Electrically actuatable doped polymer flakes and electrically addressable optical devices using suspensions of doped polymer flakes in a fluid host
US7713436B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2005 |
| Grant date | May 11, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/34
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Doped electrically actuatable (electrically addressable or switchable) polymer flakes have enhanced and controllable electric field induced motion by virtue of doping a polymer material that functions as the base flake matrix with either a distribution of insoluble dopant particles or a dopant material that is completely soluble in the base flake matrix. The base flake matrix may be a polymer liquid crystal material, and the dopants generally have higher dielectric permittivity and/or conductivity than the electrically actuatable polymer base flake matrix. The dopant distribution within the base flake matrix may be either homogeneous or non-homogeneous. In the latter case, the non-homogeneous distribution of dopant provides a dielectric permittivity and/or conductivity gradient within the body of the flakes. The dopant can also be a carbon-containing material (either soluble or insoluble in the base flake matrix) that absorbs light so as to reduce the unpolarized scattered light component reflected from the flakes, thereby enhancing the effective intensity of circularly polarized light reflected from the flakes when the flakes are oriented into a light reflecting state. Electro-opt…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.