order to minimize the number of layers required for high polarization selectivity. Further, optical interference is most preferably used to enhance performance by using at least one layer with index n and thickness t such that 50 nm/(n2−1)1/2<t<350 nm/(n2−1)1/2. This relationship derives from the equations provided hereinbefore regarding tL and tH, by noting that the wavelength is in the visible light range 400 nm to 700 nm, that the incident light is near the critical angle so that n sin θ≈1 and optical interference effects are promoted by layers with an optical thickness between ⅛ and � of the light wavelength. Materials and methods for fabricating such layers are well-known in the art of multi-layer dielectric coatings.
The Brewster Stack approach is similar to the thin-film approach described above except that the layers are many wavelengths thick and tend to function largely on the basis of the incoherent addition of the waves rather than the coherent effect that occurs in optical interference coatings. The design of this form of the polarization filter layer 307 is the same as the design of the thin-film polarized described above except that layer thicknesses are not important as long as they are at least several wavelengths thick optically. The lack of optical thickness effects suggests that the performance of the Brewster Stack implementation should generally be less sensitive to spectral wavelength and angular variations. The transmission ratio defined in terms of the transmission of the s and p polarized light (Ts,Tp) of the set of N layer pairs in the geometry of
The results of applying this formula to a geometry with varying numbers of layer pairs is shown in Table 2 below:
TABLE 2 Performance data for a Brewster Stack Form of the Filter Layer 307 Layer Pairs Ts/Tp PT 1 0.9755 — 20 0.61 — 50 0.29 0.55 100 0.08 0.85
Generally speaking, this type of the polarization filter layer 307 requires much larger index differences and many more layers for the same reflectivities. There is no sharp dividing line between the thin-film design and the Brewster stack approach. As thickness increases, coherence effects slowly decrease and beyond some point which is dependent on the spectral bandwidth of the light signal, the coherence effects become small compared to incoherent effects. These examples described herein are simply the extreme of cases of the coherent and incoherent situations.
The system 204 also includes a layer means for preferential processing of polarized light of one state relative to another state, such as a polarization filter layer 216 (see previous generic description of the polarization filter layer 307). In addition to the samples described for the filter layer 307, a further example of the polarization filter layer 216 is a birefringent material which will be described hereinafter in the context of particular embodiments in a separate subsection. In
n4≧n2 and
arcsin(n 2 /n 1)−2Φarcsin(n 3 /n 1)<arcsin (n 2 /n 1)+2Φ (9)
In this preferred embodiment n2 and n3 can be air layers with "n" being approximately one.
This same index relationship can apply to
In another embodiment shown in
n 4 ≧n 2 and arcsin (n 3 /n 1)<arcsin (n 2 /n 1)−4Φ (10)
The polarization filter layer 216 most preferably outputs the light 218 and reflects the light 220 when the angle of incidence is greater than:
θp=arcsin [1−4Φ((n 1 /n 2)2−1)1/2] (11)
When light is incident at angles less than 3 p, the filter layer. 216 can therefore be substantially transparent to light of both polarization states (i.e., the light 218 and the light 220).
In another embodiment of the invention shown in, for example,
(1) nc(
The light redirecting layer 224 can redirect light according to condition (1) in Equation (12) if (a) the light interacts with optical surfaces which are rough, (b) if the light interacts with optical surfaces which have a different slope from the incident surface, or (c) if the redirecting layer 224 diffracts the light into appropriate angles. For example, light redirecting means according to condition (1) may be any combination of transmissive or reflective, diffusive or non-diffusive, and prismatic or textured layer. In addition, the light redirecting means can be a diffraction grating, a hologram, or a binary optics layer.
A light redirecting means which redirects light in accordance with condition (2) of Equation (13) is a specular reflector. Examples of such a specular reflector can be a metallic coating (e.g., the light reflector layer 222 in
As can be seen, for example, in
In another embodiment of the polarized light luminaire system 204, light converting means is included and is illustrated as a polarization converting layer 226 in
The polarization converting layer 226 has the function of changing the polarization state to another state, such as rotating polarization by 90� (π/2). Moreover, such conversion is most preferably done for oblique incidence. As one example we describe the nature of such conversion for a uniaxial birefringent material where the index of refraction perpendicular to the optic axis is independent of direction. Many preferred materials, such as stretched fluoropolymer films are of this type. More general-birefringent materials where the index of refraction is different in all directions can also be used following the general methods described herein. To understand the polarization conversion process, we first review the case for normal incidence.
As shown in
In summary, we choose the thickness h in accordance with the above relation and orient the optic axis at 45� to the incident polarization. In a preferred form of the invention such as in
In an embodiment wherein the light has oblique incidence with the converting layer 226 (see
The geometry of oblique incidence on a uniaxial form of the birefringent plate 229 is somewhat complicated, and thus to simplify matters, we introduce the Eulerian angles as shown in
TABLE 3 I J K i −sin φ sin ψ + cos φ sin ψ + sin θ cos ψ cos θ cos φ cos ψ cos θ sin φ cos ψ j −sin φ cos ψ − cos φ cos ψ − sin θ sin ψ cos φ cos θ sin ψ cos θ sin φ sin ψ k sin θ cos φ sin θ sin φ cos θ
Let the normal to the air/plate interface=K, the direction of the incident wave normal=k, and the optic axis of the plate 229=I. We wish to rotate the incident polarization D0 by 90�. Since the incident polarization D0 is in the interface plane, it is consistent to let D0 be along i0 so that ψ0=π/2. The polarization D′ of the ordinary ray is perpendicular to both I and k. Therefore, let D′ be along i′. Now i′x=0. From Table 3 we conclude that tan φ′=cot φ cos θ. The polarization of the extraordinary ray D″ is perpendicular to both D′ and k. Therefore, ψ″=ψ′�π/2. We choose ψ″=ψ′−π/2, and then tan ψ″=tan φ/cosθ. To achieve the desired output, we can appropriately orient the birefringent plate 229. Just as in the normal incidence case, we let ψ0 to be at 45� to the D′ and D″ directions. Therefore, we chose ψ′=π/2, and then tan φ=cos θ. For a typical case, where θ is close to θc≈40�, φ≈37�. In practice, for a range of incidence angles and wavelengths one would readily adjust φ experimentally to get the most complete polarization conversion, using the above formulae as a starting point and guide. We next determine the thickness, h, of the birefringent plate 229. As in the case of normal incidence, the condition is: h=|(2m+1)/(n″−n′)|λ/2. However, the extraordinary index of refraction n″ now depends on the angle of incidence θ and must be read off the index ellipsoid: (1/n″)2=(1/n0 2sin2θ+(1/ne)2cos2θ where n0 is the ordinary index of refraction and ne is the extraordinary index of refraction. Also note that n′=nO. Typically, the index of refraction differences are small, <0.1 and approximately, (n″−n′)≈(ne−nc)cos2θ. In addition, the light path length for oblique incidence is greater than that for normal incidence. The length h for oblique incidence is greater than the thickness of the plate 229 by a factor of 1/cos θ. Therefore, since the effective index difference is reduced by cos2θ, but the path length is increased by 1/cos θ, it follows that the thickness required for oblique incidence is larger than for normal incidence by ≈1/cos θ. In practice, for a range of incidence angles and wavelengths one would adjust h experimentally to obtain the most complete polarization conversion. In practice, for a range of incidence angels and -wavelengths, one can adjust φ experimentally to obtain the most complete polarization conversion, using the above formulae as a starting point and guide.
In another example embodiment, the conversion of light of one polarization into another polarization state can be considered as involving three steps: (1) separation of different polarization states into substantially distinct beams at every point on the system 204, (2) polarization conversion without affecting the desired polarization and (3) light diffusion into an appropriate angular distribution without depolarization of the light output As described herein, a variety of methods can be used to separate the different polarization states in the system 204. For example, the low index layer 214 can be birefringent, as shown, for example, in
For φ=1-1.5 degrees, the birefringence must be at least 0.03-0.05 to satisfy Equations (15)-(17). Measurements of the birefringence of various commercial fluoropolymer films yielded the following data (average index, birefringence):
Tefzel 250 zh: (1.3961,0.054)
Tefzel 150 zm: (1.3979,0.046)
Teflon PFA 200 pm: (1.347,.030)
The wedge layer 206 laminated with the 250 zh material produced just-separated polarized beams where even the Fresnel reflected parts did not overlap.
In another embodiment, one can achieve even greater angular separation of polarization by using a faceted redirecting layer comprised of a highly birefringent material.
A third approach for separation of polarization states uses a sheet of polymeric beam splitters consisting of an alternating structure of birefringent/transparent layers 427 shown in
One example of this arrangement can be Mylar/Lexan layers. Mylar indexes are: (1.62752, 1.6398, 1.486). The Lexan index is: 1.586. The complement of the critical angle is twenty degrees; therefore, the beam splitter layer 427 will function as long as the complement of the incidence angle is less than twenty degrees (in the Lexan). However, at glancing angles, Fresnel reflection causes reduction in the degree of polarization. For example, for thirteen degrees the Fresnel reflected perpendicular component is 9%.
Another example of this arrangement of the layer 427 is uniaxial Nylon/Lexan. Nylon indexes are: (1.568, 1.529, 1.498). Here there are two critical angles, the complements of which are nine and nineteen degrees for perpendicular and parallel, respectively. So, the obliquity must be inside this angular range for polarization to be operative. Taking the same case for Fresnel reflection as for Mylar (thirtee degree angle), the Fresnel reflected perpendicular component is only 5%, because the index matching is better.
For either of these examples, each beam splitter layer 427 needs to have the appropriate aspect ratio such that all rays of the beam 431 have exactly one interaction with the film/Lexan interface.
In one embodiment, once the light of different polarization states is separated into two orthogonally polarized beams at every position along the backlight 428, there must be a means of converting the undesired polarization to the desired one, such as the polarization converting layer, 346 in
One method of performing the polarization conversion is by an alternating waveplate combined with a lens or lens array. In the single lens method, a light beam 218 and 220 will fall upon lenses focused to two nonoverlapping strips of light of orthogonal polarization at the focal plane. The alternating wave plate acts to rotate the polarization of only one of the beams (220) by ninety degrees, the emergent light will be completely converted to light 218. This can be effected by the presence of a half-wave retarder placed to capture only the light 220 of one polarization. This has been demonstrated visually with a large lens, a plastic retardation plate, and Polaroid filters (Polaroid is a registered trademark of Polaroid Corporation).
In a second approach using a lenticular array, one uses a thin sheet of lenses and an alternating waveplate structure (with the frequency equal to the lens frequency), where the retardation changes by 180 degrees for each lens. For a lenticular array 1 mm thick, each image can be of the order of 5 thousandth of an inch in size so the registration of the lenticular array with the waveplate would have to be exact enough to prevent stack-up errors of less than one thousandth of an inch.
Another method of performing the polarization conversion is by use of a double Fresnel rhombus ("DFR") which is another embodiment of a converting layer, such as the layer 346 in
In a preferred embodiment shown in
In another form of the invention illustrated in
In the embodiments of
and the back surface 211 is about perpendicular to at least one of the first surface 208 and the second surface 210. The angle transformer layer 238 can be a tapered light-pipe section, a compound parabolic concentrator (a "CPC"), a micro-prismatic film (
In another preferred embodiment of
The embodiments of
The reflector layer 222 can be applied to the converting layer 226 by conventional vacuum evaporation techniques or other suitable methods. The other layers, such as the redirecting layer 246 can be formed by casting a transparent polymeric material directly onto the matching layer 232 (see
In the preferred embodiment of
In the preferred embodiment of
The embodiments of
In the embodiment of
In the preferred embodiment of
In the preferred embodiment of
In another preferred form of the invention shown in
Regarding polarization splitting, two basic types of polarization splitting layers (the interference layer 411) were used. One type of the layer 411 was based on vacuum deposition of thin inorganic films (for example, an interference layer (or "polarization filter") described hereinbefore as alternating layers of high index nH and low index nL material, to create a polarization selective beam splitter which could be used in non-normal incidence, specifically in the neighborhood of seventy-four degrees. Beam splitters of this type were created by vacuum depositing the layers on 1 mm thick glass plate using standard thin film physical vapor deposition techniques.
The second type of the layer 411 used consisted of a multi-layer polymer film. For example, the polymer film can be a well known DBEF (a trademark of 3M Co.) layer manufactured by 3M Co. Details concerning this commercially available product can be found in PCT publication WO95/17303 and WO96/19347. This film has the advantage that it could be used for normal incidence of the light as well as at wide incidence angles, has a film defined polarization axis, and can potentially be produced by high volume continuous manufacturing processes. These attributes allowed us to experiment with additional angles other than normal incidence type systems or a narrowly defined oblique angle, and various orientations of the pass axis of the film.
There are a number of other well known approaches that can produce polarization splitting effects used in these embodiments, including but not limited to scattering (such as dipole scattering), double refraction, reflection from collesteric liquid crystals, and thick film Brewster splitters.
As stated above, some of the light 405 has polarization state "b" and is reflected from the interference layer 411 (the polarization splitter) as light 418, passing through the air layer 411, the base layer 400, air layer 420, a converting layer 422 (for example, a quarter wave plate layer), air layer 424 and is reflected by a reflector that could be a silver film, such as Silverlux (a trademark of 3M Co.) or a dielectric reflector such as a BEF (a trademark of 3M Co.) type back reflector layer 426. This BEF layer 426 can also be disposed against white paper 425 (shown in phantom) to diffusely reflect the small amount of light that has passed through the layer 426. The reflector layer 426 may contribute to the polarization process or behave as a simple reflector. The reflected light 418 returns through the above-recited layers; but instead of being reflected by the interference layer 411, the light 418 has been converted by the converting layer 422 to light 423 of polarization state "a" which is transmitted, and the output angle is controlled by the redirecting layer 416.
As noted above, the preferred polarization converting layer 422 included commercially available quarter-wave stretched, birefringement polymer films and were designed for 550 nm light wavelength at normal incidence. This form of converting medium was not necessarily the design optium, but the materials were readily available; thus, many of the prototypes built used these available films at non-normal incidence and the retardation was not strictly of the quarter-wave type. For example, many of the surfaces of the device 10 show various compensation effects off angle. The optimal compensation film to be paired with these components is not necessarily a quarter-wave type film oriented at 45� to the system symmetry axis as, evaluated herein. However, the embodiments illustrate the operability of the basic designs of the devices 10.
These films of the converting layer 422 were used in a number of configurations. Since the film was supplied with adhesive, it was laminated either to triacetate cellulose ("TAC")film which had low birefringence when it was necessary to use it as a free "unlaminated" film. To reduce reflections, improve performance, and stability, many architectures can be constructed where the film was directly laminated to other components of the device 10.
Other light 423 of both polarization states "a" and "b" is reflected by top surface 432 of the base layer 400, then passes through the base layer 400, the air layer 420, the converting layer 422, the air layer 424, and reflected by the BEF back reflector layer 426 back through the layers until striking the interference layer 411. This light 423 therefore acts in a manner similar to the light 405 upon Output from the base layer 400 producing an output light 434 of polarization state "a" and reflecting light 436 of polarization state "b". This light 436 also acts in the manner as the light 418 of polarization state "b", resulting in output of light 438 of polarization state "a" (like the light 428). It should be noted that throughout the specification only certain important example light ray paths are shown to illustrate operation of the many embodiments of the device 10. To quantify the performance of the devices 10 studied, a series of gain parameters were developed which reflect increase of efficiency due to brightness and solid angle changes. Therefore, the performance of the embodiment of
The above-described device 10 therefore includes an assembly of layers which act as a "cavity" containing an internal polarization conversion and recycling mechanism. The term "cavity" can include, for example, a light waveguide wherein the light is moving between layers. Due to the "cavity" or waveguide nature of the device 10, the light ray paths can be numerous in type and combination. The requirement is that there be sufficient polarization conversion in the cavity so that light is converted from the state "b", which preferentially reflects from the interference layer 411, to the state "a" which is transmitted efficiently to avoid substantial internal losses. Consequently, multiple Fresnel reflections and non-ideal conversion mechanisms from "b" to "a" states within the cavity are permissible.
Comparison of Various Architectures to Basic Tapered
Luminare with a Metallic Based Back Reflector
g Total (Usable
g Luminance
g Range
Gain-product of
brightness gain
Display Side
(B. Layer)
and range gain)
Lam to BRefl
Evap on Pipe
Lam to BRefl
Lam to Pipe
Lam to Pipe
Lam to Pipe
Lam to Pipe
At Pipe Input
At Pipe Input
At Pipe Input
To investigate the polarization conversion mechanisms in the device 10, a variety of components were evaluated regarding converting light in TE(s) and TM(p) states, and 45� incident linear polarization of the light into the orthogonal linear polarization state. To make this measurement a 623.8 nm laser and a polarizer analyzer pair were used. Each sample was illuminated at seventy-four degrees incidence which is near the center of the ray distribution leaving the base layer 400. For the prismatic form of the redirecting film 414, transmitted light was measured, and for all other parts reflected light was measured. The results in Table 5 illustrate these conversion effects.
BEF Only
BEF and Separate Converter
BEF with Laminated Converter
Metallic Reflector Only
Metallic Reflector with Separate Converter
Metallic Reflector with Laminated Converter
Light Pipe, Specular
Prismatic Redirecting Film
Generally, conversion of light in a light pipe type of geometry can originate from a number of mechanisms and that the effect of the various interactions in the system depends on the specific polarization state at that point, for example, TE, TM, 45�, circular, etc. Hence, the polarization conversion effect can result, for example, from total internal reflection, reflection beyond the Brewster's angle from dielectric interfaces, and material birefringence.
Since every transmission or reflection has the potential of changing polarization depending on the exact circumstances, there are a variety of ways that compensation/polarization conversion films can be used to advantageously improve performance by increasing the conversion and specifically control polarization beyond the natural effect of various elements. In addition, the angle of the polarization splitting layer can be used as an important parameter to enhance polarization conversion in the manner intended.
Example architectures chosen to study were either (1) the central rays of the luminaire of TE or TM polarization with respect to the system which makes the base layer 400 and redirecting layer 414 have low conversion and have good control over the polarization, or (2) at 45� where nearly every interaction converts polarization, and the net effect of all of the separate conversions is some total amount of conversion or depolarization of the light recycles through the polarization cavity. It also should be readily understood that one can control the light polarization conversion process in the 45� architecture, as is done in other cases.
In an additional embodiment of the invention shown in
In a further embodiment in
In another preferred embodiment shown in
In an additional preferred embodiment shown in
In yet another embodiment shown in
In yet a further preferred embodiment in
In a yet another preferred embodiment in
In yet another embodiment shown in
In another variation related to the embodiments of
In yet another embodiment shown in
In a further variation on the embodiment of
In considering the performance measurements in Table 4, it was noted that increased polarization efficiency did not necessarily result in systematic gain increase. This was believed to arise from scattering and absorption losses from the type and quality of the adhesive bond used to couple various layers and also on the attached quarter wave film.
In a further variation on the embodiment of
In a further variation on the embodiment of
Another form of the invention is shown in
In a variation on the embodiment of
In another variation on the embodiment of
In another form of the embodiment of
In another form of the embodiment of
In a variation on the embodiment of
In another form of the embodiment of
In another form of the invention shown in
TABLE 6 Comparison of Various Architectures to Basic Tapered Luminare with a Structured Back Reflector. Base g Luminance g Range g Total Redirecting Layer Back Reflective (Brightness (Range (Usable FIG. Layer (B. Layer) Reflector Polarizer Rotator Gain) Gain) Gain) 49 No Textured Structured Over B. Layer Under B.Layer 0.71 1.92 1.37 50 No Smooth Structured Over B. Layer Under B.Layer 0.68 2.02 1.38 51 No Textured Specular Over B. Layer Under B.Layer 0.67 2.41 1.62 52 No Smooth Specular Over B. Layer Under B. Layer 0.77 2.36 1.81 53 Yes Textured Structured Over B. Layer Under B.Layer 1.10 1.09 1.2 54 Yes Textured Structured Over Nfilm Under B.Layer 0.97 1.13 1.1 55 Yes Textured Structured Over B. Layer Under Refle 0.96 1.16 1.11 56 Yes Textured Structured Over B. Layer Laminated to 1.06 1.14 1.21 57 Yes Textured Structured None None 1.00 1.00 1.00 58 Yes & Textured Structured Over Dfilm @ None 1.08 1.1 1.19 Dfilm 45 59 Yes & Textured Structured Over Nfilm @ None 1.04 1.08 1.12 Dfilm 45 60 Yes & Textured Structured Over Wedge @ None 1.15 1.09 1.25 Dfilm 45
different. The input light 402 to the base layer 400 can, as in the embodiment of
In another variation on the embodiment of
In another variation on the embodiment of
In another form of the embodiment of
In another form of the invention illustrated in
In a variation on the embodiments of
In another embodiment similar to that of
Birefringent Layers in Luminaire Systems
A birefringent material can be used to advantage in the polarized light luminaire system 204 discussed hereinbefore. In the embodiment illustrated in
θcα=arcsin(n 2α /n 1) (15)
θcβ�=arcsin (n 2β /n 1) (16)
The conditions of Equation (10) must be satisfied for n2 equal to both n2α and n2β, independently. The light 212 of both polarization states decreases its angle of incidence by an angle 2Φ for each cyclic reflection from the first surface 208 and the second surface 210 as described previously. In this embodiment n2α>n2β and therefore θcα>θcβ. As the incidence angle for both polarization states decreases, the light 212 of both polarization states can encounter the interface with the birefringent first layer 214 with the light having an incidence angle less than the first critical angle θcα, but exceeding the second critical angle θcβ. Therefore, light 218 of the first polarization state is at least partially transmitted through the birefringent first layer 214, while the light 220 of the second state is preferentially reflected by total internal reflection. This reflected second-state light 220 and the residual first-state light 218 continue to decrease their angles of incidence with successive reflections. The light 218 of the first polarization state is transmitted at each successive encounter with the interface between the first layer 214 and the base layer 206. The light 220 of the second state continues to undergo total internal reflection at this interface until its angle of incidence becomes less than the second critical angle θcβ, at which point this second-state light 220 also is at least partially transmitted through the birefringent first layer 214. By virtue of this mechanism and of the difference in indices n2α and n2β, the light exiting the birefringent first layer 214 has a different angle distribution for the two polarization states "a" and "b".
Birefringent materials can in general include crystalline materials having an anisotropic index of refraction. A preferred material is a stretched polymeric film such as stretched fluorinated film. The stretching orients the film and makes the index of refraction different along that direction. Elsewhere we give birefringence values of these stretched fluoropolymer film, with Δn ranging from 0.030-0.054. Other films are PVA (Polyvinylalcohol). Polypropylene, Polyolefin or even Polyester (Mylar). Mylar is actually biaxial, but may still be used to rotate polarization. More traditional uniaxial birefringent materials are: Calcite and Quartz. These are not as practical as the stretched films. In practice the two polarization states are well-separated only if the two indices are sufficiently different. This condition may be expressed as,
θcα≧θcβsφ (17)
where s must be at least 1 and is preferably greater than four. This condition may be achieved, for example, using uniaxially oriented fluoropolymer material for the birefringent layer, acrylic polymer for the base layer 206 and reasonable values of Φ (between one and one-and-a-half degrees is typical for notebook computer LCD backlighting).
In the embodiments of
In the embodiment of
Light Diffuser after LCD Layer Processing
In the embodiments shown in
One aspect which is preferably controlled in a system including the post diffuser layer 350 is the width in the xz-plane of the angular distribution transmitted through the LCD layer 302. The output angular distribution preferably has a full width less than
Δθpd=2n l cd(1/d) (18)
and a full width less than half of this value is even more preferred. In this equation Δθpd is in radians, nLCD is the average index within the LCD layer 302, □ is the repetition period of display pixel rows in the z-direction, and d is the thickness of the LCD layer 302. For a typical LCD used in notebook computers, nLCD is approximately 1.5, l=0.3 mm, and d=3 mm. For this example, Δθpd is preferably less than 18 degrees, and a full-width of nine degrees or less is even more preferred. By comparison, Equation (8) can be used to calculate the output angular width of the current invention using a flat-facet prismatic redirecting layer, such as is shown in
In another embodiment shown in
The following example illustrates a measurement system and method for various ones of the device 10.
The performance of the various devices 10 was quantified by introducing a concept of useful system gain. The light output distribution from the devices 10 can be approximated by the sum of a diffuse Lambertian background and a one dimensionally collimated beam consisting of a limited angle Lambertian distribution. In this model, the illuminance emitted into a limited angle (Iimited) from the luminaire device 10 can be expressed in terms of the peak luminance (Lmax) of the total distribution, fraction of the illuminance in the diffuse Lambertian background (α), and the width of the limited angle Lambertian distribution specified by the limiting angles (θ+,θ−) in the form
This is a useful quantity as it represents the total illuminance that can be redistributed using various redirecting layers, such as angle transforming films and diffusers. Although the fraction of the total illuminance in the diffuse background can be quite large, the majority of the peak brightness is typically due to the limited angle light emitted by the device 10 due to the much smaller solid angle covered by the illuminance in the limited angular range case.
This idea was applied to a real device 10 by assuming that the +/− angles specified in the formula were the half-luminance points measured using a spot-photometer 498. For each set of measurements we measured the maximum brightness, and the angular location of the half-luminance points. The system 500 used to perform the measurements is shown in
In the remainder of our work we quantified the performance of the device 10 by developing a set of gain factors based on the illuminance estimate above. These gain factors were the total system gain (gtotal), the brightness gain (gluminance), and the gain due to an increase in the solid angle of the illumination leaving the luminaire (grange). These were given in terms of the measured luminance (Lref), and an angular range factor (Ru) defined below. The highly restricted angle of illumination was only in a single direction of the device 10, so we used the one-dimensional formulas shown as the basis of our analysis. In particular we defined:
Operationally, these measurements were made by dividing a luminaire device in two halves 502 and 504 (See
To obtain the final gain values reported in the tables, the observed values were collected by the gains measured by making both the half-luminaires 502 and 504 of the same construction. This was to correct for a small side to side dependence that we observed. These corrected gains (gcorrected) (were calculated from gains of measured samples (gmeasured) and calibration gains (gcalibration) measured with sides of the half-luminaire 502 in the reference configuration by just
g corrected =g measured /g calibration
Using this approach, a variety of luminaires were measured using a Photo Research Pritchard Spot Photometer. To do the measurement the device 10 was placed on a stand equipped with a rotation stage aligned so that during the rotation our measurement spot was stationary (see
While preferred embodiments of the inventions have been shown and described, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects as set forth in the claims provided hereinafter.
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|U.S. Classification
|385/146, 385/129, 385/131, 385/43, 385/901
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jan 20, 2009
|Certificate of correction
|Sep 21, 2011
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Apr 8, 2016
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Aug 26, 2016
|Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
|Oct 18, 2016
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20160826


text:
"Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future"
- Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in Physics
Whether you like it or not, as a simulation engineer you are in the prediction game. Put simply, your job is to predict how an abstract design would perform in the real world, hopefully accounting for the most challenging operating conditions that it would likely experience during its working life.Compared with other professional forecasters such as economists, television meteorologists or political commentators, the audience for engineering predictions is more critical and less likely to forgive. While incorrect weather forecasts are quickly forgotten (at least those that don't involve hurricanes), and one rarely takes economists seriously, the cost of getting an engineering prediction wrong can be enormous. The failure of a product in service can have serious consequences, particularly in the case of safety critical applications where unforeseen failure can result in injury or loss-of-life. Even in less serious circumstances, the unexpected failure of a product can act to de-motivate consumers, damaging brand reputation, potentially incurring large warranty expenses.
The problem is that uncertainty is a fundamental part of all prediction; no engineering prediction is perfect and no simulation model is a complete representation of the real world scenario. Every model is based upon a set of underlying assumptions that allows it to be solved numerically, but ultimately influences the accuracy of the prediction. As engineers, we are responsible for acknowledging and understanding the uncertainty in our predictions and, wherever possible, to try and minimize that uncertainty through the application of judicious modeling assumptions.
As Bill mentioned, modeling choices are often dictated by economic and practical constraints. Not so long ago, almost every model had a symmetry plane (even when we knew deep down that asymmetrical flow was at least a possibility). Our simulations were usually 'steady state' (even though we knew the most fluid mechanics problems are inherently unsteady), and if we didn't make them 'isothermal' or 'incompressible', then then our simulation models were usually surrounded by adiabatic or fixed temperature boundary conditions. It's not that these simulations were necessarily bad*, it's just that they were the best that we could do with the resources available at the time (and of course any of these assumptions are still perfectly acceptable today if used in the right context).
Whatever the problems of yesteryear, simulation technology continues to rapidly evolve. When combined with the increased availability of computer processing power, it provides an opportunity for engineers to improve the quality and accuracy of their engineering simulations. Deciding exactly how much physics (and chemistry) to include in a numerical model is one of the key challenges of any simulation project. It requires a deep understanding of the complexity of the system and often involves making difficult choices.
The best simulation engineers deal with this by 'solving the problem in their head' before even starting to build the model. They undertake a careful process of 'identification and formulation' in which they attempt to determine the relative influence of various physical phenomena that underlie their engineering problem. It's not just a matter of seeing how much physics you can throw at a problem; the art of the simulation engineer is largely involved with knowing how much physical complexity can be safely excluded from the simulation.
Whereas previous generations of engineers could take some comfort in the 'safety net' of extensive physical testing to rescue them from the occasional poor prediction, Computer-Aided Engineering is increasingly the victim of its own success as simulation continues to displace hardware testing as industry's verification method of choice. Although this increased confidence in simulation is well-deserved (and has been hard-earned through many years of successful prediction), it brings with it a great deal of pressure to 'get the answer right' almost every time.
Although none of us will likely ever make 'the perfect prediction', the best way of improving our prediction accuracy is through a continual process of critical review and assessing how well our previous predictions matched up to reality. For me, 'Simulating Systems' is about a constant process of challenging modeling assumptions, wherever possible making better choices that reduces the amount of uncertainty in the prediction - ultimately resulting in better and safer products.
*Actually some of them really were bad simulations. In the early days of my career I still remember someone enthusiastically showing me a fantastic simulation of flow past a two-dimensional oil-rig.

subset: commoncrawl