Polarizer-free displays

US12295204B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Young Cheol Yang · Sunnyvale, US
• Bhadrinarayana Lalgudi Visweswaran · Princeton, US
• Michelle C. Sherrott · Pasadena, US
• Fuyi Yang · Santa Clara, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 25, 2022
• Grant date: May 6, 2025
• Expiry date: Sep 21, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10K59/8051

Abstract

The circular polarizer may be omitted from a display to increase efficiency. A polarizer-free display may use other non-polarizer techniques to mitigate reflections of ambient light and mitigate diffraction reflection artifacts. The polarizer-free display may include a black pixel definition layer that absorbs ambient light. Color filter elements may be included in a black matrix to mitigate ambient light reflections. An intra-anode phase shift layer and/or an inter-anode phase shift layer may be included in the display to mitigate diffractive reflection artifacts. Multiple sub-pixels of the same color may be used in a single pixel to ensure a neutral reflection color. The display may include a cathode layer that is patterned to have openings over the black pixel definition layer to mitigate reflections. The display may include diffusive particles (in the color filter element or in a separate diffuser layer) to mitigate diffractive reflection artifacts.