Organic solid crystal encapsulation

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an organic solid crystal package, and particularly provides a structure including an organic solid crystal and an encapsulation layer disposed over at least one surface of the organic solid crystal. The encapsulation layer is configured to inhibit mechanical and chemical degradation of the organic solid crystal, and may include an organic or inorganic compound, such as silica.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] The present disclosure claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,411, filed on August 29, 2023, and U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 18 / 543,037, filed on December 18, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of displays, and in particular to an organic solid crystal encapsulation (ORGANIC SOLIDCRYSTAL ENCAPSULATION). Background Art

[0004] Polymers and other organic materials can be incorporated into a variety of different optical and electro-optical device architectures including passive and active optics and electrically active devices. Lightweight and compliant polymer / organic solid layers can be incorporated into wearable devices such as smart glasses and are attractive candidates for emerging technologies including virtual reality / augmented reality devices that require comfortable, adjustable form factors.

[0005] Despite recent developments, it would be advantageous to provide polymers and other organic solid materials having improved optical properties, including one or more of controlled refractive index and birefringence, optical clarity, and optical transparency. Such materials can be formed into thin films, and multiple thin films can be stacked to form multilayers. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a structure including: an organic solid crystal; and an encapsulation layer disposed over at least one surface of the organic solid crystal.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a structure including: an organic solid crystal layer; and an encapsulation layer disposed over top, bottom, and sidewall surfaces of the organic solid crystal layer.

[0008] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method, the method comprising: forming an organic solid crystal; and forming an encapsulation layer over at least one surface of the organic solid crystal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings illustrate several exemplary embodiments and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, these drawings illustrate and explain various principles of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 1 Exemplary methods for making (A) free-standing organic solid crystalline materials and (B) supported organic solid crystalline materials are shown according to various embodiments.

[0011] Figure 2 Cross-polarized microscope images of organic solid crystals (A) without a non-volatile dielectric material and (B) with a non-volatile dielectric material, produced according to some embodiments are shown.

[0012] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a vapor deposition-type epitaxial growth process for forming an organic solid crystal according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a melt-based epitaxial growth process for forming organic solid crystals according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a melt-based epitaxial growth process for forming an organic solid crystal according to a further embodiment.

[0015] Figure 6 (A) Double-sided mold and (B) Single-sided mold epitaxial growth processes for forming organic solid crystals according to further embodiments are shown.

[0016] Figure 7 A seeded single-sided mold epitaxial growth process for forming an organic solid crystal is shown according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a solvent-based epitaxial / non-epitaxial growth process for forming organic solid crystals according to some embodiments.

[0018] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a non-epitaxial growth process for forming an organic solid crystal, according to certain embodiments.

[0019] Fig.10 An example grating architecture containing an organic solid crystal is shown according to some embodiments.

[0020] Fig.11 An example three-pole concentric ring electrode (CRE) is shown in accordance with certain embodiments.

[0021] Fig.12 An example organic solid crystal containing grating architecture according to further embodiments is shown.

[0022] Fig.13 Example non-planar organic solid crystal geometries are shown according to some embodiments.

[0023] Fig.14 An example mechanism for active tuning of the refractive index in a biased organic solid crystal is shown according to some embodiments.

[0024] Fig.15 The integration of optically isotropic or optically anisotropic organic solid crystal layers into example optical elements is shown according to various embodiments.

[0025] Fig.16 The integration of optically isotropic or anisotropic organic solid crystal thin films into exemplary optical elements is shown according to further embodiments.

[0026] Fig.17 An optical modulator having a pair of electrodes disposed over the same side of an organic solid crystal (OSC) layer is shown according to some embodiments.

[0027] Fig.18 An optical modulator having a pair of electrodes disposed over the same side of an organic solid crystal (OSC) layer according to a further embodiment is shown.

[0028] Fig.19 An optical modulator having an organic solid crystal (OSC) layer disposed between conductive electrodes is shown according to some embodiments.

[0029] Fig. 20 An optical modulator having an organic solid crystal (OSC) layer and a dielectric layer disposed between conductive electrodes according to further embodiments is shown.

[0030] Fig.21 An optical modulator having an organic solid crystal (OSC) layer and a semiconductor layer disposed between conductive electrodes according to a further embodiment is shown.

[0031] Fig. 22 is a graph of elliptical polarization peak shift versus time for an example OSC-containing optical modulator, showing the effect of applied voltage, according to some embodiments.

[0032] Fig.23 is a graph of elliptical polarization peak shift versus time for an exemplary OSC-containing optical modulator, showing the effect of applied voltage, according to some embodiments.

[0033] Fig.24 is a schematic diagram of an example crystal growth apparatus for producing organic solid crystals according to various embodiments.

[0034] Fig.25 is an illustration of example nucleation surfaces and scaffold geometries according to certain embodiments.

[0035] Fig.26 are illustrations of (A) top view and (B) side view of an example crystal growth configuration with a single nucleation site for fabricating an organic solid crystal (OSC) thin film, according to some embodiments.

[0036] Fig. 27 are illustrations of (A) top view and (B) side view of an example crystal growth configuration with multiple nucleation sites for fabricating an organic solid crystal (OSC) thin film, according to some embodiments.

[0037] Fig.28 is a diagram of an OSC thin film fabrication configuration for facilitating mass transport to the crystallization front during crystal growth, according to some embodiments.

[0038] Fig.29 Example crystalline organic molecules for making organic solid crystals according to certain embodiments are shown.

[0039] Fig.30 Examples of encapsulated organic solid crystal thin films according to certain embodiments are shown.

[0040] Fig.31 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical element including a polarizer including a reflective organic solid crystal, according to some embodiments.

[0041] Fig.32 is a graphical representation of the orientation of the refractive index (n3) within the principal planes of a biaxial multilayer organic solid crystal thin film according to various embodiments.

[0042] Fig.33 is a graph of signal efficiency and ghost image suppression as a function of reflective polarizer thickness for a reflective polarizer including a biaxially oriented organic solid crystal material, according to some embodiments.

[0043] Fig.34 is an illustration of exemplary augmented reality glasses that may be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0044] Fig.35 is an illustration of an exemplary virtual reality headset that may be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0045] Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and descriptions indicate similar but not necessarily identical elements. Although the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown in the drawings by way of example and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the specific forms disclosed. On the contrary, the present disclosure encompasses all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the scope of the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Polymers and other organic materials can be incorporated into a variety of different optical and electro-optical device architectures including passive and active optics and electrically active devices. Lightweight and compliant polymer / organic solid layers can be incorporated into wearable devices such as smart glasses and are attractive candidates for emerging technologies including virtual reality / augmented reality devices that require comfortable, adjustable form factors.

[0047] For example, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) eyewear devices or headsets can enable users to experience events such as interactions with people in a computer-generated three-dimensional world simulation, or view data superimposed on a real-world view. For example, superimposing information on a view can be achieved through an optical head-mounted display (OHMD) or by using embedded wireless glasses with a transparent heads-up display (HUD) or AR overlay. VR / AR eyewear devices and headsets can be used for various purposes. For example, governments can use such devices for military training, medical professionals can use such devices to simulate surgery, and engineers can use such devices as design visualization aids.

[0048] Despite recent developments, it would be advantageous to provide polymers and other organic solid materials having improved optical properties, including one or more of controlled refractive index and birefringence, optical clarity, and optical transparency. Such materials can be formed into thin films, and multiple thin films can be stacked to form multilayers.

[0049] As disclosed herein, layers of organic solid crystal (OSC) materials may be fabricated using a variety of methods including vapor and liquid phase epitaxy and non-epitaxial methods. The resulting single layer OSC film or multilayer film including multiple layers of organic solid crystal materials may be incorporated into various optical systems and devices. According to specific embodiments, reflective polarizers based on multilayer organic solid crystal films may be incorporated into display systems to provide high broadband efficiency and high off-axis contrast.

[0050] As an example, an optical component, such as a lens system including a circular reflective polarizer, may include a multilayer organic solid crystal film. Each biaxial OSC layer may be characterized by three mutually orthogonal refractive indices (n1, n2, n3), where n1≠n2≠n3. The multilayer film may include multiple rotationally offset biaxially oriented organic solid material layers. By misaligning (i.e., rotating) each layer relative to adjacent layers, such a biaxially oriented multilayer film may achieve higher signal efficiency and greater ghost suppression compared to architectures using comparative materials. Organic solid crystal films may also be used as brightness enhancement layers in various projectors.

[0051] As will be explained in more detail herein, embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to switchable optical elements comprising a layer of organic solid crystal (OSC) material. The OSC layer can exhibit a first refractive index in a first bias state and a second refractive index in a second bias state, and can be actively tuned within a range of refractive index values ​​between the first refractive index and the second refractive index.

[0052] One or more source materials can be used to form organic solid crystal films, including multilayer films. Example organic materials include various types of crystalline organic semiconductors. Organic semiconductors can include small molecules, macromolecules, liquid crystals, organometallic compounds, oligomers and polymers. Organic semiconductors can include p-type, n-type or bipolar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as anthracene, phenanthrene, toluene, thiophene, pyrene, corannulene, fluorene, biphenyl and terphenyl. Further example small molecules include fullerenes, such as carbon 60.

[0053] Exemplary compounds may include cyclic, linear and / or branched structures, which may be saturated or unsaturated and may additionally include heteroatoms and / or saturated or unsaturated heterocycles, such as furan, pyrrole, thiophene, pyridine, pyrimidine and piperidine, etc. Heteroatoms (e.g., dopants) may include fluorine, chlorine, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus and various metals. Suitable raw materials for molding solid organic semiconductor materials may include pure organic compositions, melts, solutions or suspensions containing one or more organic materials of the present disclosure.

[0054] Such materials can provide functions including phase modulation, beam steering, wavefront shaping and correction, optical communications, optical computing, and holography. Due to their optical and mechanical properties, organic solid crystals can enable high-performance devices and can be incorporated into passive or active optical devices (including AR / VR headsets), and can replace comparative material systems (such as polymers, inorganic materials, and liquid crystals). In some aspects, organic solid crystals can have optical properties comparable to inorganic crystals while exhibiting the processability and electrical response of liquid crystals.

[0055] Structurally, the disclosed organic materials can be glassy, ​​polycrystalline or single crystal. For example, the organic solid crystal can include a tightly packed structure (e.g., organic molecules) exhibiting desired optical properties (such as, high and tunable refractive index and high birefringence). Anisotropic organic solid materials can include preferred molecular stacking, i.e., preferred molecular orientation or alignment. Exemplary devices can include one or more organic solid crystal films with a high refractive index, which can be further characterized by a smooth outer surface.

[0056] According to some embodiments, one or more organic material layers can be used to form various devices, including transistors, diodes, capacitors, etc. Example transistor architectures include MOSFET, JFET, ESFET, HEMT, BJT, etc. In certain embodiments, the transistor architecture may include an organic field effect transistor (OFET), which may have a geometry selected from TGTC, BGTC, TGBC, and BGBC. Example diodes may include pn junction, Schottky, avalanche, and PIN geometries. Example capacitors may include parallel plate geometries. In a multilayer architecture, the composition, structure, and properties of each organic layer may be independently selected.

[0057] Thus, the present disclosure relates generally to organic thin films and devices containing such thin films, and more particularly to organic solid crystal thin films and methods of making the same.

[0058] Due to its relatively low melting point, organic solid crystals can be molded to form the desired structure. The molding process can achieve complex architectures and can be more economical than the cutting, grinding and polishing of bulk crystals. In an example, the basic shape of a single crystal or polycrystalline (such as a sheet or a cube) can be partially or completely melted into a desired form, and then controllably cooled to form a single crystal with an equivalent shape or a different shape. Suitable raw materials for molding solid organic semiconductor materials can include pure organic compositions, solutions, dispersions or suspensions. In addition, as further disclosed herein, chemical additives can be combined with the molding process to improve the surface roughness of the molded organic solid crystals in situ.

[0059] The process of molding optically anisotropic crystalline or partially crystalline films may include the manipulation of thermodynamic and kinetic control of nucleation and crystal growth. In certain embodiments, the temperature of the nucleation region near the mold during molding may be less than the melting onset temperature (T m ), while the temperature away from the nucleation region can be greater than the melting onset temperature. Such a temperature gradient paradigm can be obtained by a spatially applied thermal gradient, optionally combined with a selective melting process (e.g., laser, soldering iron, etc.) to remove excess nuclei, leaving a small number of nuclei (e.g., a single nucleus) for crystal growth.

[0060] High refractive index and high birefringence organic semiconductor materials can be manufactured as self-supporting articles or as thin films deposited on substrates. For example, epitaxial or non-epitaxial growth processes can be used to form organic solid crystal (OSC) layers over suitable substrates or in molds. Seed layers for promoting crystal nucleation and anti-nucleation layers configured to locally inhibit nucleation can jointly promote the formation of a limited number of crystal nuclei within a specified location, which in turn can promote the formation of larger organic solid crystals.

[0061] A suitable substrate or mold can be made of a material having a melting start temperature (T m )Higher softening temperature or glass transition temperature (T g ) material. The substrate or mold may include any suitable material, such as silicon, silicon dioxide, fused silicon, quartz, glass, nickel, silicone, siloxane, perfluoropolyether, polytetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkoxyalkane, polyimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyvinylidene fluoride, and polyphenylene sulfide, etc. For convenience, unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms "substrate" and "mold" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0062] To promote nucleation and crystal growth, selected temperatures and temperature gradients may be applied to the crystallization front of the nascent film. The temperature and temperature gradient close to the crystallization front may be determined based on the selected raw materials, including their melting temperature, thermal stability, and rheological properties. In some embodiments, a seed layer configured to promote crystal nucleation may be formed on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate or mold.

[0063] Example nucleation promoting materials or seed layer materials may include one or more metals or inorganic elements or compounds, such as Pt, Ag, Au, Al, Pb, indium tin oxide and SiO2, etc. Further example nucleation promoting materials or seed layer materials may include organic compounds, such as polyimides, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polythiourea, polyethylene, polysulfonates, polyolefins, and mixtures and combinations thereof. In some examples, the nucleation promoting material may be configured as a textured or aligned layer (such as a rubbed polyimide or a light-controlled alignment layer), which may be configured to cause the directionality or preferred orientation of excessively formed organic crystals. On the other hand, the anti-nucleation layer may include a dielectric material. In a further embodiment, the anti-nucleation layer may include an amorphous material. In the example process, crystal nucleation may occur independently of the substrate or mold.

[0064] In some embodiments, a surface treatment or release layer (release layer) disposed above a substrate or mold can be used to control the nucleation and growth of organic solid crystals (OSC), and subsequently promote the separation and harvesting of bulk crystals or thin films. For example, a coating having a solubility parameter that does not match the deposition chemistry can be applied to the substrate (e.g., locally) to suppress the interaction between the substrate and the crystallizing layer (crystallizing layer) during the deposition process. Examples of such coatings include oleophobic coatings or hydrophobic coatings. A thin layer (e.g., monolayer or bilayer) of an oleophobic material or a hydrophobic material can be used to regulate a substrate or mold before an epitaxial process. Coating materials can be selected based on substrates and / or crystalline materials. Further example coating materials include siloxanes, fluorosilicone, phenylsiloxane, fluorinated coatings, polyvinyl alcohol and other OH coatings, acrylic acid, polyurethane, polyester and polyimide, etc.

[0065] A buffer layer may be formed over the deposition surface of the substrate or mold. The buffer layer may include small molecules similar to or even comparable to those that make up organic solid crystals, such as anthracene single crystals. The buffer layer may be used to tune one or more properties of the growth surface of the substrate or mold, including surface energy, wettability, crystallization, or molecular orientation, among others.

[0066] The substrate or mold may include a surface configured to provide the desired shape and size specifications to the molded organic article. For example, the substrate or mold surface may be planar, concave, or convex, and may include a three-dimensional structure (such as a surface relief grating), or be configured to form a curvature of a microlens, microprism, or prismatic lens. In other words, according to some embodiments, the substrate or mold geometry may be transferred and incorporated into the surface of the over-formed organic solid crystal film.

[0067] An example method for making an organic solid crystal thin film includes providing a mold, forming a nucleation promoting material layer over at least a portion of a surface of the mold, and depositing a molten feedstock layer over the surface of the mold and in contact with the nucleation promoting material layer while maintaining a temperature gradient across the molten feedstock layer.

[0068] During the action of molding, and according to a specific embodiment, the cover plate can be applied to the free surface of the raw material layer. The cover plate can be tilted at a certain angle relative to the main surface of the film. Force can be applied to the cover plate to generate capillary forces (capillary force), which promote the mass transfer of molten raw materials, that is, between the cover plate and the substrate and in the direction of the crystallization front of the growing crystalline film. In some embodiments, such as by the vertical orientation of the deposition system, gravity can contribute to the mass transfer and transportation of molten raw materials to the crystallization front. Suitable materials for cover plates and substrates can independently include silicon dioxide, fused silica, high refractive index glass, high refractive index inorganic crystals and high melting temperature polymers (e.g., siloxanes, polyimides, PTFE, PFA, etc.), although other material components are considered.

[0069] According to certain embodiments, a method of forming an organic solid crystal (OSC) may include: combining an organic precursor (i.e., a crystalline organic molecule) with a non-volatile dielectric material; forming a layer including the organic precursor and the non-volatile dielectric material over a surface of a substrate or a mold; and, processing the organic precursor layer to form an organic crystalline phase, wherein the organic crystalline phase may include a preferred orientation of the molecules.

[0070] The action of contacting the organic precursor with the non-volatile dielectric material may include forming a homogenous mixture of the organic precursor and the non-volatile dielectric material. In another embodiment, the action of contacting the organic precursor with the non-volatile dielectric material may include: forming a layer of the non-volatile dielectric material over a surface of the substrate or mold; and, forming the organic precursor layer on the layer of the non-volatile dielectric material.

[0071] According to further embodiments, the method may include: forming a layer of non-volatile dielectric material above the mold surface; forming a layer of molecular raw material above the surface of the non-volatile dielectric material, the molecular raw material including an organic solid crystal precursor; forming crystal nuclei from the organic solid crystal precursor; and growing the crystal nuclei to form an organic solid crystal film.

[0072] In some embodiments, a non-volatile dielectric material may be disposed between the mold surface and the organic precursor and may be adapted to reduce the surface roughness of the molded organic solid crystalline film and facilitate its release from the mold while locally inhibiting nucleation of a crystalline phase.

[0073] Example non-volatile dielectric materials include liquids such as silicone oil, paraffin oil, fluorinated polymers, polyolefins, and / or polyethylene glycol. Thus, in some embodiments, the non-volatile dielectric material layer can provide a liquid surface for the growth of organic solid crystals (such as, organic solid crystal films). Another example non-volatile dielectric material can include a crystalline material having a melting temperature lower than the melting temperature of the organic precursor material. In some embodiments, the mold surface can be pre-treated to improve the wettability and / or adhesion of the non-volatile dielectric material.

[0074] The deposition surface of the substrate or mold may include a functional layer configured to be transferred to the organic solid crystal after the organic solid crystal is formed and separated from the substrate or mold. The functional layer may include an interference coating, an AR coating, an enhanced reflectivity coating, a bandpass coating, a bandstop coating, a blanket electrode or a patterned electrode, etc. As an example, the electrode may include any suitable conductive material, such as a metal, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) (e.g., indium tin oxide or indium gallium zinc oxide), or a metal mesh or a nanowire matrix (e.g., including metal nanowires or carbon nanotubes).

[0075] In some embodiments, the surface roughness of the substrate itself (i.e., the crystal growth surface) can be controlled to enable the formation of large (area) organic solid crystals. By reducing the substrate surface roughness, the number of nucleation sites can be reduced, which can achieve the formation of higher quality (i.e., optical quality) films. In addition, by reducing the substrate surface roughness, the contact area between the substrate and the initial solid crystal can be reduced, which can improve strippability.

[0076] The thin film or bulk crystal of the organic semiconductor can be self-supporting or disposed above a substrate. If used, the substrate can be optically transparent. Nucleation and growth kinetics and chemical selection can be selected to produce a solid organic crystal film having an area (lateral) dimension of at least about 1 cm. In another example, the organic solid crystal fiber can have a length (axial) dimension of at least about 1 cm.

[0077] The organic solid crystal film can have a thickness of about 10 nm to about 500 microns, such as an exemplary thickness of about 50 microns to about 250 microns. The OSC film can have an optical transmittance of at least about 50%, such as about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, about 95%, about 97%, about 98%, or about 99%, including ranges between any of the foregoing values, in certain embodiments.

[0078] The organic film may include a planar, convex or concave surface. In some embodiments, the surface may include a three-dimensional structure, such as a periodic surface relief grating. In further embodiments, the film may be configured as a microlens or a prismatic lens. For example, a polarization optical device may include a microlens that selectively passes one polarization of light and focuses on another polarization. In some embodiments, the structured surface may be formed in situ, i.e., during crystal growth of an organic solid crystal. In further embodiments, the structured surface may be formed after crystal growth, for example, using an additive process or a subtractive process, such as photolithography and etching.

[0079] According to some embodiments, organic solid crystal films can be characterized by a preferred orientation of molecules that defines a relative orientation for at least about 1 cm 2 In some embodiments, the surface roughness (Ra) of at least one surface of the OSC film may be less than about 10000 nm, less than about 5000 nm, less than about 2000 nm, less than about 1000 nm, less than about 500 nm, less than about 200 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 500 nm, less than about 200 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 50 nm, less than about 20 nm, less than about 10 nm, less than about 5 nm, or less than about 2 nm, including ranges between any of the foregoing values.

[0080] The organic crystalline phase can be monocrystalline or polycrystalline. In some embodiments, the organic crystalline phase can include amorphous regions. In some embodiments, the organic crystalline phase can be substantially crystalline. The organic crystalline phase can be characterized by: along at least one principal axis, the refractive index at 589nm is at least about 1.4, and can be isotropic or anisotropic. As an example, the refractive index at 589nm and along at least one principal axis of the organic crystalline phase can be at least about 1.5, at least about 1.6, at least about 1.7, at least about 1.8, at least about 1.9, at least about 2.0, at least about 2.1, at least about 2.2, at least about 2.3, at least about 2.4, at least about 2.5 or at least about 2.6, including the range between any of the aforementioned values.

[0081] The organic solid crystal film may include a crystalline phase having at least one refractive index of at least about 1.9 along its major axis. In some embodiments, the major axis (n1, n2, n3) of the crystalline phase may extend coextensively with the spatial dimensions (e.g., length, width, and thickness) of the film. In some embodiments, the major axis (n1, n2, n3) of the crystalline phase may be independent of the spatial dimensions of the film.

[0082] In some embodiments, the organic crystalline phase can be isotropic (n1=n2=n3) or birefringent, wherein n1≠n2≠n3 or n1≠n2=n3 or n1=n2≠n3, and can be characterized by a birefringence (Δn) of at least about 0.1, such as at least about 0.1, at least about 0.2, at least about 0.3, at least about 0.4, or at least about 0.5 (including ranges between any of the foregoing values). In some embodiments, the birefringent organic crystalline phase can be characterized by a birefringence of less than about 0.1, such as less than about 0.1, less than about 0.05, less than about 0.02, less than about 0.01, less than about 0.005, less than about 0.002, or less than about 0.001 (including ranges between any of the foregoing values).

[0083] Table 1 shows, for example, triaxial ellipsometry data for isotropic or anisotropic organic molecules. The data include predicted and measured refractive index and birefringence values ​​for 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene (1,2,3-TCB), 1,2-diphenylacetylene (1,2-DPE), and phenazine. For each organic material composition, the refractive index and birefringence values ​​shown are greater than the predicted refractive index and birefringence values ​​compared to the values ​​calculated based on the HOMO-LUMO gap.

[0084] Table 1 Refractive index and birefringence data of exemplary organic semiconductors

[0085]

[0086] Organic solid crystal films (including multilayer organic solid crystal films) can be optically transparent and exhibit low volume haze. As used herein, for a given thickness, a "transparent" or "optically transparent" material or element may have a transmittance in the visible spectrum of at least about 80%, such as about 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 99.5% (including a range between any of the foregoing values) and a volume haze of less than about 5%, such as about 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 1%, 2% or 4% (including a range between any of the foregoing values). Transparent materials typically exhibit very low optical absorption and minimal optical scattering.

[0087] As used, the terms "haze" and "clarity" may refer to optical phenomena associated with the transmission of light through a material and may be due, for example, to refraction of light within the material, for example, due to secondary phases or porosity and / or reflection of light from one or more surfaces of the material. It will be appreciated that haze may be associated with the amount of light subject to wide angle scattering (i.e., angles greater than 2.5° from the normal) and the corresponding loss of transmission contrast, while clarity may be associated with the amount of light subject to narrow angle scattering (i.e., angles less than 2.5° from the normal) and the resulting loss of optical clarity or "see-through quality."

[0088] In some embodiments, one or more organic solid crystal thin film layers can be stacked to form a multilayer. The multilayer film can be formed by arranging (clock) and stacking each layer in a clockwise direction. That is to say, in the example "arranged in a clockwise direction" multilayer stack, the range of the refractive index orientation error of the in-plane angle between adjacent layers can be about 1 ° to about 90 °, such as 1 °, 2 °, 5 °, 10 °, 20 °, 30 °, 40 °, 45 °, 50 °, 60 °, 70 °, 80 ° or 90 °, including the range between any values ​​in the aforementioned values.

[0089] In an example multilayer architecture, the thickness of each layer can be determined by the average of the in-plane refractive indices (n2 and n3), where (n2+n3) / 2 can be greater than about 1.4, e.g., greater than 1.4, greater than 1.45, greater than 1.5, greater than 1.55, or greater than 1.6. In general, the thickness of a given layer can be inversely proportional to the arithmetic mean of its in-plane indices. Similarly, the total number of layers in a multilayer stack can be determined by the in-plane birefringence (|n3-n2|), which can be greater than about 0.05, e.g., greater than 0.05, greater than 0.1, or greater than 0.2.

[0090] According to some embodiments, for a given biaxially oriented organic solid material layer within a multilayer stack, the out-of-plane refractive index (n1) can be determined by the relationship is related to the in-plane refractive indices (n2 and n3), where represents the rotation angle of the refractive index vector between adjacent layers. The variation of n1 may be less than ±0.7, less than ±0.6, less than ±0.5, less than ±0.4, less than ±0.3, or less than ±0.2.

[0091] Instead of molding, or in addition to molding, another exemplary deposition method for forming organic solid crystals includes: vapor growth, solid growth, melt-like growth, solution growth, etc., optionally in combination with a suitable substrate and / or seed crystal. The substrate can be organic or inorganic. As an example, thin film solid organic materials can be manufactured using one or more processes selected from the following items: chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition. Another coating process (e.g., a coating process from a solution) may include 3D printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, doctor blading, and spin coating, etc. Such a process can induce shear during the coating action, and therefore can contribute to the crystallite or molecular orientation within the organic solid crystal film, as well as the preferred orientation of the crystallites and / or molecules. Yet another exemplary method may include a self-supporting crystal pulled from a melt. According to some embodiments, a solid phase, liquid phase, or vapor phase deposition process may include an epitaxial process.

[0092] As used herein, the terms "epitaxial", "epitaxial" and / or "epitaxial growth and / or deposition" refer to the nucleation and growth of organic solid crystals on a deposition surface, wherein the growing layer of organic solid crystals is assumed to have the same crystallographic habit as the material of the deposition surface. For example, in an epitaxial deposition process, the chemical reactants can be controlled and the system parameters can be set so that the deposited atoms or molecules land on the deposition surface and remain sufficiently mobile via surface diffusion to orient themselves according to the crystallographic orientation of the atoms or molecules of the deposition surface. Epitaxial processes can be homogeneous or heterogeneous.

[0093] According to various embodiments, doping and related techniques can be used to tune the optical and electro-optical properties of organic solid crystals. For example, doping can affect the polarizability of organic solid crystals. Doping of dopants (i.e., impurities) into organic solid crystals can affect, for example, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) band, and thus affect its band gap, induced dipole moment, and / or molecule / crystal polarizability. Doping can be performed in situ (i.e., during epitaxial growth or after epitaxial growth) using, for example, ion implantation or plasma doping. In an exemplary embodiment, doping can be used to modify the electronic structure of organic solid crystals under conditions that will not damage molecular stacking or the crystal structure itself. An annealing step after implantation can be used to repair crystal defects introduced during ion implantation. Annealing can include, for example, rapid thermal annealing or pulse annealing.

[0094] Doping changes the electron and hole carrier concentrations of the host material at thermal equilibrium. Doped organic solid crystals can be p-type or n-type. As used herein, "p-type" refers to the addition of impurities that cause valence electron deficiency to the organic solid crystal, while "n-type" refers to the addition of impurities that form free electrons to the organic solid crystal. Without wishing to be bound by theory, doping can affect "π-stacking" and "π-π interactions" in organic solid crystals.

[0095] Example dopants include Lewis acids (electron acceptors) and Lewis bases (electron donors). Specific examples include charge neutral and ionic species (e.g., Bronsted Acids and Bronsted bases), in addition to the above processes, charge neutral and ionic species can be incorporated into organic solid crystals by solution growth or vapor phase co-deposition. In certain embodiments, dopants can include organic molecules, organic ions, inorganic molecules or inorganic ions. Example dopants include luminescent fluorophores, which can be configured to emit light with a selected polarization. In certain embodiments, fluorophores can be oriented by organic crystals in a manner that effectively produces selective polarization (e.g., P or S) at the operating wavelength. The doping distribution can be homogeneous or confined to a specific area (e.g., depth) of the organic solid crystal. Suitable fluorophores emit from triplet excited states. Example phosphors include metal complexes, such as platinum complex porphyrins and PtOEP (platinum-octaethyl-porphyrin), although further components are considered. The melting point and / or sublimation temperature of the molecular dopant and the organic precursor can be substantially equal. In some embodiments, the molecular dopant can be configured to be effectively loaded into the crystal matrix of the organic solid crystal.

[0096] During nucleation and growth, one or more of substrate temperature, deposition pressure, solvent vapor pressure, or non-solvent vapor pressure can be used to control the orientation of the in-plane axes of the OSC film. The high refractive index and high birefringence organic solid crystal thin films can be supported by a substrate or mold, or removed therefrom to form a self-supporting film. The substrate (if used) can be rigid or deformable.

[0097] The doped organic crystals may be planar or non-planar and may be formed using one or a combination of processes including, but not limited to, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor transport, melt growth, solution growth, thermal annealing, zone annealing, spin coating, doctor blade coating, ink jetting, and role-to-role processing.

[0098] The organic solid crystal (OSC) layer may be disposed above an electrode or between a pair of electrodes, wherein, for example, a voltage applied between the electrodes may be used to tune one or more optical properties of the OSC layer. According to certain embodiments, the optical modulator may include an active layer of an organic solid crystal phase, a primary electrode disposed above a first portion of the active layer, and a secondary electrode disposed above a second portion of the active layer, wherein an optical property of the active layer has a first value along a selected direction in a first bias state, and a second value along the selected direction in a second bias state. The optical property may include a refractive index, a birefringence, and / or absorption of visible light.

[0099] Organic solid crystals with actively tunable refractive index and birefringence are disclosed. Methods of making such organic solid crystals may be able to control their surface roughness independently of surface features (e.g., gratings), and may include forming organic articles therefrom. Variable and controllable refractive index architectures may be incorporated into or implement various optical and photonic devices and systems.

[0100] According to various embodiments, organic articles including organic solid crystals (OSCs) can be integrated into optical components or devices (such as OFETs, OPVs, OLEDs, etc.), and can be incorporated into optical elements such as waveguides, Fresnel lenses (e.g., cylindrical Fresnel lenses or spherical Fresnel lenses), gratings, photonic integrated circuits, birefringent index compensation layers, reflective polarizers, refractive index matching layers (LED / OLED), and holographic data storage elements.

[0101] As used herein, a grating is an optical element having a periodic structure configured to scatter or diffract light into a plurality of partial beams. The direction or diffraction angle of the diffracted light may depend on the wavelength of the light incident on the grating, the orientation of the incident light relative to the grating surface, and the spacing between adjacent diffraction elements. In certain embodiments, the grating architecture may be tuned in one, two, or three dimensions. The optical element may include a single or multilayer OSC architecture.

[0102] As will be appreciated, one or more properties of an organic solid crystal can be specifically tailored for a particular application. For example, for many optical applications, it can be advantageous to control the crystallite size, surface roughness, mechanical strength and toughness, and orientation of crystallites and / or molecules within an organic solid crystal film or fiber.

[0103] Active modulation of the refractive index can improve the performance of photonic systems and devices, including passive and active optical waveguides, resonators, lasers, optical modulators, etc. Another example active optical device includes projectors and projection optics, ophthalmic high-index lenses, eye trackers, gradient-index optics, Pancharatnam-Berry (PBP) phase lenses, pupil steering elements, microlenses, optical computers, optical fibers, rewritable optical data storage, all-optical logic gates, multi-wavelength optical data processors, optical transistors, etc.

[0104] Features from any of the embodiments described herein may be used in combination with each other according to the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features and advantages will be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

[0105] The following will refer to Figures 1 to 35Provides a detailed description of organic solid crystals, their preparation methods and potential applications. Figure 1 Related discussion relates to example mold-type processes for forming thin films of organic solid crystals. Figure 2 Related discussions concern the structure and properties of example organic solid crystals made from nonvolatile dielectric materials. Figures 3 to 9 The related discussion includes descriptions of example epitaxial growth processes and non-epitaxial growth processes for forming organic solid crystals. Figures 10 to 23 The associated discussion includes a description of the architecture and performance of example organic solid crystals and optical modulators containing the organic solid crystals.

[0106] and Figure 24 to Figure 28 The related discussion includes a description of exemplary fabrication methods and apparatus for forming organic solid crystal thin films. Fig.29 The related discussion includes a description of exemplary organic molecules suitable for making organic solid crystals. Fig.30 The related discussion includes a description of example encapsulated organic solid crystal thin films. Fig.31 The related discussion includes a description of circular reflective polarizers that can contain multilayer organic solid crystal thin films having biaxial refractive indices. Fig.32 The related discussion includes a description of the orientation of the in-plane refractive index (n3) in an exemplary multilayer organic solid crystal film. Fig.33 The related discussion includes a description of the performance of an exemplary circular reflective polarizer comprising a multilayer organic solid crystal thin film having a biaxial refractive index. Fig.34 and Fig.35 A related discussion relates to exemplary virtual reality and augmented reality devices that may include one or more organic solid crystal films as disclosed herein.

[0107] Steering Figure 1 , schematically illustrates an example fabrication architecture that can be implemented according to certain methods of forming an organic solid crystalline film. In some embodiments, a layer of a crystalline organic precursor can be deposited between mold surfaces or over a substrate surface and processed to form an organic solid crystalline film. The crystalline organic precursor can include one or more crystalline organic molecules.

[0108] refer to Figure 1A, shown at an intermediate stage of fabrication, an organic precursor layer 110 may be disposed between an upper mold body 120 and a lower mold body 120, which may be coated with upper and lower layers of a non-volatile dielectric material 130, respectively. The non-volatile dielectric material layer 130 may include an anti-nucleation layer. Subsequent treatment is performed to induce nucleation and growth of organic solid crystals, and the resulting organic solid crystal film 112 may be removed from the mold 120. Exemplary processing steps may include zone annealing. The organic solid film 112 may be birefringent (e.g., n1≠n2≠n3) and may be characterized by a high refractive index (e.g., n2>1.4 and / or n3>1.4).

[0109] Reference Figure 1 B, shows another fabrication architecture for forming supported organic solid crystal thin films. Figure 1 In the structure of FIG. 1B , at an intermediate stage of manufacturing, a crystalline organic precursor layer 110 may be disposed over a substrate 140 . An upper mold body 120 may be overlaid over the organic precursor layer 110 , and a non-volatile dielectric material layer 130 may be located between the mold body 120 and the organic precursor layer 110 . The non-volatile dielectric material layer 130 may be directly overlaid over the organic precursor layer 110 , and may be configured to control the surface roughness of the upper surface of the organic solid crystal film 112 during crystal growth. According to some embodiments, in Figure 1 A and Figure 1 In B, the direction of movement of the crystallization front 111 during crystal growth is indicated by arrow A.

[0110] Reference Figure 2 , showing polarized optical microscope images of organic solid crystal thin films formed using a mold-based method. Thin films 211 and 212 are manufactured in (A) the case where no non-volatile dielectric material layer is used, and (B) a non-volatile dielectric material layer is pre-set on the mold surface (e.g., using Figure 1 A or Figure 1 The improved surface morphology associated with the use of a non-volatile dielectric material layer is shown in FIG. Figure 2 The appearance of the organic solid film 212 in B is obvious.

[0111] Figure 3An example vapor phase epitaxial growth process for forming an organic solid crystal thin film is schematically shown in FIG. Vaporized molecules 310 of an organic solid crystal material, for example, in a vacuum chamber (not shown), together with dopant molecules 320, can be directed to a deposition surface 341 of a substrate 340 to form an organic solid crystal layer over the substrate. The choice of solvent, the concentration of the vaporized molecules, the substrate temperature, one or more temperature gradients, gas pressure, etc. can be used to control the gas phase mobility of the molecules 310, 320, the adsorption and desorption rates of the molecules 310, 320, and the crystallization rate and crystal structure of the organic solid crystal thin film.

[0112] Figure 4 Another example epitaxial growth process for forming an organic solid crystal is schematically shown in FIG. Figure 4 In the method, the organic crystal melt 410 can be contained in the crucible 420 and heated. The crucible 420 can be formed of, for example, glass or glass ceramic material. The organic crystal melt 410 can be in direct contact with the non-volatile dielectric material 430 contained in the crucible 420. The non-volatile dielectric material 430 can include silicone oil, paraffin oil, fluorinated polymer or fluorinated oligomer, polyethylene glycol, polyolefin, etc.

[0113] Seed crystal 450 can be in contact with organic crystal melt 410, and optionally, for example, stretched from the molten phase at a desired rate under continuous operation to form an organic solid crystal. Seed crystal 450 can include organic solid crystal material. In some embodiments, the composition of organic crystal melt 410 and the composition of seed crystal 450 can be equal or substantially equal. Seed crystal 450 can have a flat or non-flat contact surface 452 that contacts the molten phase, and the surface can be selected to control the shape (e.g., curvature) of the over-formed organic solid crystal. In some embodiments, crucible 420 can be configured as a mold, and organic crystal melt 410 can be crystallized in crucible 420 to form an organic solid crystal.

[0114] Figure 5 Another example epitaxial growth process and process architecture for forming an organic solid crystal is schematically shown in FIG. Figure 5In the method, an organic crystal melt 510 can be contained in a crucible 520 and heated. The crucible 520 can be configured to provide mechanical support and can include, for example, a glass or glass ceramic material. The organic crystal melt 510 can be in direct contact with a non-volatile dielectric material layer 530 covering the inner surface of the crucible 520. The non-volatile dielectric material 530 can include silicone oil, paraffin oil, fluorinated polymers or fluorinated oligomers, polyethylene glycol, and polyolefins, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the non-volatile dielectric material layer 530 can include a conformal layer of self-supporting molecules (e.g., an oil layer or a brushed layer of a polymer, oligomer, or small molecule (such as a silane or a fluorinated polymer)).

[0115] Seed crystal 550 can be in contact with organic crystal melt 510, and optionally, for example, stretched from the molten phase at a desired rate under continuous operation to form an organic solid crystal. Seed crystal 550 can include organic solid crystal material. In some embodiments, the composition of organic crystal melt 510 and seed crystal 550 can be equal or substantially equal. In some embodiments, seed crystal 550 can have a flat or non-flat contact surface 552, which can be selected to control the shape (e.g., curvature) of the over-formed organic solid crystal. In some embodiments, crucible 520 can be configured as a mold, and organic crystal melt 510 can be crystallized in crucible 520 to form an organic solid crystal.

[0116] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the atmosphere overlying the molten phase can be controlled. For example, the atmosphere overlying the melt can include an inert gas (such as argon) maintained at a controlled pressure and / or flow rate.

[0117] According to another embodiment, Figure 6 , wherein both (A) a double-sided mold and (B) a single-sided mold architecture are shown. In each method, a non-volatile dielectric material layer (i.e., an anti-nucleation layer) 630 can be disposed between the mold 620 and the molten phase 610. A local seed layer (not shown) can be used to initiate crystal nucleation and growth. Figure 7 It is shown in Figure 6 Cross-sectional view of the single-sided die method of B. Figure 7 In A, a seed crystal 750 is shown located within a mold 720 and in contact with an anti-nucleation layer 730. Figure 7 B, the distribution element 760 can be configured to deliver the organic crystal molecules to the nucleation point near the seed crystal 750, and subsequently to the crystallization front during crystal growth.

[0118] refer to Figure 8 , shows a schematic arrangement of an epitaxial growth process or a non-epitaxial growth process, wherein an organic crystal seed (seed) 850 may be initially contacted with a supersaturated organic solution 810 and optionally drawn from a supersaturated organic solvent. The organic solution may include one or more crystalline organic molecules dissolved in a suitable solvent. The organic solution 810 may be contained within a crucible 820 and separated from the crucible 820 by an anti-nucleation layer 830. By contacting the seed 850 with the solution 810, an organic solid crystal layer may nucleate and grow within the crucible 820.

[0119] Reference Fig. 9 Another nucleation process and growth process may include providing an anti-nucleation layer 930 above the substrate 920 and introducing an organic crystal solution 910 above the anti-nucleation layer 930. Fig. 9 As shown in A, optionally, in the absence of a seed layer, the organic crystal solution 910 can be cured to form organic solid crystals. Fig. 9 A photomicrograph of a self-supporting organic solid crystal 912 is shown in B. According to some embodiments, the organic solid crystal 912 is characterized by a length dimension of at least about 1 cm.

[0120] According to another embodiment, Fig.10 and Fig.11 The dynamic and static methods for forming organic solid crystals with structured surface features are schematically shown in FIG. Fig.10 A, a layer of organic crystal solution or melt 1010 and an adjacent conductive liquid layer 1070 may be disposed between opposing substrates 1040. Patterned and paired electrodes 1080 may be overlaid on the respective substrates 1040. Fig.10 B, under an applied electric field (E), patterning can be induced in the conductive liquid layer 1070, which can produce a reciprocal pattern in the organic crystalline material layer 1010. In turn, crystallization of the organic crystalline material layer 1010 can be performed by thermally induced nucleation and growth, for example, optionally in combination with a seed crystal (not shown) to form an organic solid crystalline film having a periodic surface feature or structure (e.g., an array of raised elements).

[0121] Fig.11An example structure of a tripolar concentric ring electrode (CRE) 1100 (such as electrode 1080) is shown. CRE 1100 may include multiple electrode segments, such as a center disk 1102, an inner ring 1104, and an outer ring 1106. The electrodes may include metals such as aluminum, gold, silver, tin, copper, indium, gallium, and zinc. Other conductive materials may be used, including carbon nanotubes, graphene, and transparent conductive oxides (TCOs, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), and zinc oxide (ZnO), etc.).

[0122] The electrodes may be fabricated using any suitable process. For example, the electrodes may be fabricated using physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), evaporation, spray coating, spin coating, and atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. On the other hand, the electrodes may be fabricated using a thermal evaporator, a sputtering system, a spray coater, a spin coater, printing, stamping, etc.

[0123] The electrode can have a thickness of about 1 nm to about 1000 nm, with an exemplary thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm. In certain embodiments, the electrode can have an optical transmittance of at least about 50%, such as about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, about 95%, about 97%, about 98%, or about 99%, including ranges between any of the foregoing values.

[0124] Reference Fig.12 , showing a static method for forming an organic solid crystal with structured surface features. A layer of an organic crystal solution or melt 1210 and an adjacent pre-patterned mold 1220 can be disposed between opposing substrates 1240. In the case where the organic crystal solution or melt 1210 conforms to the shape of the patterned mold 1220, crystallization of the organic crystal material layer 1210 can be performed by thermally induced nucleation and growth to form an organic solid crystal film with periodic surface features. Such a structured organic solid crystal film can be formed or incorporated into various optical elements (including gratings, microlenses, prisms, Fresnel lenses, etc.).

[0125] According to another embodiment, Fig.13 A schematic diagram of an example organic solid crystal structure formed by drawing from a melt phase is shown in FIG. Fig.13 The organic solid crystal 1314 depicted in A and Fig.13 The organic solid crystal 1316 depicted in B may include corresponding surface features, such as nodules 1315 or facets 1317. One or more process variables, including pull rate from the melt, pressure, and temperature, may be controlled to produce a desired surface pattern.

[0126] Without being bound by theory, the source of active refractive index modulation in organic solid crystals can be derived from the change in polarizability of charged molecules due to hole or electron injection. In organic molecules, the time required for the molecule to repolarize upon charge injection can be an order of magnitude faster than the residence time of the charge. Therefore, Fig.14 As schematically depicted in FIG, within an organic solid crystalline material 1400, a charge 1401 can be on a molecule 1402 long enough to cause the molecule to modulate its electron cloud and the electron cloud of a neighboring molecule 1405. This change in the local electronics of the crystal can result in changes in polarizability and refractive index.

[0127] Reference Fig.15 , the example optical element 1500 has a top gate-top contact (TGTC) architecture and includes a patterned gate 1502 disposed above an insulating layer 1504 and between contacts of a source 1506 and a drain 1508. The insulating layer 1504 may include any suitable dielectric material, including organic compounds (e.g., polymers) and inorganic compounds (e.g., silicon dioxide). The gate 1502 is disposed above an optically isotropic or anisotropic organic solid crystal (OSC) layer 1510. The gate 1502, the source 1506, and the drain 1508 are supported by a substrate 1520.

[0128] During operation, charge can be injected into the optically isotropic or anisotropic organic solid crystal (OSC) layer 1510 through the source (S) and drain (D) contacts. The optical element shown can form an active grating, where voltages applied to the gate, and / or the source and drain can be used to locally control the geometry (e.g., depth and orientation) of a portion of the (OSC) layer overlying the gate, and thus affect its interaction with light. According to another embodiment, Fig.15 The optical components can be suitable for photonic data storage.

[0129] According to some embodiments, Fig.15 The optical element may optionally include a charge transport layer (not shown) located between the source electrode and the OSC layer, and / or between the drain electrode and the OSC layer. The charge transport layer may include an organic compound (e.g., carbon nanotubes) or an inorganic compound. In another exemplary embodiment, the optical element may include a waveguide.

[0130] Reference Fig.16, the example optical element 1600 has a bottom gate-top contact (BGTC) architecture and includes a gate 1602 disposed below an optically isotropic or anisotropic organic solid crystal OSC layer 1610. An insulating layer 1604 is disposed between the gate 1602 and the OSC layer 1610. The insulating layer 1604 may include any suitable dielectric material, including organic compounds (e.g., polymers) and inorganic compounds (e.g., silicon dioxide). Contacts to the source 1606 and drain 1608 are directly overlying respective portions of the OSC layer 1610 opposite the gate 1602.

[0131] During operation, charge can be injected through the source and drain contacts into the optically isotropic or anisotropic organic solid crystal (OSC) layer 1610. The optical element shown can form an active grating, where voltages applied to the gate, and / or the source and drain can be used to locally control the geometry (e.g., depth and orientation) of a portion of the OSC layer overlying the gate, and thus affect its interaction with light.

[0132] Fig.17 A schematic cross-sectional view of an optical modulator according to some embodiments is shown in FIG. The modulator structure may include a substrate 1720 defining a well and an OSC layer 1710 disposed within the well. A pair of electrodes 1706 and 1708 may be directly overlying respective portions of the OSC layer 1710. The electrodes 1706 and 1708 may be spaced apart from each other, and a dielectric layer 1704 may be overlying the OSC layer 1710 between the electrodes 1706 and 1708.

[0133] Now refer to Fig.18 , a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical modulator according to another embodiment is shown. The modulator structure may include an OSC layer 1810 sandwiched between a top semiconductor layer 1830 and a bottom semiconductor layer 1840. The bottom semiconductor layer 1840 may define a well having both the OSC layer 1810 and the top semiconductor layer 1830 located within the well. A pair of electrodes 1806 and 1808 may be directly overlying respective portions of the OSC layer 1810. The electrodes 1806 and 1808 may be spaced apart from each other, and a dielectric layer 1804 may be overlying the top semiconductor layer 1830 between the electrodes 1806 and 1808.

[0134] Reference Fig.19 , another example optical modulator may include an organic solid crystal layer 1910 sandwiched between a pair of electrodes 1906 and 1908. Fig. 20In some embodiments, the dielectric layer 2004 can be disposed between the OSC layer 2010 and the one or more electrodes 2006 and 2008. During operation, the dielectric layer 2004 can be configured to modulate a current or voltage applied to the OSC layer 2010. Fig.21 Yet another optical modulator is shown in FIG. Fig.21 In an embodiment of the present invention, a bilayer comprising a semiconductor layer 2110b directly overlying an OSC layer 2110a is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes 2106 and 2108.

[0135] Fig. 22 The structure and performance of an example optical modulator including an OSC are shown in FIG. Fig. 22 A, the optical modulator includes an anthracene layer disposed between a pair of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. For example, the anthracene layer may include a single crystal or may be polycrystalline. Fig. 22 B, shows the shift of an arbitrary peak measured by ellipsometry as a function of time (applied voltage). There is a strong dependence of the shift in peak position on the applied voltage, including a clear decay corresponding to voltage removal.

[0136] Reference Fig.23 Another example optical modulator includes a bilayer of anthracene and silicon dioxide disposed between a pair of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Fig.23 A is schematically shown. Fig.23 As shown in B, the shift in the peak position of any peak measured by ellipsometry shows a close correlation with the applied voltage, including a clear decay corresponding to the removal of the voltage. Fig. 22 and Fig.23 In both cases, the peak shift may be correlated to changes in the refractive index and / or birefringence of the OSC layer.

[0137] Reference Fig.24 , a perspective view of another exemplary melt-based deposition method and apparatus for forming organic solid crystals from melted raw materials is shown. The melted raw material 2410 can be contained in a reservoir 2490. The reservoir 2490 can be formed, for example, of a glass or glass-ceramic composition, and can include an internal passivation layer (not shown) to inhibit nucleation. The seed crystal 2450 can be mounted at the distal end of a rotatable and translatable rod 2455 so that the seed crystal 2450 can be dropped into the melted raw material 2410 and removed therefrom. The control system (not shown) can be configured to control one or more of the melt temperature, seed temperature, gas pressure and gas composition covering the melt, the rotation speed of the melted raw material, the rotation speed of the seed crystal, and the pulling speed, etc.

[0138] Steering Fig.25According to various embodiments, a crystal growth scaffold located in a seed crystal and adjacent to a corresponding nucleation zone may be configured to template the growth of an organic solid crystal of a desired shape. Fig.25 As shown in A, adjacent to the nucleation region 2541, a planar support 2542 can support the crystal growth of an organic solid crystal having a flat surface. Fig.25 As shown in Figure B, adjacent to the nucleation region 2541, the non-planar support 2544 can support the crystal growth of the organic solid crystal having a concave or convex growth surface. In some embodiments, multiple seed crystals and multiple associated supports can be arranged to form multiple nucleation points, and several nuclei can grow from multiple nucleation points and merge into larger crystals.

[0139] Fig.26 and Fig. 27 2 shows top-down plan and cross-sectional views of an example fabrication architecture and method for forming an organic solid crystal thin film according to another embodiment. Fig.26 A and Fig.26 B relates to a thin film formation architecture having a substrate 2640 and a single seed crystal 2650 disposed above the substrate 2640, while Fig. 27 A and Fig. 27 B relates to a thin film formation architecture having a substrate 2740 and a plurality of seed layers 2750 disposed over the substrate 2740. Layers of crystalline organic precursors 2610 and 2710 may be deposited over respective substrates 2640 and 2740 and respective one or more seeds 2650 and 2750.

[0140] The organic solid crystal thin films 2612 and 2712 may be formed by zone annealing using a suitable temperature profile (T1, T2, T3). Fig. 27 An example thermal profile is shown in B, where an organic solid crystal layer 2712 may nucleate adjacent to a seed crystal 2750. The direction of movement of the crystallization fronts 2611 and 2711 during crystal growth is in Fig.26 B and Fig. 27 Indicated by arrow A in B.

[0141] exist Fig.28 Another thin film formation architecture is shown in FIG. Fig.28A, the thin film forming framework includes a substrate 2840 and a seed crystal 2850 disposed over a portion of the substrate 2840. A layer of a crystalline organic precursor 2810 may be deposited over the substrate 2840 and over the seed crystal 2850. Application of a suitable temperature gradient (T1, T2, T3) may induce nucleation and growth of an organic solid crystal thin film 2812. The thin film forming framework may be translated relative to the thermal profile to advance the crystallization front 2811 and increase the area of ​​the organic solid crystal thin film 2812 through crystal growth.

[0142] The cover plate 2840a may be overlying the crystalline organic precursor layer 2810. The cover plate 2840a may be tilted at an angle (θ) relative to the substrate 2840 and may be configured to generate a capillary force that improves mass transfer of the molten feedstock to the region containing the crystallization front 2811. Fig.28 B, Fig.28 The device of A can be oriented vertically. Fig.28 In the vertical orientation of B, in addition to or instead of capillary force, gravity (F g ) can advantageously promote mass transfer of the molten raw material 2810 to the crystallization front 2811.

[0143] Example OSC materials suitable for forming the feedstock composition include small molecules, macromolecules, liquid crystals, organometallic compounds, oligomers and polymers, and may include organic semiconductors (such as polycyclic aromatic compounds, such as anthracene and phenanthrene, etc.). Methods for making organic solid crystals may include growing crystals from a melt or solution, chemical or physical vapor deposition, and coating a solvent on a substrate. The deposition surface of the substrate may be treated in whole or in part to affect, for example, nucleation density, crystallization orientation, adhesion, etc. The foregoing method may be applied in combination with one or more optional post-deposition steps (such as annealing, polishing, cutting, etc.), which may be implemented to improve one or more OSC properties, including crystallinity, thickness, curvature, etc. In Fig.29 Example organic molecules that can be used to form organic solid crystals are shown in FIG.

[0144] Reference Fig.30 , an example structure including an encapsulated organic solid crystal thin film is shown. The structure 3000 includes an organic solid crystal layer 3010 disposed on a substrate 3001 with an encapsulation layer 3020 directly overlying the OSC layer.

[0145] Reference Fig.31, a cross-sectional view of an example optical element is shown. The optical element 3100 arranged in an optical alignment may include a display 3102, a polarizer 3104, a 50 / 50 mirror 3106, and a circular reflective polarizer 3108. The circular reflective polarizer 3108 may include a multilayer organic solid crystal film 3112 optically encapsulated by a protective layer 3114. The multilayer organic solid crystal film 3112 may include a clockwise arrangement and stacking configuration of multiple organic solid crystal films (not shown separately). The multilayer organic solid crystal film 3112 may be configured to reflect a first polarization (P1) of incident light and transmit a second polarization (P2) of incident light.

[0146] Steering Fig.32 , showing the architecture and operation of an example circular reflective polarizer. Fig.32 As schematically shown in Figure A, a circular reflective polarizer may include a multilayer organic solid crystal film, wherein each OSC layer in the multilayer stack includes a biaxially oriented organic solid crystal material (i.e., n1≠n2≠n3). The multilayer film may be characterized by a pitch length (P), which may correspond to two periods (2Λ) of refractive index variation.

[0147] exist Fig.32 In FIG. 1 , the arrows represent the orientation of the refractive index vector (e.g., n3) in each OSC layer of the multilayer. Fig.32 In the embodiment shown in , a right-handed (RH) circular reflective polarizer transmits light having left-hand circular polarization (LCP) and reflects light having right-hand circular polarization (RCP).

[0148] exist Fig.33 A graph of signal efficiency and ghost-to-signal ratio as a function of reflective polarizer thickness is shown, and it is shown that a reflective polarizer comprising multiple clockwise arranged and stacked OSC films, each having a biaxial refractive index, can have higher signal efficiency and improved ghost suppression relative to a comparative reflective polarizer.

[0149] A method for forming an organic solid crystal film is disclosed. In a specific embodiment, the method can be used to control the surface roughness of the film without the need for post-forming slicing, grinding and polishing steps. Using a seed crystal to nucleate an organic solid crystal from a liquid or molten phase containing an organic precursor, in an exemplary method, a non-volatile dielectric material (e.g., oil) can be used to cast or mold an organic solid crystal film to template the crystal growth. Gas phase and solid phase nucleation and growth paradigms are also disclosed. In some embodiments, an anti-nucleation layer or surface can be used to locally prevent crystallization and achieve large-area crystals. In some embodiments, the substrate surface can include a photoalignment layer. In a specific example, the substrate surface can be chemically treated to promote the desired molecular alignment of the over-formed organic solid crystal.

[0150] In some embodiments, the organic precursor may be deposited directly over the layer of non-volatile dielectric material, which may provide a smooth interface for the formation of the organic solid crystalline film. Thermal processing may be used to induce nucleation and growth of the organic solid crystalline phase.

[0151] In another embodiment, a mixture containing an organic precursor and a non-volatile dielectric material can be deposited over a substrate. If provided, the substrate can be patterned to include a 3D structure bonded to an over-formed thin film. In a similar theme, a functional layer can be formed over the deposition surface of a substrate or mold and transferred to the over-formed organic solid crystals when the organic solid crystals are separated from the substrate or mold. Thermal treatment can be used to induce uniform mixing and subsequent phase separation of organic precursors and non-volatile dielectric materials, as well as nucleation and growth of organic solid crystal phases. In the nucleation and growth process, according to various embodiments, at least one surface of the film can be in direct contact with the non-volatile dielectric material, which can effectively modulate the molecular-level surface roughness of one or more initial organic crystals.

[0152] Also disclosed are materials and methods for actively tuning refractive index and birefringence in optical devices and systems. Various embodiments relate to solid organic materials including organic semiconductors, wherein a direction-specific change in refractive index (Δn) can be achieved by applying a voltage or current without significantly increasing light absorption at an operating wavelength. An optical modulator can include an organic crystal layer located adjacent to or sandwiched between one or more electrodes.

[0153] Exemplary organic crystalline materials include small molecules, macromolecules, liquid crystals, organometallic compounds, oligomers and polymers, and may include organic semiconductors, such as polycyclic aromatic compounds, for example anthracene, phenanthrene, etc. Methods for making organic crystals may include growing crystals from a melt or solution, and chemical or physical vapor deposition using suitable precursors. Doped organic crystals may be formed in situ, wherein the type and amount of dopants may be selected to affect the crystal structure and optical properties of the organic crystalline material. Doped organic crystals may include no more than about 50wt.% of a suitable dopant, and may be characterized by a high refractive index, i.e., a refractive index of at least about 1.9 along a selected crystal direction. Dopants may include organic molecules, including molecules similar to the host crystal. For example, anthracene crystals may be doped with fluorinated anthracene.

[0154] In certain embodiments, the OSC layer can be encapsulated by a layer configured to provide improved chemical and mechanical stability to the OSC material. The encapsulation layer can include an organic material (e.g., a polymer) or an inorganic material (e.g., silicon dioxide), and can improve optoelectronic performance in related devices, including greater angular bandwidth and visual resolution. The encapsulation layer can be crystalline (e.g., single crystal or polycrystalline) or amorphous phase, or a mixture of crystalline and amorphous phases. The example encapsulation layer can have a thickness range of about 100 nm to about 1 mm, and can be formed on one or both sides of the OSC film.

[0155] Active and passive optical devices and systems including optical modulators configured to modulate a light beam are also disclosed. The optical modulator may be characterized as absorptive and / or refractive, and may be suitable for manipulating various parameters of the light beam (including its frequency, amplitude, phase, absorption, polarization, etc.). According to various embodiments, the optical modulator may include an organic solid crystal (OSC) layer positioned adjacent to or sandwiched between one or more electrodes.

[0156] In some embodiments, the refractive index and / or birefringence of the OSC layer can be tuned by an amount of at least about 0.0005 in response to an applied current or an applied voltage. In another embodiment, the absorption of the OSC layer for a specified wavelength band can be modulated by 10% or more. An exemplary OSC-containing optical modulator may include a resistor or capacitor architecture that can be used independently or co-integrated with other modulators and implemented as or incorporated into surface relief gratings, photonic integrated circuits, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, reflective and refractive polarizers, volume Bragg gratings, and active geometries and diffractive lenses.

[0157] The example process can be integrated with a real-time feedback loop configured to evaluate one or more properties of the organic solid crystal film or fiber and adjust one or more process variables accordingly. The resulting organic solid crystal structure can be incorporated into optical elements such as AR / VR headsets and other devices (e.g., waveguides, prisms, and Fresnel lenses, etc.).

[0158] Example Implementation

[0159] Embodiment 1: A structure comprising an organic solid crystal and an encapsulation layer disposed over at least one surface of the organic solid crystal.

[0160] Embodiment 2: The structure of embodiment 1, wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of anthracene, phenanthrene, toluene, thiophene, pyrene, corannulene, fluorene, biphenyl and terphenyl.

[0161] Embodiment 3: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 and 2, wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a single crystalline layer.

[0162] Embodiment 4: The structure of any one of embodiments 1 and 2, wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a polycrystalline layer.

[0163] Embodiment 5: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the organic solid crystal is configured as a thin film.

[0164] Embodiment 6: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the organic solid crystal is configured as a thin film, and the encapsulation layer is disposed over both major surfaces of the thin film.

[0165] Embodiment 7: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a polymer.

[0166] Embodiment 8: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic compound.

[0167] Embodiment 9: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises silicon dioxide.

[0168] Embodiment 10: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the encapsulation layer has a thickness ranging from about 100 nm to about 1 mm.

[0169] Embodiment 11: A structure comprising an organic solid crystalline layer and an encapsulation layer disposed over top, bottom, and sidewall surfaces of the organic solid crystalline layer.

[0170] Embodiment 12: The structure of embodiment 11, wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of anthracene, phenanthrene, toluene, thiophene, pyrene, corannulene, fluorene, biphenyl and terphenyl.

[0171] Embodiment 13: The structure of any of Embodiments 11 and 12, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a polymer.

[0172] Embodiment 14: The structure of any of Embodiments 11 and 12, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic compound.

[0173] Embodiment 15: A method comprising forming an organic solid crystal, and forming an encapsulation layer over at least one surface of the organic solid crystal.

[0174] Embodiment 16: The method according to embodiment 15, wherein forming the encapsulation layer comprises a process selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, spin coating, dip coating, spray coating, and 3D printing.

[0175] Embodiment 17: The method according to any one of embodiments 15 and 16, wherein the encapsulation layer completely encapsulates the organic solid crystal.

[0176] Embodiment 18: The method of any one of Embodiments 15 to 17, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a polymer.

[0177] Embodiment 19: The method of any one of Embodiments 15 to 17, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic compound.

[0178] Embodiment 20: The method of any one of Embodiments 15 to 17, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises silicon dioxide.

[0179] Embodiments of the present disclosure may include various types of artificial reality systems or be implemented in combination with various types of artificial reality systems. Artificial reality is a form of reality that has been adjusted in some way before being presented to a user, which may include, for example, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, hybrid reality, or some combination and / or derivative thereof. Artificial reality content may include computer-generated content entirely or computer-generated content combined with captured (e.g., real-world) content. Artificial reality content may include video, audio, tactile feedback, or some combination thereof, any of which may be presented in a single channel or in multiple channels (such as, stereoscopic video that produces a three-dimensional 3D effect to the audience). In addition, in some embodiments, artificial reality may also be associated with applications, products, accessories, services, or some combination thereof that are used, for example, to create content in artificial reality and / or otherwise used in artificial reality (e.g., to perform activities therein).

[0180] Artificial reality systems can be implemented in a variety of different form factors and configurations. Some artificial reality systems can be designed to work without a near-eye display (NED). Other artificial reality systems can include an NED that also provides a view of the real world (such as, for example, Fig.34 3400) in an augmented reality system, or visually immersing a user in an artificial reality (such as, for example Fig.35 3500 in the virtual reality system 3500). While some artificial reality devices may be self-contained systems, other artificial reality devices may communicate and / or coordinate with external devices to provide an artificial reality experience to a user. Examples of such external devices include handheld controllers, mobile devices, desktop computers, devices worn by a user, devices worn by one or more other users, and / or any other suitable external system.

[0181] Steering Fig.34 , the augmented reality system 3400 may include an eyewear device 3402 having a frame 3410, the frame 3410 being configured to hold a left display device 3415(A) and a right display device 3415(B) in front of the user's eyes. The display devices 3415(A) and 3415(B) may function together or independently to present an image or group of images to the user. In the case where the augmented reality system 3400 includes two displays, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in an augmented reality system having a single NED or more than two NEDs.

[0182] In some embodiments, the augmented reality system 3400 may include one or more sensors, such as sensor 3440. Sensor 3440 may generate a measurement signal in response to the movement of the augmented reality system 3400, and the sensor may be located on substantially any part of the frame 3410. Sensor 3440 may represent a positioning sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a depth camera assembly, a structured light emitter and / or detector, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the augmented reality system 3400 may include or may not include sensor 3440 or may include more than one sensor. In an embodiment where sensor 3440 includes an IMU, the IMU may generate calibration data based on the measurement signal from sensor 3440. Examples of sensor 3440 may include, but are not limited to, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, other suitable types of sensors that detect movement, sensors for error correction of IMUs, or some combination thereof.

[0183] The augmented reality system 3400 may also include a microphone array having a plurality of acoustic transducers 3420(A)-3420(J), collectively referred to as acoustic transducers 3420. The acoustic transducers 3420 may be transducers that detect changes in air pressure caused by sound waves. Each acoustic transducer 3420 may be configured to detect sound and convert the detected sound into an electronic format (e.g., analog or digital format). Fig.34 The microphone array in can include, for example, ten acoustic transducers: acoustic transducers 3420(A) and 3420(B), which can be designed to be placed in the user's respective ears; acoustic transducers 3420(C), 3420(D), 3420(E), 3420(F), 3420(G) and 3420(H), which can be positioned at different locations on the frame 3410; and / or acoustic transducers 3420(I) and 3420(J), which can be positioned on the respective neckbands 3405.

[0184] In some embodiments, one or more of the acoustic transducers 3420(A)-(F) can be used as an output transducer (e.g., a speaker). For example, the acoustic transducers 3420(A) and / or 3420(B) can be earbuds or any other suitable type of earbuds or speakers.

[0185] The configuration of the acoustic transducers 3420 of the microphone array may vary. Fig.34 3410, but the number of acoustic transducers 3420 can be greater or less than ten. In some embodiments, the use of a greater number of acoustic transducers 3420 can increase the amount of audio information collected and / or the sensitivity and accuracy of the audio information. Conversely, the use of a lower number of acoustic transducers 3420 can reduce the computing power required by the associated controller 3450 to process the collected audio information. In addition, the position of each acoustic transducer 3420 of the microphone array can vary. For example, the position of the acoustic transducer 3420 can include a defined position on the user, a defined coordinate on the frame 3410, an orientation associated with each acoustic transducer 3420, or some combination thereof.

[0186] The acoustic transducers 3420(A) and 3420(B) can be positioned on different parts of the user's ear, such as behind the pinna, behind the tragus, and / or in the auricle or fossa. Alternatively, in addition to the acoustic transducer 3420 in the ear canal, there can be additional acoustic transducers 3420 on or around the ear. Positioning the acoustic transducer 3420 adjacent to the user's ear canal can enable the microphone array to collect information about how sound reaches the ear canal. By positioning at least two of the acoustic transducers 3420 on either side of the user's head (e.g., as binaural microphones), the augmented reality device 3400 can simulate binaural hearing and capture a 3D stereo sound field around the user's head. In some embodiments, the acoustic transducers 3420(A) and 3420(B) may be connected to the augmented reality system 3400 via a wired connection 3430, and in other embodiments, the acoustic transducers 3420(A) and 3420(B) may be connected to the augmented reality system 3400 via a wireless connection (e.g., a Bluetooth connection). In other embodiments, the acoustic transducers 3420(A) and 3420(B) may not be used in conjunction with the augmented reality system 3400 at all.

[0187] The acoustic transducers 3420 on the frame 3410 can be positioned along the length of the temples, across the bridge, above or below the display devices 3415(A) and 3415(B), or some combination thereof. The acoustic transducers 3420 can be oriented so that the microphone array can detect sound in a wide range of directions around the user wearing the augmented reality system 3400. In some embodiments, an optimization process can be performed during the manufacture of the augmented reality system 3400 to determine the relative positioning of each acoustic transducer 3420 in the microphone array.

[0188] In some examples, the augmented reality system 3400 can include or be connected to an external device (e.g., a paired device), such as a neckband 3405. Neckband 3405 generally represents any type or form of paired device. Therefore, the following discussion about neckband 3405 also applies to various other paired devices, such as charging boxes, smart watches, smartphones, wristbands, other wearable devices, handheld controllers, tablet computers, laptop computers, other external computing devices, etc.

[0189] As shown, the neckband 3405 can be coupled to the eyeglass device 3402 via one or more connectors. The connectors can be wired or wireless and can include electrical and / or non-electrical (e.g., structural) components. In some cases, the eyeglass device 3402 and the neckband 3405 can operate independently without any wired or wireless connection between them. Although Fig.34Components of the eyeglass device 3402 and neckband 3405 are shown in exemplary locations on the eyeglass device 3402 and neckband 3405, but the components may be positioned in other locations and / or distributed differently on the eyeglass device 3402 and / or neckband 3405. In some embodiments, components of the eyeglass device 3402 and neckband 3405 may be located on one or more additional peripheral devices that are paired with the eyeglass device 3402, the neckband 3405, or some combination thereof.

[0190] Pairing an external device (such as a neckband 3405) with an augmented reality eyewear device can enable the eyewear device to achieve the form factor of a pair of glasses while still providing sufficient battery and computing power for expanded capabilities. Some or all of the battery power, computing resources, and / or additional features of the augmented reality system 3400 can be provided by a paired device or shared between a paired device and the eyewear device, thereby reducing the weight, heat distribution, and form factor of the overall eyewear device while still maintaining the desired functionality. For example, the neckband 3405 can allow components that were originally included on the eyewear device to be included in the neckband 3405 because the user can bear more weight on their shoulders than they can on their heads. The neckband 3405 can also have a larger surface area through which heat is diffused and dispersed to the surrounding environment. Therefore, the neckband 3405 can allow for a larger battery and computing capacity than what might be available on a standalone eyewear device. Because the weight carried in the neckband 3405 can be less intrusive to the user than the weight carried in the eyeglass device 3402, the user can tolerate wearing the lighter eyeglass device and carrying or wearing the paired device for longer periods of time than the user can tolerate wearing a heavy standalone eyeglass device, thereby enabling the user to more fully integrate the artificial reality environment into their daily activities.

[0191] The neckband 3405 can be communicatively coupled to the eyewear device 3402 and / or other devices. These other devices can provide certain functions (e.g., tracking, positioning, depth mapping, processing, storage, etc.) to the augmented reality system 3400. Fig.34 In an embodiment, the neckband 3405 may include two acoustic transducers (e.g., 3420(I) and 3420(J)) that are part of a microphone array (or may form their own microphone subarray). The neckband 3405 may also include a controller 3425 and a power supply 3435.

[0192] The acoustic transducers 3420(I) and 3420(J) of the neckband 3405 may be configured to detect sound and convert the detected sound into an electronic format (analog or digital). Fig.34In an embodiment of the present invention, the acoustic transducers 3420(I) and 3420(J) can be positioned on the neckband 3405, thereby increasing the distance between the neckband acoustic transducers 3420(I) and 3420(J) and other acoustic transducers 3420 positioned on the eyeglass device 3402. In some cases, increasing the distance between the acoustic transducers 3420 of the microphone array can improve the accuracy of the beamforming performed via the microphone array. For example, if the acoustic transducers 3420(C) and 3420(D) detect a sound, and the distance between the acoustic transducers 3420(C) and 3420(D) is greater than, for example, the distance between the acoustic transducers 3420(D) and 3420(E), the determined source location of the detected sound can be more accurate than the sound detected by the acoustic transducers 3420(D) and 3420(E).

[0193] The controller 3425 of the neckband 3405 can process information generated by sensors on the neckband 3405 and / or the augmented reality system 3400. For example, the controller 3425 can process information from the microphone array describing the sound detected by the microphone array. For each detected sound, the controller 3425 can perform a direction of arrival (direction-of-arrival, DOA) estimation to estimate the direction of the detected sound arriving at the microphone array. When the microphone array detects a sound, the controller 3425 can fill the audio data set with this information. In an embodiment in which the augmented reality system 3400 includes an inertial measurement unit, the controller 3425 can calculate all inertial and spatial calculations based on the IMU located on the glasses device 3402. The connector can transmit information between the augmented reality system 3400 and the neckband 3405 and between the augmented reality system 3400 and the controller 3425. The information can be in the form of optical data, electrical data, wireless data, or any other transmittable data form. Moving the processing of information generated by the augmented reality system 3400 to the neck strap 3405 can reduce the weight and heat of the eyewear device 3402, making it more comfortable for the user.

[0194] The power supply 3435 in the neckband 3405 can provide power to the eyeglass device 3402 and / or the neckband 3405. The power supply 3435 can include, but is not limited to, lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, lithium primary batteries, alkaline batteries, or any other form of power storage. In some cases, the power supply 3435 can be a wired power supply. Including the power supply 3435 on the neckband 3405 instead of the eyeglass device 3402 can help better distribute the weight and heat generated by the power supply 3435.

[0195] As described, some artificial reality systems can essentially replace one or more of the user's sensory perceptions of the real world with a virtual experience, rather than mixing the artificial reality with the actual reality. An example of this type of system is a head mounted display system, such as Fig.35 3500, which covers most or all of the user's field of view. Virtual reality system 3500 may include a front rigid body 3502 and a band 3504 shaped to fit around the user's head. Virtual reality system 3500 may also include output audio transducers 3506 (A) and 3506 (B). In addition, although in Fig.35 Not shown, but front rigid body 3502 may include one or more electronic components, including one or more electronic displays, one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs), one or more tracking transmitters or detectors, and / or any other suitable device or system for creating an artificial reality experience.

[0196] Artificial reality systems may include various types of visual feedback mechanisms. For example, the display devices in the augmented reality system 3400 and / or the virtual reality system 3500 may include one or more liquid crystal displays (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) displays, organic LED (OLED) displays, digital light project (DLP) microdisplays, liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) microdisplays, and / or any other suitable type of display screen. These artificial reality systems may include a single display screen for both eyes or a display screen may be provided for each eye, which may allow additional flexibility for zoom adjustment or for correcting the user's refractive error. Some artificial reality systems may also include an optical subsystem having one or more lenses (e.g., traditional concave or convex lenses, Fresnel lenses, adjustable liquid lenses, etc.) through which a user can view the display screen. These optical subsystems may be used for various purposes, including collimation (e.g., making an object appear to be at a greater distance than its physical distance), magnification (e.g., making an object appear larger than its actual size), and / or transmission (e.g., to the viewer's eyes) of light. These optical subsystems can be used in non-pupil forming architectures (such as a single lens configuration, which directly collimates light but causes so-called pincushion distortion) and / or pupil forming architectures (such as a multi-lens configuration, which produces so-called barrel distortion to offset pincushion distortion).

[0197] In addition to or in lieu of using a display screen, some artificial reality systems may include one or more projection systems. For example, a display device in the augmented reality system 3400 and / or virtual reality system 3500 may include a micro-LED projector that projects light into the display device (using, for example, a waveguide), such as a transparent combiner lens that allows ambient light to pass through. The display device can refract the projected light into the user's pupil, and can enable the user to view both artificial reality content and the real world at the same time. The display device can use any of a variety of different optical components to achieve this, including waveguide components (e.g., holographic, planar, diffractive, polarized and / or reflective waveguide elements), light manipulation surfaces and elements (such as diffractive, reflective and refractive elements and gratings), coupling elements, etc. The artificial reality system can also be configured with any other suitable type or form of image projection system, such as a retinal projector for a virtual retinal display.

[0198] The artificial reality system may also include various types of computer vision components and subsystems. For example, the augmented reality system 3400 and / or the virtual reality system 3500 may include one or more optical sensors, such as two-dimensional (2D) or 3D cameras, structured light emitters and detectors, time-of-flight depth sensors, single-beam or scanning laser rangefinders, 3D LiDAR sensors, and / or any other suitable type or form of optical sensor. The artificial reality system may process data from one or more of these sensors to identify the user's location, to map the real world, to provide the user with context about the real world environment, and / or to perform various other functions.

[0199] The artificial reality system may also include one or more input and / or output audio transducers. Fig.35 In the example shown, the output audio transducers 3506(A) and 3506(B) may include voice coil speakers, ribbon speakers, electrostatic speakers, piezoelectric speakers, bone conduction transducers, cartilage conduction transducers, tragus vibration transducers, and / or any other suitable type or form of audio transducers. Similarly, the input audio transducers may include condenser microphones, dynamic microphones, ribbon microphones, and / or any other type or form of input transducers. In some embodiments, a single transducer may be used for both audio input and audio output.

[0200] Although not in Fig.35, but the artificial reality system may include a tactile (i.e., haptic) feedback system that can be incorporated into headgear, gloves, tights, handheld controllers, environmental equipment (e.g., chairs, floor mats, etc.), and / or any other type of device or system. The tactile feedback system can provide various types of skin feedback, including vibration, force, traction, texture, and / or temperature. The tactile feedback system can also provide various types of kinesthetic feedback, such as motion and compliance. Tactile feedback can be implemented using motors, piezoelectric actuators, fluid systems, and / or various other types of feedback mechanisms. The tactile feedback system can be implemented independently of other artificial reality devices, within other artificial reality devices, and / or in combination with other artificial reality devices.

[0201] By providing tactile, auditory content, and / or visual content, artificial reality systems can create complete virtual experiences or enhance the user's real-world experience in various contexts and environments. For example, artificial reality systems can help or expand a user's perception, memory, or cognition in a specific environment. Some systems can enhance the user's interaction with other people in the real world, or can achieve a more immersive interaction with other people in the virtual world. Artificial reality systems can also be used for educational purposes (e.g., for teaching or training in schools, hospitals, government organizations, military organizations, commercial enterprises, etc.), entertainment purposes (e.g., for playing video games, listening to music, watching video content, etc.), and / or for accessibility purposes (e.g., as hearing aids, visual aids, etc.). The embodiments disclosed herein can implement or enhance the user's artificial reality experience in one or more contexts and environments and / or other contexts and environments in these contexts and environments.

[0202] The process parameters and order of steps described and / or illustrated herein are provided as examples only and may be changed as desired. For example, although the steps illustrated and / or described herein may be illustrated or discussed in a particular order, the steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various exemplary methods described and / or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein, or include additional steps in addition to the disclosed steps.

[0203] The foregoing description has been provided to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the various aspects of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. This exemplary description is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The attached claims and their equivalents should be referenced when determining the scope of the present disclosure.

[0204] Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "connected to" and "coupled to" (and their derivatives) as used in the specification and claims should be interpreted as allowing both direct and indirect (i.e., via other elements or components) connections. In addition, the terms "a" or "an" as used in the specification and claims should be interpreted as meaning "at least one". Finally, for ease of use, the terms "including" and "having" (and their derivatives) as used in the specification and claims may be interchangeable with the word "comprising" and have the same meaning.

[0205] As used herein, in certain embodiments, the term "about" with respect to a particular numerical value or range of values ​​can mean and include the numerical value and all values ​​within 10% of the numerical value. Thus, as an example, in certain embodiments, a reference to a numerical value of "50" as "about 50" can include values ​​equal to 50±5, i.e., values ​​within the range of 45 to 55.

[0206] As used herein, the term "substantially" with reference to a given parameter, property, or condition may mean and encompass that a person skilled in the art will understand to some extent that the given parameter, property, or condition complies with a small degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. As an example, depending on the particular parameter, property, or condition that is substantially complied with, the parameter, property, or condition may be at least about 90% complied with, at least about 95% complied with, or even at least about 99% complied with.

[0207] It should be understood that when an element such as a layer or region is referred to as being formed, deposited, or disposed “on” or “over” another element, it can be directly on at least a portion of the other element, or one or more intervening elements may also be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or “directly over” another element, it can be on at least a portion of the other element, with no intervening elements present.

[0208] Although the transition phrase "comprising" may be used to disclose various features, elements, or steps of a particular embodiment, it should be understood that alternative embodiments (including those embodiments that may be described using the transition phrases "consisting of" or "consisting essentially of") are implied. Thus, for example, implicit alternative embodiments of a non-volatile dielectric material that comprises or includes paraffin oil include embodiments in which the non-volatile dielectric material consists essentially of paraffin oil and embodiments in which the non-volatile dielectric material consists of paraffin oil.

Claims

1. A structure, comprising: Organic solid crystals; as well as An encapsulation layer is disposed above at least one surface of the organic solid crystal. 2 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of anthracene, phenanthrene, toluene, thiophene, pyrene, corannulene, fluorene, biphenyl and terphenyl. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a single crystal layer. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the organic solid crystal comprises polycrystalline layers. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the organic solid crystal is configured as a thin film. 6 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the organic solid crystal is configured as a thin film, and the encapsulation layer is disposed over both major surfaces of the thin film. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a polymer. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic compound.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein the encapsulation layer comprises silicon dioxide.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation layer has a thickness ranging from about 100 nm to about 1 mm.

11. A structure, comprising: Organic solid crystalline layer; as well as An encapsulation layer is disposed over the top, bottom and sidewall surfaces of the organic solid crystal layer.

12. The structure according to claim 11, wherein the organic solid crystal comprises a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of anthracene, phenanthrene, toluene, thiophene, pyrene, corannulene, fluorene, biphenyl and terphenyl.

13. The structure of claim 11, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a polymer. The structure of claim 11 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic compound.

15. A method comprising: Formation of organic solid crystals; as well as An encapsulation layer is formed over at least one surface of the organic solid crystal. 16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the encapsulation layer comprises chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, spin coating, dip coating, spray coating, or 3D printing. The method of claim 15 , wherein the encapsulation layer completely encapsulates the organic solid crystal. The method of claim 15 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a polymer. The method of claim 15 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic compound.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises silicon dioxide.

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