US5882774A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optical film
Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Co
•
Filing: 1995-03-10
•
Granted: 1999-03-16
•
Expires: 2015-03-10
Abstract
Abstract Birefringent multilayer optical films in which the refractive indices in the thickness direction of two adjacent layers are substantially matched have a Brewster angle (the angle at which reflectance of p-polarized light goes to zero) which is very large or is nonexistant. This allows for the construction of multilayer mirrors and polarizers whose reflectivity for p-polarized light decreases slowly with angle of incidence, are independent of angle of incidence, or increase with angle of incidence away from the normal. As a result, multilayer films having high reflectivity (for both planes of polarization for any incident direction in the case of mirrors, and for the selected direction in the case of polarizers) over a wide bandwidth, can be achieved.
Inventors
- 👤 James M. Jonza
- 👤 Michael F. Weber
- 👤 Andrew J. Ouderkirk
- 👤 Carl A. Stover
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:57
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C55/00; B29C55/02; B29C55/023; B29D; B29D11/00; B32; B32B; B32B27/00; B32B27/06; B32B27/08; B32B27/30; B32B27/302; B32B27/308; B32B27/32; B32B27/36; B32B7/00; B32B7/02; B32B7/023; B32B7/04; B32B7/12; G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/28; G02B27/283; G02B5/00; G02B5/30; G02B5/3025; G02B5/3033; G02B5/3041; G02B5/305; G02B5/3083; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1335; G02F1/133528; G02F1/133536; G02F1/1336; G02F1/13362; B29K; B29K2067/00; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0018; B29K2995/003; B29K2995/0034; B32B38/00; B32B38/0012; B32B2038/0028; B32B2323/00; B32B2325/00; B32B2333/00; B32B2333/04; B32B2333/08; B32B2367/00; B32B2551/00; B32B2551/08; G02F1/133545; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/91; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/26; Y10T428/261; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31507; Y10T428/3154; Y10T428/31551; Y10T428/31616; Y10T428/31786; Y10T428/31797; Y10T428/31855; Y10T428/31935; Y10T428/31938
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A film, comprising: a first layer comprising a first polymeric material; and a second layer, contiguous to said first layer, comprising a second polymeric material; wherein the absolute value of the difference in indices of refraction between said first and second layers is Δx, Δy, and Δz, respectively, for light polarized along first, second, and third mutually orthogonal axes, wherein said third axis is orthogonal to the plane of said film, wherein Δx is greater than about 0.05, and wherein Δz is less than about 0.05.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A film, comprising: a first layer comprising a first polymeric material; and a second layer, contiguous to said first layer, comprising a second polymeric material; wherein the absolute value of the difference in indices of refraction between said first and second layers is Δx, Δy, and Δz, respectively, for light polarized along first, second, and third mutually orthogonal axes, wherein said third axis is orthogonal to the plane of said film, wherein Δx is greater than about 0.05, and wherein Δz is less than about 0.05.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δz is less than about 0.02.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δz is less than about 0.01.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δx is greater than about 0.1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δx is greater than about 0.2.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δy is less than about 0.05.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δy is less than about 0.02.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δy is greater than about 0.05.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 1, wherein Δy is greater than about 0.1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said film has been stretched in at least one direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said film has been stretched in at least one direction to at least twice that direction's unstretched dimension.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 1, wherein both of said first and second polymeric materials are polyesters.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said second polymeric material is a polyacrylate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 12, wherein said second polymeric material is polymethylmethacrylate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said film has an average reflectivity, for at least one plane of polarization, of at least 50% over at least a 100 nm wide band.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said film comprises at least 50 layers of said first polymeric material and at least 50 layers of said second polymeric material, and wherein said first polymeric material is a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said first polymeric material comprises a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester has a higher index of refraction than said second polymer for light polarized along at least one of said first and second axes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The film of claim 18, wherein said higher index of refraction is at least about 0.05 higher.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 18, wherein said higher index of refraction is at least 0.10 higher.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester is more positively birefringent than said second polymeric material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester is polyethylene naphthalate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said second polymeric material is a copolyester comprising naphthalate units and terephthalate units.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said second polymeric material is a copolyester comprising naphthalate units and terephthalate units.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said second polymeric material is a polystyrene.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The film of claim 17, wherein said second polymeric material is a fluoropolymer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
96 words
A film, comprising: a first layer comprising a first polymeric material; and a second layer, contiguous to said first layer, comprising a second polymeric material; wherein the absolute value of the difference in index of refraction between said first and second polymeric material is Δx, Δy, and Δz, respectively, for light polarized along first, second, and third mutually orthogonal axes, wherein said third axis is orthogonal to the plane of said film, wherein Δz is less than 0.5 k, where k is the larger of Δx and Δy, and wherein k is at least about 0.05.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
96 words
A film, comprising: a first layer comprising a first polymeric material; and a second layer, contiguous to said first layer, comprising a second polymeric material; wherein the absolute value of the difference in index of refraction between said first and second polymeric material is Δx, Δy, and Δz, respectively, for light polarized along first, second, and third mutually orthogonal axes, wherein said third axis is orthogonal to the plane of said film, wherein Δz is less than 0.5 k, where k is the larger of Δx and Δy, and wherein k is at least about 0.05.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 27, wherein both of said first and second polymeric materials are polyesters.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 27, wherein Δz is less than about 0.03.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 27, wherein Δx is greater than about 0.1.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
The film of claim 27, wherein said film comprises at least 50 layers of said first polymeric material and at least 50 layers of said second polymeric material, and wherein said first polymeric material is a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 27, wherein Δz is less than 0.25 k.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 27, wherein Δz is less than 0.1 k.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 27, wherein said first polymeric material comprises a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
34 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester has a higher index of refraction than said second polymer for light polarized along at least one of said first and second axes.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
The film of claim 35, wherein said higher index of refraction is at least about 0.05 higher.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
The film of claim 35, wherein said higher index of refraction is at least 0.10 higher.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester is more positively birefringent than said second polymeric material.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester is polyethylene naphthalate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said second polymeric material is a copolyester comprising naphthalate units and terephthalate units.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said second polymeric material is a copolyester comprising naphthalate units and terephthalate units.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
13 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said second polymeric material is a polystyrene.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
13 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said second polymeric material in a fluoropolymer.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
13 words
The film of claim 34, wherein said second polymeric material is a polyacrylate.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
12 words
The film of claim 44, wherein said second polymeric material is polymethylmethacrylate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-15 | 2002-09-14 | 2003-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-15 | 2006-09-14 | 2007-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-15 | 2010-09-14 | 2011-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |