Patent ID: 6044196
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: F21V,G02B,G02F,G09F,Y10S

Abstract:
An optical device for operating on light from a source and for selectively outputting light for Lusage, comprising:a base layer having at least a first and second surface, said base layer further including a back surface spanning said first and second surfaces, and the light exiting said base layer when the light being reflected therein decreases its angle relative to a normal to at least one of said first and second surfaces at the point of light incidence and achieves an angle of incidence less than a critical angle .theta..sub.c relative to the normal at the point of light incidence on said surfaces;first layer means disposed beyond at least one of said first and second surfaces relative to said base layer and for enabling light to enter and pass across said first layer means after output from said base layer when the light in said base layer achieves the angle of incidence less than the critical angle .theta..sub.c characteristic of an interface between said base layer and said first layer;a polarization splitting layer comprised of a multi-layer polymer film for preferably outputting light of a first polarization state compared to a second polarization state, said splitting layer disposed beyond at least one of said first and second surfaces relative to said base layer and said splitting layer further enabling reflection of at least part of the light having the second polarization state; andan LCD layer for receiving the light previously encountering said polarization splitting layer and for processing the light to output light of the preferred first polarization state for usage.