Patent ID: 8031276

Claim:
A method of manufacture of a birefringent liquid crystal component, the method comprising: forming (a) a layer of first material having an outer surface which is shaped with a surface relief structure and is provided with a liquid crystal alignment property, and (b) a flexible sheet having an outer surface provided with a liquid crystal alignment property; applying a curable birefringent liquid crystal material to one or both of the outer surface of the layer of first material and the outer surface of the flexible sheet; applying the flexible sheet over the layer of first material with the outer surfaces of the layer of first material and the flexible sheet facing one another with the curable birefringent liquid crystal material therebetween, thereby to form a liquid crystal cell; curing the curable birefringent liquid crystal material; and removing the flexible sheet from the liquid crystal cell, thereby to form a birefringent liquid crystal component.