Patent ID: 9081147
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: B29D,B42D,G02B,G02F

Abstract:
1. An optical article, comprising: a retarder film providing a first light retardation and comprising an effective medium stack of contiguous ultrathin layers configured to provide an effective optical medium for visible light, the ultrathin layers arranged into a plurality of optical repeat units each of which has an optical thickness of less than 190 nm, the ultrathin layers including different first and second ultrathin layers, the first ultrathin layers comprising a first polymer material exhibiting a first intrinsic birefringence, and the second ultrathin layers comprising a second polymer material; wherein the retarder film has a first absorption characteristic suitable to, upon exposure to a first radiant beam, absorptively heat the effective medium stack by an amount sufficient to change the first light retardation to a second light retardation, different from the first light retardation, while maintaining a structural integrity of the effective medium stack, wherein the stack of contiguous ultrathin layers includes the first ultrathin layers alternating with the second ultrathin layers, and wherein each of the optical repeat units include one of the first ultrathin layers and one of the second ultrathin layers, wherein the second polymer material exhibits a second intrinsic birefringence different from the first intrinsic birefringence, and wherein the first and second ultrathin layers are configured such that upon exposure of the retarder film to a second radiant beam different from the first radiant beam, the effective medium stack is heated by an amount sufficient to change the first light retardation to a third light retardation, different from the first and second light retardations, while maintaining the structural integrity of the effective medium stack.