Process modifications for improved optical characteristics of K-type polarizer

Abstract

Synthetic sheet polarizers have a wide range of purposes, primarily in liquid crystal displays (LCD), in particular those with anti-glare and contrast-enhancing applications. Current polarizers do not perform to their full potential due to "leakage" in the red and blue parts of the spectrum, where light in the axis of polarization is inefficiently transmitted at wavelengths along the edge of the visible light spectrum. The absorption peaks can be spread to absorb light at the outer visible wavelengths by adding dichroic dyes to correct the blue (400-450 nm range) or red leakage (620-660 nm). This project covers experimentation to determine the value of these process additions and to further the understanding of the new mechanisms and the improvements they bring. This new polarizer is still in the technology development phase, but could be commercialized with these advances, giving 3M a competitive advantage in the current polarizer industry and in new applications which demand high durability and truer blacks.