Patent · US Active

Photo-alignment apparatus that realizes desirable distribution through single exposure and method of manufacturing an optical element

US11003028B2 · kind B2 · utility

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20Claims
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Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 12, 2020
Grant dateMay 11, 2021
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 12, 2040

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F2202/40
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention discloses a photo-alignment apparatus that realizes a desirable distribution through a single exposure and a method of manufacturing an optical element. The photo-alignment apparatus comprises a light source, a linear polarization film, a pixelated electronic-control phase retarder, and a phase retardation plate; the light source is used to provide light for a exposure; the linear polarization film is configured to convert the light emitted by the light source into a linearly-polarized light having a polarization direction parallel to the direction of the transmission axis of the linear polarization film; the pixelated electronic-control phase retarder is configured to generate phase retardations distributed in a desirable pattern; and the phase retardation plate is used to generate a non-pixelated phase retardation. With this photo-alignment apparatus, a polarization distribution of a desirable pattern can be generated, and a corresponding alignment profile can be formed on a polarization sensitive medium.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.