Patent ID: 6844913

Claim:
An optical exposure apparatus for forming an alignment layer onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising: (a) an irradiation apparatus for directing an incident ultraviolet light toward said substrate at a predetermined average angle of inclination, over an exposure zone spanning a full width of said substrate, comprising: (a1) a light source for providing said incident ultraviolet light; (a2) light directing means for directing said incident ultraviolet light at said predetermined average angle of inclination relative to said substrate; (a3) a filter; (a4) a polarizer wherein said polarizer is rotatably oriented to maintain a principal axis of polarization, and said principal axis of polarization is independent of said angle of inclination; and (a5) a holographic light diffuser for homogenizing said incident ultraviolet light on said substrate at said predetermined average angle of inclination relative to said substrate.