Optical element with variable transmission and screen comprising such an optical element

US12158683B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• siOPTICA GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Andreas Bregulla · Duderstadt, DE
• André Heber · Weimar, DE
• Yannick Bourgin · Großgölitz, DE
• Ambrose Peter Nari · Jena, DE
• Chin-Tien Yang · Taipei, TW
• Markus Klippstein · Jena, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 18, 2020
• Grant date: Dec 3, 2024
• Expiry date: May 14, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F2203/24
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical element comprising a planar substrate with a first large surface functioning as a light-entrance surface, and a second large surface functioning as a light-exit surface. The optical element further comprises a liquid or skeleton matrix arranged between the first and second large surface, and electrophoretically or magnetophoretically movable particles that interact with light of one or several wavelengths or wavelength ranges. The optical element also comprises an electromagnetic switching structure configured in a planar shape in the substrate on one or both large surfaces and/or between the large surfaces, these electromagnetic switching structures generating, in a switched-on state, an electromagnetic field, whereby the particles are moved in the liquid or the skeleton matrix, thus causing, due to the interaction with the particles, a change of an angle-dependent transmission, by the optical element, of light of the wavelengths or wavelength ranges that enters the substrate through the light-entrance surface.