Electrically addressable optical devices using a system of composite layered flakes suspended in a fluid host to obtain angularly dependent optical effects
US6829075B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 2003 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 20, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/172
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Composite or layered flakes having a plurality of layers of different materials, which may be dielectric materials, conductive materials, or liquid crystalline materials suspended in a fluid host and subjected to an electric field, provide optical effects dependent upon the angle or orientation of the flakes in the applied electric field. The optical effects depend upon the composition and thickness of the layers, producing reflectance, interference, additive and/or subtractive color effects. The composition of layered flakes may also be selected to enhance and/or alter the dielectric properties of flakes, whereby flake motion in an electric field is also enhanced and/or altered. The devices are useful as active electro-optical displays, polarizers, filters, light modulators, and wherever controllable polarizing, reflecting and transmissive optical properties are desired.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.