Electrically controllable liquid crystal microstructures
US6864931B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 16, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 8, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/28
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
This invention relates to methods of building rigid or flexible arrays of electro-optic devices. A phase separated composite structure technique yields adjacent regions of polymer and liquid crystal (LC) of specific architecture instead of a random dispersion of LC droplets. The above devices can be prepared by producing volutes of LC structure (56) next to a polymer area (58) using anisotropic phase separation of LC from a photopolymer. Initial by UV exposure. The shape, size and placement of these regions inside a cell becomes easily controllable with using optical mask or laser beam. The boundaries of LC volume can be controlled by controlling the chemical composition of the polymer and using an alignment layer (28).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.