公开(公告)号：US06735017B1

公开(公告)日：2004-05-11

申请号：US09555187

申请日：2000-05-25

申请人： Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Emma Jayne Beynon ,  Adrian Marc Simon Jacobs ,  Michael Geraint Robinson ,  Kirstin Ann Saynor ,  Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler ,  Harry Garth Walton

发明人： Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Emma Jayne Beynon ,  Adrian Marc Simon Jacobs ,  Michael Geraint Robinson ,  Kirstin Ann Saynor ,  Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler ,  Harry Garth Walton

IPC分类号： G02B2728

CPC分类号： G02B5/3083 ,  G02F1/13363 ,  G02F1/133753 ,  G02F1/133788 ,  G02F2001/133638 ,  G02F2413/02 ,  G02F2413/08 ,  G02F2413/09 ,  G02F2413/15 ,  H04N13/337

摘要： A broadband optical retardation device, such as may be used for polarisation encoding of display information or in diffractive optical systems, includes a patterned uniform half wave plate retarder in combination with a non-patterned uniform quarter wave plate retarder having an optic axis oriented at 90° to the xz plane. The patterned retarder consists of alternating first and second regions having first and second optic axes at different orientations to a reference axis, for example at +22.5° and −22.5° to the xz plane. Considering light of wavelength &lgr;° incident on the retarder and linearly polarised in the xy plane, such light is differently polarised by the regions, and the light output by the device includes regions in which the light is right circularly polarised and regions in which the light is left circularly polarised. In the case of incident light of wavelengths greater or less than &lgr;°, the output light becomes progressively more linearly polarised as the wavelengths departs to a greater extent from the ideal value, but not to the same extent as would be the case if the device consisted simply of a patterned single layer acting as a quarter plate retarder.

摘要翻译： 诸如可用于显示信息的偏振编码或衍射光学系统中的宽带光学延迟装置包括图案化的均匀半波板延迟器，其与未图案化的均匀四分之一波片延迟器组合，其光轴定向为90° °到xz平面。 图案化延迟器由交替的第一和第二区域组成，第一和第二区域具有与参考轴不同取向的第一和第二光轴，例如与xz平面成+ 22.5°和-22.5°。 考虑入射到延迟器上并在xy平面上线性偏振的波长λ°的光，这种光被区域不同地偏振，并且由器件输出的光包括其中光是正向圆偏振的区域，其中光 被左旋极化。 在波长大于或小于λ°的入射光的情况下，随着波长从理想值更大程度地偏离，输出光逐渐变得更线性偏振，但不如与设备 简单地由作为四分之一板延迟器的图案化单层组成。

公开(公告)号：US06765640B1

公开(公告)日：2004-07-20

申请号：US10031654

申请日：2001-11-13

申请人： Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler

发明人： Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler

IPC分类号： G02F11335

CPC分类号： G02F1/1391 ,  G02F1/13363 ,  G02F2001/133638 ,  G02F2203/02 ,  G02F2413/02 ,  G02F2413/08

摘要： A reflective liquid crystal device comprises in sequence a linear polarizer, a retarder arrangement comprising two retarders, and a reflector. A first of the retarders provides a retardation of m&lgr;/2 and a second of the retarders provides a retardation of n&lgr;/4, where m is an integer and n is an odd integer, and wherein at least one of the first and second retarders comprises a Bistable Twisted Nematic (BTN) liquid crystal. This BTN retarder is switchable between a first state in which the retarder provides a retardation of m&lgr;/2 or n&lgr;/4 and a second state in which the retardation is zero.

摘要翻译： 反射型液晶装置依次包括线性偏振器，包括两个延迟器的延迟器装置和反射器。 延迟器中的第一个提供了λ/ 2的延迟，并且第二个延迟器提供了nλ/ 4的延迟，其中m是整数，n是奇数整数，并且其中第一和第二延迟器中的至少一个包括 双稳态扭曲向列（BTN）液晶。 该BTN延迟器可在其中延迟器提供λ/ 2或λ/ 4的延迟的第一状态与延迟为零的第二状态之间切换。

公开(公告)号：US06714276B2

公开(公告)日：2004-03-30

申请号：US09778027

申请日：2001-02-06

申请人： Michael John Towler ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Harry Garth Walton ,  Craig Tombling ,  Martin David Tillin ,  Brian Henley ,  Emma Jayne Walton ,  Tadashi Kawamura ,  Akiyoshi Fujii ,  Yuichiro Yamada

发明人： Michael John Towler ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Harry Garth Walton ,  Craig Tombling ,  Martin David Tillin ,  Brian Henley ,  Emma Jayne Walton ,  Tadashi Kawamura ,  Akiyoshi Fujii ,  Yuichiro Yamada

IPC分类号： C09K1902

CPC分类号： G02F1/1395 ,  G02F1/133371

摘要： A liquid crystal display device comprises: a layer of a chiral liquid crystal material disposed between first and second substrates; and means for applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer. A first region of the liquid crystal layer is an active region for display and a second region of the liquid crystal layer is a nucleation region for generating a desired liquid crystal state in the first region when a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. The ratio of the thickness d of the liquid crystal layer to the pitch p of the liquid crystal material has a first value (d/p)A in the first region of the liquid crystal layer and has a second value (d/p)N different from the first value in the second region of the liquid crystal layer. The value (d/p)N of the ratio of the thickness d of the liquid crystal layer to the pitch p of the liquid crystal material in the second region of the liquid crystal layer is selected such that, when no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal state stable in the second region of the liquid crystal layer is topologically equivalent to the desired liquid crystal state.

摘要翻译： 液晶显示装置包括：设置在第一和第二基板之间的手性液晶材料层; 以及用于在液晶层上施加电压的装置。 液晶层的第一区域是用于显示的有源区域，并且液晶层的第二区域是当在液晶层上施加电压时在第一区域中产生期望的液晶态的成核区域。 液晶层的厚度d与液晶材料的间距p的比率在液晶层的第一区域中具有第一值（d / p）A，并且具有第二值（d / p）N 与液晶层的第二区域中的第一值不同。 选择液晶层的第二区域中的液晶层的厚度d与液晶材料的间距p的比值（d / p）N，使得当不施加电压时 液晶层的液晶状态在液晶层的第二区域稳定的液晶状态在拓扑上等同于所需的液晶状态。

公开(公告)号：US06600537B2

公开(公告)日：2003-07-29

申请号：US10044828

申请日：2002-01-11

申请人： Michael John Towler ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Harry Garth Walton

发明人： Michael John Towler ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Harry Garth Walton

IPC分类号： G02F11337

CPC分类号： G02F1/1395

摘要： A pi-cell liquid crystal device comprises a nematic liquid crystal layer (17) disposed between alignment layers (14,15) which provide a pretilt such that, at a zero applied field, the energy of the H-state is less than the energy of the V-state, which is less than the energy of the T-state. A drive arrangement (18) switches the pi-cell by applying a first electric field, at which the energy of the V-state is less than the energy of each of the H-state and the T-state, or a second smaller electric field, at which the energy of the H-state is less than the energy of each of the V-state and the T-state. The T-state may thus be avoided while maintaining high switching speeds.

摘要翻译： Pi单元液晶装置包括设置在取向层（14,15）之间的向列型液晶层（17），其提供预倾斜，使得在零施加场处，H态的能量小于能量 的V状态，其小于T态的能量。 驱动装置（18）通过施加V状态的能量小于H状态和T状态中的每一个的能量的第一电场或第二较小的电 H状态的能量小于V状态和T态的能量的场。 因此可以在保持高切换速度的同时避免T状态。

公开(公告)号：US06222672B1

公开(公告)日：2001-04-24

申请号：US09199295

申请日：1998-11-24

申请人： Michael John Towler ,  Harry Garth Walton ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta

发明人： Michael John Towler ,  Harry Garth Walton ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta

IPC分类号： G02B2726

CPC分类号： G02B27/26 ,  H04N13/337 ,  H04N13/359 ,  H04N13/363

摘要： An imaging system according to the invention includes: a matrix of light modulating elements including first and second elements for respectively transmitting first and second image components; a polarizing element having a first polarization axis for linearly polarizing light from the first and second elements; a first optical retardation element incorporating at least one first retarder having first and second regions respectively having a first optic axis at a first orientation and a second option axis at a second orientation to the first polarization axis; and a detecting element having first and second detecting parts, each detecting part including respective second optical retardation element incorporating at least one second retarder and an analyzing element having a second polarization axis intended to be disposed at a defined orientation relative to the first polarization axis, at least one second retarder of the first detecting part having an optic axis which is intended to be disposed substantially perpendicularly to the first optic axis and transversely to the second optic axis of the at least one first retarder, and at least one second retarder of the second detecting part having an optic axis which is intended to be disposed substantially perpendicularly to the second optic axis and transversely to the first optic axis of the at least one first retarder. Substantially only light relating to the first image component is transmitted by the first detecting part and substantially only light relating to the second image component is transmitted by the second detecting part.

摘要翻译： 根据本发明的成像系统包括：光调制元件矩阵，包括用于分别发射第一和第二图像分量的第一和第二元件; 具有用于使来自第一和第二元件的光线性偏振的第一偏振轴的偏振元件; 第一光学延迟元件包括至少一个第一延迟器，其具有第一和第二区域，第一和第二区域分别具有第一取向的第一光轴和与第一偏振轴成第二取向的第二选择轴; 以及具有第一和第二检测部分的检测元件，每个检测部分包括相应的第二光学延迟元件，所述第二光学延迟元件包括至少一个第二延迟器和具有第二偏振轴的分析元件，所述第二偏振轴将相对于所述第一偏振轴以规定的方向设置， 所述第一检测部分的至少一个第二延迟器具有旨在基本上垂直于所述第一光轴并且横向于所述至少一个第一延迟器的第二光轴布置的光轴，以及至少一个第二延迟器 第二检测部分具有旨在基本上垂直于第二光轴并横向于至少一个第一延迟器的第一光轴布置的光轴。 基本上只有与第一图像分量相关的光被第一检测部分发送，并且基本上只有与第二图像分量有关的光被第二检测部分发送。

公开(公告)号：US07259818B2

公开(公告)日：2007-08-21

申请号：US10087660

申请日：2002-03-01

申请人： Michael John Towler ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta

发明人： Michael John Towler ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta

IPC分类号： G02F1/1337

CPC分类号： G02F1/1391 ,  G02F1/1337 ,  G02F1/133707 ,  G02F1/133753 ,  G02F1/1395 ,  G02F2001/133726 ,  G02F2001/133776

摘要： A liquid crystal device comprises a nematic liquid crystal, voltage means for applying a voltage across said liquid crystal, and two substrates (42, 30) each provided with an alignment layer (32, 33), wherein: said liquid crystal is sandwiched between said two substrates (42, 30); said nematic liquid crystal can be placed in at least one operating state and at least one non-operating state, and at least one of said alignment layers (32, 33) is provided with a plurality of surface protrusions (40) formed from an anisotropic material.

摘要翻译： 液晶装置包括向列液晶，用于施加电压跨越所述液晶的电压装置，以及两个分别设置有取向层（32,33）的基板（42,30），其中：所述液晶夹在所述液晶 两个基板（42,30）; 所述向列液晶可以放置在至少一个操作状态和至少一个非操作状态中，并且至少一个所述对准层（32,33）设置有多个由各向异性形成的表面突起（40） 材料。

公开(公告)号：US06624863B1

公开(公告)日：2003-09-23

申请号：US09105348

申请日：1998-06-26

申请人： Adrian Marc Simon Jacobs ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Jonathan Harrold ,  Michael John Towler ,  Harry Garth Walton

发明人： Adrian Marc Simon Jacobs ,  Elizabeth Jane Acosta ,  Jonathan Harrold ,  Michael John Towler ,  Harry Garth Walton

IPC分类号： G02F11337

CPC分类号： G02F1/133528 ,  G02B5/3016 ,  G02B5/3083 ,  G02B27/0093 ,  G02B27/26 ,  G02B27/283 ,  G02B27/285 ,  G02F2001/133565 ,  H04N13/337

摘要： A method of making a patterned retarder of the present invention includes the steps of providing an alignment layer rubbing the alignment layer in a first rubbing direction, masking with a mask at least one first region of the alignment layer, to reveal at least one second region of the alignment layer, rubbing the at least one second region through the mask in a second rubbing direction different from the first rubbing direction, removing the mask, disposing on the alignment layer a layer of birefringent material whose optic axis is aligned by the alignment layer, and fixing the optic axis of the birefringent layer.

摘要翻译： 制造本发明的图案化延迟器的方法包括以下步骤：提供在第一摩擦方向上摩擦取向层的取向层，用掩模掩模取向层的至少一个第一区域，以露出至少一个第二区域 的所述对准层，在与所述第一摩擦方向不同的第二摩擦方向上通过所述掩模摩擦所述至少一个第二区域，去除所述掩模，在所述取向层上设置光轴与所述取向层对准的双折射材料层 并固定双折射层的光轴。

公开(公告)号：US06204904B1

公开(公告)日：2001-03-20

申请号：US08961212

申请日：1997-10-30

申请人： Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler ,  Kirstin Ann Saynor ,  Sandra Gilmour

发明人： Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler ,  Kirstin Ann Saynor ,  Sandra Gilmour

IPC分类号： G02F11335

CPC分类号： G02F1/1393 ,  G02F1/13363 ,  G02F2001/133565 ,  G02F2001/133638 ,  G02F2001/1398 ,  G02F2202/40 ,  G02F2203/02 ,  G02F2413/02 ,  G02F2413/08 ,  G02F2413/15

摘要： A reflective liquid crystal device comprises a polariser and a mirror between which are disposed several retarder. At least one of the retarders is a variable liquid crystal element whose optic axis is switchable so as to switch the device between a reflective sate and a non-reflective state. In the non-reflective state, the total retardance of the retarders between the polariser and the mirror is equal to an odd number of quarter wavelengths for a wavelength at or adjacent the middle of the visible spectrum.

摘要翻译： 反射型液晶装置包括偏振器和反射镜，在其间布置有多个延迟器。 延迟器中的至少一个是可变的液晶元件，其光轴可切换，以便在反射状态和非反射状态之间切换装置。 在非反射状态下，偏振器和反射镜之间的延迟器的总延迟等于可见光谱中间或附近的波长的四分之一波长的奇数。

公开(公告)号：US5990991A

公开(公告)日：1999-11-23

申请号：US880456

申请日：1997-06-24

申请人： Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler

发明人： Martin David Tillin ,  Michael John Towler

IPC分类号： G02F1/137 ,  G02F1/133 ,  G02F1/1335 ,  G02F1/13363 ,  G02F1/1337 ,  G02F1/1347 ,  G02F1/139 ,  G02F1/141

CPC分类号： G02F1/13473 ,  G02F1/1395 ,  G02F1/1396 ,  G02F1/13363

摘要： A twisted liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer and first and second alignment layers disposed in opposite sides of the liquid crystal layer. The first and second alignment layers have respective alignment directions which are mutually inclined. A first linear polarizer is disposed on the opposite side of the first alignment layer to the liquid crystal layer. Electrodes apply a variable voltage across the liquid crystal layer which has a twisted liquid crystal structure and is arranged for operation in a surface switching mode with first and second regions of the liquid crystal layer adjacent the alignment layers being mutually optically de-coupled so as to act, within the liquid crystal layer, when in use, like a pair of separate, active optical retarders having mutually inclined optic axes and optical retardations which can be varied within a range to cause color.

摘要翻译： 扭转液晶装置包括液晶层和设置在液晶层相对侧的第一和第二取向层。 第一和第二取向层具有相互倾斜的各自的取向方向。 第一线性偏振器设置在第一取向层的与液晶层相反的一侧上。 电极在具有扭转液晶结构的液晶层上施加可变电压，并且布置成以表面切换模式操作，其中与取向层相邻的液晶层的第一和第二区域被相互光学去耦合，以便 在使用中，像一对具有相互倾斜的光轴的光学延迟器和可在可引起颜色的范围内变化的光学延迟的一对分离的有源光学延迟器在液晶层内作用。

公开(公告)号：US06222605B1

公开(公告)日：2001-04-24

申请号：US08727972

申请日：1996-10-09

申请人： Martin David Tillin ,  Edward Peter Raynes ,  Michael John Towler

发明人： Martin David Tillin ,  Edward Peter Raynes ,  Michael John Towler

IPC分类号： G02F1139

CPC分类号： G02F1/1395 ,  G02F2001/13775

摘要： A surface mode liquid crystal device is made by forming a cell containing a mixture of a liquid crystal and a pre-polymer. An electric field is applied across the cell to arrange the liquid crystal in a predetermined surface mode state, such as the V state in the case of a pi-cell configuration. The liquid crystal is held in this state by the field while the pre-polymer is polymerized or cross-linked, for instance by ultraviolet irradiation. The electric field is then removed. The polymer stabilizes the predetermined surface mode state, for instance preventing relaxation of the V state to twist or splay state in the pi-cell configuration.

摘要翻译： 通过形成含有液晶和预聚物的混合物的电池来制造表面模式液晶装置。 电场被施加在电池单元上以将液晶布置在预定的表面模式状态，例如在pi单元配置的情况下的V状态。 例如通过紫外线照射，预聚物聚合或交联时，液晶保持在该状态。 然后去除电场。 聚合物稳定预定的表面模式状态，例如阻止V状态的松弛，以便在pi细胞构型中扭转或张开状态。