Illumination device and liquid crystal apparatus including same
US6020944A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 4, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 4, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/13362
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An illumination device is formed from a light-transmissive light guide member, and a light source disposed on a side of the light guide member to emit light to the light guide member. The light guide member is formed to include an anisotropic grating preferably at a boundary between an anisotropic member having a refractive index anisotropy and a substantially non-anisotropic member laminated on the anisotropic member. The anisotropic grating may be formed as a one-dimensionally arranged grating for causing selective diffraction of, e.g., an ordinary ray. As a result, the illumination device is caused to function as a planar light source emitting linearly polarized light of a uniform luminance distribution suitably used in combination with a transmission-type or reflection-type liquid crystal device to form a small-sized and thin liquid crystal apparatus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.