Patent ID: 8792070

Claim:
A component for use between a light source and a display panel of a liquid crystal display, the component comprising: a plate consisting of a first layer and a second layer, the plate including a first major surface, a second major surface opposing the first major surface, and an edge joining the first and second major surfaces, the first major surface configured to allow a majority of incident light from a light source to be transmitted therethrough and defining a first side of the first layer, the second major surface configured to receive a portion of the transmitted incident light from the first layer and defining a first side of the second layer, wherein: the first layer is a single, discrete structure having a microscopically varying refraction index, the first layer adapted to diffusely backscatter a portion of incident light entering the first layer and to depolarize a plane of polarization of the portion of incident light passing through the first layer, the second layer is in contact with and adjacent to the first layer and is configured to be substantially index-matched to the first layer and substantially nonabsorbent to allow passage of light through the second major surface having a plane of polarization that is substantially aligned with a predetermined polarization axis of the display panel, and to substantially prevent passage of light through the second major surface having a plane of polarization that is not substantially aligned with the predetermined polarization axis of the display panel, incident light is not injected between the first layer and the second layer and is not injected through the plate edge, and incident light reaching the second layer but not passing through the second major surface is returned to the first layer where a portion of the returned incident light is depolarized and diffusely backscattered in the first layer and directed toward the second layer.