Process of producing multicolor optical element
US6836307B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 1, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/133516
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A cholesteric liquid crystal coating film 13′ is formed on an alignment layer 12 provided on a glass substrate 11 (FIG. 1(a)), and is subjected to a thermal alignment process at a temperature equal to or higher than the liquid crystalline phase transition temperature of a chiral nematic liquid crystal that constitutes the coating film (FIG. 1(b)). Active rays capable of activating optically active groups in the chiral nematic liquid crystal are applied to the cholesteric liquid crystal coating film 13′ to deactivate the optically active groups, thereby forming a cholesteric layer 13 having color-indicating regions with the desired areas and indication colors that have been created according to the active-rays-applied area and to the amount of active rays applied to the area (FIG. 1(c)). Thereafter, this cholesteric layer 13 is subjected to a thermal alignment process at a temperature lower than the liquid crystalline phase transition temperature of the chiral nematic liquid crystal (FIG. 1(d)). Lastly, a predetermined amount of ultraviolet light was applied to the cholesteric layer 13 in an atmosphere in which the optically active groups are inactive, thereby three-dime…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.