High contrast optical film and device including same

Abstract

Optical films that are used in display assemblies to improve the brightness of the display when viewed under ambient light, reduce the overall thickness of the display assembly, or provide other useful benefits. An optical film is disclosed that includes a plurality of interference layers. Each interference layer reflects or transmits light primarily through optical interference. The total number of interference layers is less than about 1000. For substantially normally incident light in a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers have an average optical transmittance for a first polarization state that is greater than about 85%, an average optical reflectance for an orthogonal second polarization state that is greater than about 80%, and an average optical transmittance for the second polarization state that is less than about 0.2%.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to reflective polarizer films that can be used in liquid crystal displays. [Background technology]

[0002] Optical displays are widely used in laptop computers, handheld calculators, digital watches, etc. The well-known liquid crystal display (LCD) is a common example of such an optical display. In an LCD display, portions of the liquid crystal have their optical state changed by applying an electric field. This process creates the contrast required to display a "pixel" of information. In some examples, LCD displays can include a combination of various optical films, including reflective polarizers, to change the optical properties of the display assembly.

[0003] LCD displays can be classified based on the type of illumination. "Reflective" displays are illuminated by ambient light that enters the display from the "front". Typically, a brushed aluminum reflector is disposed "behind" the LCD assembly. Another common example is the incorporation of a "backlight" assembly for a reflective brushed aluminum surface in applications where the intensity of the ambient light is insufficient for viewing. A typical backlight assembly includes a light cavity and a lamp or other structure that generates the light. Displays that are intended to be viewed under both ambient and backlit conditions are called "transflective". One problem with transflective displays is that a typical backlight is not as efficient a reflector as a traditional brushed aluminum surface. Furthermore, the backlight tends to randomize the polarization of the light, further reducing the amount of light available to illuminate the LCD display. Thus, adding a backlight to an LCD display generally results in a less bright display when viewed under ambient light. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film including a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, the total number of interference layers being less than about 1000, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers have an average optical transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state, and an average optical transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0005] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film including a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the total number of interference layers is less than about 1000, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmission (T a ) and average light reflectance (R a ) for the second orthogonal polarization state (b), the average optical transmission (T b ) and average light reflectance (R b ), T b / R b is less than about 0.002, and R a / T a is less than about 0.17.

[0006] In some examples, the disclosure describes an optical film that includes (N) consecutively numbered layers, where (N) is an integer greater than 200 and less than 1000, each layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, the fitted curve being a best fit regression applied to a layer thickness profile plotting the thickness of each layer as a function of the number of layers, the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the (Nth) layer being less than about 0.2 nm / layer, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0007] In some examples, the present disclosure describes optical films that include (N) consecutively numbered layers, where (N) is an integer greater than 200, and less than 10% of the layers have a thickness greater than about 200 nm, and the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the (Nth) layer is less than about 0.2 nm.

[0008] In some examples, the disclosure describes an optical film including a plurality of interference layers numbered consecutively from 1 to (N), where (N) is an integer greater than 50 and less than 1000, wherein the optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, wherein the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein in a region extending from the first layer to the (Nth)th layer, the difference between the maximum and minimum slopes of the fitted curve is less than about 0.70 nm / layer, and wherein the maximum and minimum slopes are evaluated over any group of 25 to 50 adjacent layers.

[0009] In some examples, the disclosure describes an optical film that transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film comprising a stack of (N) layers, where (N) is an integer greater than 50 and less than 1000, and for a plurality of non-overlapping groups of sequentially arranged layers in the stack of (N) layers, the layers in each group are numbered from 1 to (m), where (m) is greater than 25, and for each non-overlapping group, a fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the group as a function of the number of layers, and in a region extending from the first layer in the group to the (mth) layer in the group, the fitted curve has an average slope such that the maximum difference between the average slopes of the fitted curves in the plurality of non-overlapping groups is less than 0.70 nm / layer.

[0010] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film including a plurality of alternating first and second layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, a total number of each of the first and second layers being less than 400 and greater than 100, and for each pair of adjacent first and second layers, in the plane of the first layers, the first layers have a maximum refractive index n1 along the x-direction. x and the second layer has a maximum refractive index n2 along the x direction. x n1 x and n2 x and the difference between is greater than about 0.24, and the maximum angular extent of the first layer in the x-direction is less than about 2 degrees.

[0011] In some examples, the present disclosure describes optical films including multiple alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, the total number of interference layers being greater than 300, and the optical power of the optical film per interference layer being greater than about 0.7.

[0012] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film that includes a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the optical power per interference layer of the plurality of interference layers is greater than or equal to (-0.0012 * N+1.46), where (N) is the total number of alternating high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers, and (N) is greater than 100 and less than 1,000.

[0013] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film that includes a plurality of interference layers that reflect and transmit light primarily by optical interference, where for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmit at least 80% of the light having a first polarization state and reflect at least 80% of the light having an orthogonal second polarization state, and have an average optical density of greater than about 2.5, where the plurality of interference layers are divided into a plurality of optical stacks, where each pair of adjacent optical stacks is separated by one or more spacer layers that do not reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference, and where each optical stack has an average optical density of greater than about 2.5. the optical stacks transmit at least 50% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflect at least 50% of light having a second polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range, the interference layers in each optical stack are numbered in sequence, each optical stack has a best-fit linear equation relating a thickness of the optical stack to the number of interference layers, the linear equation having an average slope in a region extending from the first interference layer in the stack to the last interference layer in the stack, and the maximum difference between the average slopes of the linear equations across the multiple optical stacks is less than about 20%.

[0014] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film that transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film includes greater than or equal to 200 and less than or equal to 400 consecutively arranged unit cells, each unit cell comprising a first layer of a low refractive index and an adjacent second layer of a high refractive index, the difference between the high and low refractive index for each unit cell being greater than about 0.24, each unit cell having a total optical thickness equal to half a central wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range, and for each of at least 80% of pairs of adjacent unit cells in the consecutively arranged unit cells, a ratio of the difference in central wavelengths of the adjacent unit cells to the average of the central wavelengths of the adjacent unit cells is less than about 2%.

[0015] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical film that includes a plurality of interference layers that reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference in a predetermined wavelength range, where the maximum difference between the refractive indices of the interference layers is Δn, the fit curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, and the fit curve has an average slope K in a region extending across the plurality of interference layers, and Δn / K is greater than about 1.2.

[0016] In some examples, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a multi-layered ... a Each of the first unit cells comprises a first high refractive index layer and a second low refractive index layer, (M b ) are optimized to transmit or reflect light in a second predetermined wavelength range rather than the first predetermined wavelength range, each of the second unit cells comprising a third high refractive index layer and a fourth low refractive index layer, (M a ) consecutively arranged first unit cells, the ratio of the average refractive index of the first high refractive index layer to the average refractive index of the second low refractive index layer × (M a ) is over 300, (M b ) consecutively arranged second unit cells, the ratio of the average refractive index of the third high refractive index layer to the average refractive index of the fourth low refractive index layer × (M b ) is greater than about 300, and light incident on the optical film at any angle of incidence between about 0 degrees and about 30 degrees has any wavelength within the first predetermined wavelength range and the second predetermined wavelength range, and the average light transmission (T a ) versus the average light transmission of the optical film for the second orthogonal polarization state (T b ) is approximately 1000:1 or more.

[0017] In some examples, the present disclosure describes a display assembly including a light source, a liquid crystal display assembly, and one of the detailed optical films disposed between the liquid crystal display assembly and the light source.

[0018] In some examples, the disclosure describes a display assembly including a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly, a reflective polarizer disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer and configured to substantially transmit light having a first polarization state and substantially reflect light having an orthogonal second polarization state, the reflective polarizer having an average light transmission of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state, where no absorbing polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer, and the contrast ratio of the display assembly is at least twice that of a comparative display assembly having the same structure, except that the average transmission of the reflective polarizer of the comparative display assembly for the second polarization state is greater than about 1.0%.

[0019] In some examples, the present disclosure describes a display assembly including a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly, and a reflective polarizer disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer, the reflective polarizer comprising a plurality of interference layers that transmit or reflect light primarily by optical interference, wherein no absorbing polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer, such that for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmit at least 80% of light having a first polarization state and transmit less than about 0.2% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0020] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical stack that includes a reflective polarizer having a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, where for substantially normally incident light having a predetermined wavelength, the plurality of interference layers have an optical transmittance for a first polarization state of greater than about 85%, an optical reflectance for an orthogonal second polarization state of greater than about 80%, and an optical transmittance for the second polarization state of less than about 0.1%, and an absorptive polarizer coupled to the reflective polarizer and substantially coextensive therewith, where for substantially normally incident light having a predetermined wavelength, the absorptive polarizer has a first optical transmittance for the first polarization state, an optical absorptance for the second polarization state of greater than about 50%, and a second optical transmittance for the second polarization state, where the ratio of the second optical transmittance to the first optical transmittance is greater than about 0.001.

[0021] In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical system that displays an object to an observer centered on an optical axis, the optical system including at least one optical lens having non-zero optical power; a reflective polarizer disposed on a first major surface of the optical lens and conforming to the first major surface of the optical lens, the reflective polarizer substantially transmitting light having a first polarization state and substantially reflecting light having an orthogonal second polarization state; and a partial reflector disposed on a different second major surface of the optical lens and conforming to the different second major surface of the optical lens, the partial reflector having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% for a predetermined wavelength range, and an average optical transmittance of the optical system for light incident along the optical axis having the second polarization state of less than about 0.1%.

[0022] In some examples, the disclosure describes a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), the PBS including a first prism and a second prism and a reflective polarizer disposed and bonded between the first prism and the second prism, the reflective polarizer substantially reflects polarized light having a first polarization state and substantially transmits polarized light having an orthogonal second polarization state, wherein incident light having a predetermined wavelength enters the PBS from an input side of the PBS and exits the PBS from an output side of the PBS after encountering the reflective polarizer at least once, wherein a ratio of an average intensity of the exiting light to an average intensity of the incident light is greater than about 90% when the incident light has the first polarization state and is less than about 0.2% when the incident light has the second polarization state.

[0023] In some examples, liquid crystal display projection systems are described that include the optical films described herein.

[0024] In some examples, the present disclosure provides a display assembly including a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, and a reflective polarizer including an optical film described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 126, the reflective polarizer being disposed adjacent to the liquid crystal layer.

[0025] The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is an exemplary optical film including multiple interference layers numbered consecutively from 1 to (N).

[0027] [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic perspective view of a segment of the optical film of FIG. 1, showing alternating interference layers.

[0028] [Diagram 3] 2 is a plot of an exemplary caliper profile of the optical film of FIG. 1.

[0029] [Figure 4A] 3 illustrates another example of an optical film that can be formed to exhibit one or more of the optical properties described herein.

[0030] [Figure 4B] 4B is a plot of an exemplary caliper profile of the optical film of FIG. 4A.

[0031] [Figure 4C] 4B is a pair of plots of an exemplary caliper profile of the optical film of FIG. 4A.

[0032] [Figure 5A] 1 is an exemplary transmission plot for an exemplary optical film according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] 1 is an exemplary transmission plot for an exemplary optical film according to the present disclosure.

[0033] [Figure 6] 3 illustrates another example of an optical film that can be formed to exhibit one or more of the optical properties described herein.

[0034] [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram of an exemplary display assembly including a reflective polarizer optical film, a liquid crystal display assembly, and a light source.

[0035] [Figure 8] 8 illustrates an exemplary luminance profile of the display assembly of FIG. 7.

[0036] [Figure 9] 1 is a plot showing the bed profile of Example 1.

[0037] [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary optical system including an optical film in the form of a reflective polarizer.

[0038] [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary polarizing beam splitter including an optical film in the form of a reflective polarizer.

[0039] [Figure 12] 1 is a plot of an exemplary thickness profile (layer thickness vs. number of layers) for an exemplary reflective polarizer film described herein compared to a conventional reflective polarizer film.

[0040] [Figure 13] 1 shows a plot of the layer thickness profile of the optical film of Example 7.

[0041] [Figure 14] 1 shows a plot of the block state transmission (Tb) for the film of Example 6 over the wavelength range of 375 to 850 nm.

[0042] [Figure 15] 1 shows the optical power per layer versus number of layers for non-limiting optical films of Example 1 and Example 4 prepared according to the disclosure compared to the comparative examples in Table 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] The optical films described herein are used in display assemblies to improve the brightness of the display when viewed under ambient light, reduce the overall thickness of the display assembly, or provide other useful advantages. In some examples, the optical films described herein can be used as reflective polarizers that exhibit a relatively high contrast ratio of incident light in a desired wavelength range transmitted through the optical film in a pass polarization state compared to light transmitted through the film in an orthogonal reflection polarization state. In some examples, the described optical films can exhibit a contrast ratio of at least 1000:1 while using a relatively small number of total optical layers (e.g., 1000 total layers or less). In some examples, the properties and structure of the optical films described herein can provide reflective polarizers that exhibit high contrast ratios while remaining extremely thin in total thickness (e.g., less than about 100 μm).

[0044] The optical films described herein may be characterized as multilayer optical films having multiple optical layers (e.g., interference layers) configured to selectively transmit and reflect light within a predetermined wavelength range. In some such examples, the optical film may function as a reflective polarizer or RP that selectively transmits and reflects light of different polarization states. For example, FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a multilayer optical film 100 that includes multiple interference layers 102 arranged along a central axis to form an optical film 100 having a total of (N) interference layers 102. The figure includes a coordinate system that defines the X, Y, and Z directions referenced in the perception of the optical film 100.

[0045] In use, light incident on a major surface (e.g., film surface 104) of the optical film 100, depicted as incident light 110, enters a first layer of the optical film 100, propagates through the multiple interference layers 102, and undergoes selective reflection or transmission due to optical interference, depending on the polarization state of the incident light 110. The incident light 110 may include a first polarization state (a) and a second polarization state (b) that are orthogonal to each other. The first polarization state (a) may be considered a "pass" state, while the second polarization state (b) may be considered a "reflection" state. The incident light 110 propagates through the multiple interference layers 102, and a portion of the light in the second polarization state (b) is reflected by the layer that focuses in the second polarization state (b) and is reflected by the optical film 100, while a portion of the light in the first polarization state (a) passes through the optical film 100 overall.

[0046] In some embodiments, the optical film 100 can be characterized in terms of reflectance and transmittance of first and second polarization states (a) and (b) of the incident light 110. For example, the amount of the incident light 110 for a given wavelength that is transmitted through the optical film 100 can be expressed as T a The light transmittance (T a ) and the light transmission (T b The amount of incident light 110 for a given wavelength range that is reflected by the optical film 100 can be expressed as a percentage of T a The optical reflectance (R a ), and the optical reflectance (R b ) for a given optical film, for example, the sum of the transmission, reflectance, and loss due to absorption is 100% for light within a given wavelength range. In the present disclosure, the optical film 100 may have a relatively low absorbance for light within a given wavelength range. In some examples, the relatively low absorption of incident light 110 by the optical film 100 may result in less heat being generated within the optical film 100, resulting in a more efficient reflective film overall.

[0047] The predetermined wavelength range can be any suitable wavelength range, including, for example, visible light (e.g., about 400 to about 700 nm), near infrared (e.g., about 800 to about 1300 nm), a range based on the output of a liquid crystal display backlight (425 to 675 nm), and the like. In some examples, the optical film 100 may be configured to transmit and reflect light of different polarization states in two or more predetermined wavelength ranges, such as visible light and near infrared light. For example, the predetermined wavelength ranges may include a first range of about 430 nm to about 465 nm, a second range of about 490 nm to about 555 nm, and a third range of about 600 nm to about 665 nm. In some such examples, the optical film 100 may include multiple stacks / packets, each including multiple interference layers, as further described below with respect to FIG. 4, and each stack / packet may be oriented toward a different predetermined wavelength range.

[0048] In some examples, as described further below, the interference layer may be characterized as a series of bilayer unit cells. The thickness of each unit cell may be configured to reflect a target wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range. In some examples, the center wavelength of reflectivity for a unit cell corresponds to twice the optical thickness of the bilayer unit cell. Thus, to reflect a predetermined wavelength range (e.g., 400-1000 nm), the unit cells in a stack / packet will have different thicknesses to cover the left band edge, the right band edge, and the wavelengths in between.

[0049] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 can include less than about 1000(N) interference layers 102, each of which reflects or transmits the incident light 110 primarily by optical interference. For example, while optical films 100 having less than 1000(N) total interference layers 102 are provided, in some examples, the optical film 100 can include more than 1000 total interference layers 102 and still obtain some of the described optical properties. In other examples, it may be desirable to achieve the desired optical performance using fewer total layers to reduce the overall thickness of the film, such as in many applications where reducing the overall thickness of a display assembly (e.g., an LCD display) is desirable. In addition, or alternatively, a smaller total number of interference layers 102 may reduce the complexity in the manufacturing process, as well as reduce the possibility of variations (e.g., spectral variations in the block or pass states) or manufacturing errors in the final optical film (e.g., increased block state transmittance due to depolarization between layers, reduced pass state transmittance, etc.). In some examples, with other layers, the optical film 100 may include less than 900(N) total layers, or less than 800(N) total layers.

[0050] In some such examples, using a total of about 1000 (N) interference layers 102, the optical film has an average optical transmission (T) of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state (a) for substantially normally incident light 110 within a predetermined wavelength range. a ), and an average optical reflectance (R b ) and an average light transmission (T b ).

[0051] In some examples, the optical film 100 may be characterized in terms of the optical transmission or reflectance of the film. In some examples, the average optical transmission (T a) may be greater than about 85%, in some cases greater than 87%, and in some cases greater than 89% when using a total (N) interference layer 102 of 1000 or less. In some cases, the average optical transmission (T b ) may be less than about 0.15%, and in some examples less than 0.10%, when using a total (N) interference layer 102 of 1000 or less.

[0052] In some examples, the optical film 100 may be characterized in terms of optical transmission through the plurality of interference layers 102 (e.g., neglecting losses associated with reflectance at the air-film interface). In some examples, the average optical transmission (T a ) may be greater than about 90%, in some instances greater than 95%, and in some instances greater than 98% when using less than 1000 total (N) interference layers 102.

[0053] The properties and structure of the optical film 100 may provide a film with a relatively high contrast ratio, which may be defined as the ratio of normally incident light 110 transmitted through the optical film 100 in a first polarization state (a) (e.g., the pass state) divided by the normally incident light 110 transmitted through the optical film 100 in a second, orthogonal polarization state (b) (e.g., the "reflection" state) for a particular wavelength range.

[0054] In some examples, the degree of transmission and reflectance of the optical film 100 may be characterized by the ratio of the transmission to the reflectance in a given polarization state. For example, the ratio of the percent light transmission to the percent light reflectance in a first polarization state (a) is (R a / T a ), and the ratio of the percentage of light transmittance to the percentage of light reflectance in the second polarization state (b) for incident light 110 within a given wavelength range may be expressed as (T b / Rb ) In some cases, R a / T a The ratio may be relatively low, for example less than about 0.17, and T b / R b The ratio may be relatively low, for example, less than about 0.002.

[0055] In some non-limiting examples, an optical film 100 with less than about 1000 interference layers 102 in total (N) reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the T of the optical film 100 for substantially normally incident light 110 within a predetermined wavelength range is b / R b The ratio is less than about 0.002 (e.g., less than 0.001), and R a / T a is less than about 0.017 (e.g., less than 0.14), and T a and R a are the average optical transmittance and reflectance for each of the first polarization states (a) (e.g., the “pass” state) for the incident light 110 within a predetermined wavelength range, and T b and R b are the average optical transmittance and reflectance for each of the second polarization states (b) (e.g., the “block” state).

[0056] In some examples, the optical film 100 is characterized by the ratio of the percent light transmission for a first polarization state (a) to the percent light transmission for a second polarization state (b). For example, a ratio T a / T b may be greater than about 425.

[0057] Additionally or alternatively, the optical film 100 may be characterized in terms of a ratio of the percentage of light reflectance for the second polarization state (b) and the first polarization state (a). For example, a ratio R b / R a may be greater than about 6.7.

[0058] In some examples, the transmittance and reflectance properties of the optical film 100 may be characterized for light incident within a predetermined wavelength range, the wavelength range within the predetermined range having an angle of incidence at the surface 104 within a set angle of less than about 30°, e.g., less than about 20°, or less than about 10°, where the angle of incidence measured from the normal to the surface 104 was 0°, which represents the normal. For example, in some non-limiting examples, light incident at the surface 104 of the optical film 100 at an angle of incidence less than about 10° within a predetermined wavelength range (e.g., visible light from about 400 nm to about 700 nm) exhibits an average light transmission (T a ) and an average optical reflectance (R b ), and an average light transmission (R ) of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state (b). b ).

[0059] In some examples, the interference layer 102 of the optical film 100 may include alternating layers (e.g., A and B) of two different polymeric materials exhibiting different refractive index characteristics. For example, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a segment of the optical film 100 showing alternating interference layers 102a, 102b. Figure 2 includes a coordinate system defining X, Y, and Z axes to help describe the optical properties of the optical film 100.

[0060] 2, optical film 100 includes alternating layers of different optical materials (e.g., ABABA...), referred to throughout the figures and description as material "(A)" and material "(B)." As described further below, various layers of two different materials may be formed through an extrusion / lamination process in which the layers are extruded together to form multiple optical layers 102 (ABABA...) that are bonded together.

[0061] In some examples, during the extrusion process, the optical layers 102 may be stretched to impart different interference properties to the film. For example, the layers of A and B optical materials are stretched (e.g., in a 5:1 ratio or a 6:1 ratio) along one axis (e.g., the X axis) and not significantly (1:1) stretched along the orthogonal axis (e.g., the Y axis). The X axis is referred to as the "stretch" direction, while the Y axis is referred to as the "transverse" direction.

[0062] The optical materials used to form the A and B layers can be selected to impart particular optical properties to the film as a result of the stretching process. For example, the (B) material forming optical layer 102b can have a nominal refractive index (e.g., n2=1.64) that is not substantially altered by the stretching process. Thus, the refractive index in both the x-direction and y-direction (n2 x and n2 y ) may be substantially the same for both directions after the stretching process. In contrast, the (A) material forming the optical layer 102a may have a refractive index that changes due to the stretching process. For example, a uniaxially stretched layer 102a of (A) material may have a refractive index that changes with the X-axis or stretch direction 120 (e.g., n1 x =1.88) and has a higher refractive index in the Y-axis or non-stretch direction 122 (e.g., n1 y =1.64). Because of the higher refractive index in the stretch direction, the layer 102a containing material (A) may be considered a high refractive index (HIR) layer 102a, while the layer 102b containing material (B) may be considered a low refractive index (LIR) layer 102b. In some examples, the refractive index of the alternating AB layers is controlled by appropriate material selection and processing conditions. In some examples, the optical properties of the layers 102 may cause the optical film 100 to act as a reflective polarizer that substantially transmits a first polarization state (a) component of the incident light 110 within a predetermined wavelength range oriented relative to the unstretched axis 122. Meanwhile, the stretched axis 120 will correspond to a reflective axis along which a component of the incident light 110 in a second polarization state (b) within the predetermined wavelength range is substantially reflected through optical interference.

[0063] In some examples, the optical film 100 may have a refractive index between the alternating HIR layers 102a and LIR layers 102b along the stretch axis 120 (i.e., Δn x =n1 x -n2 x In some such examples, the refractive index between alternating HIR layers 102a and LIR layers 102b along the non-stretched axis 122 (i.e., Δn y =n1 y -n2 y ) may be substantially the same, such that the difference in refractive index between the HIR layer 102a and the LIR layer 102b is about 0.0. x By increasing the x In comparison to optical films having a smaller total number of interference layers, polarized light for a given wavelength range can be sufficiently transmitted / reflected.

[0064] Preferably, the orientation of the stretch axis of each of the interference layers 102 is substantially aligned (e.g., aligned or approximately aligned) such that the X-axis of each layer 102 represents the direction for obtaining the maximum refractive index in the XY plane (FIG. 2) for each layer. However, depending on mechanical tolerances and the number of interference layers 102, the stretch axis 120 for each of the interference layers (e.g., representing the direction for obtaining the maximum refractive index or maximum refraction for the layer) may be aligned within a variation of about ±2°.

[0065] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 can include a total of more than 200 and less than 1000 (N) first layers 102a and second layers 102b that reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference. For example, the optical film 100 can include less than 400 and more than 100 first layers 102a and less than 400 and more than 100 second layers 102b. In some such examples, for each pair of adjacent first layers 102a and second layers 102b, the layers can define a stretch axis that represents the direction of the maximum refractive index obtained for the respective layer (e.g., the refractive index n1 for the two layers). x and n2 x X-axis / direction 120 corresponding to the principal axis (e.g., Δnx =n1 x -n2 x The difference in refractive index between the first layer 102a and the second layer 102b for (A) may be greater than about 0.24. In some such examples, the directions of the respective stretch axes for each of the first optical layer 102a and the second optical layer 102b may be substantially aligned such that the interference layer 102 defines a maximum angular range of the directions of the respective stretch axes of less than about 2 degrees.

[0066] The optical film 100 including multiple interference layers 102 can be formed using any suitable technique. For example, layers 102a and 102b including optical material A and optical material B, respectively, can be fabricated using a coextrusion, casting, and orientation process to form stacks / packets of tens to hundreds of interference layers 102, and then the extruded layers are stretched or oriented to form stacks / packets of interference layers 102. Each stack / packet can include about 200 to about 1000 total interference layers depending on the desired properties of the optical film 100. As used herein, a "stack / packet" is used to refer to a continuous set of alternating interference layers 102a, 102b in which there are no spacers or non-interference layers formed (e.g., continuously disposed) within the stack / packet. In some examples, spacers, non-interference layers, or other layers can be added to the outside of a given stack / packet, thereby forming the outer layers of the film without disrupting the alternating pattern of interference layers 102 within the stack / packet.

[0067] In some examples, the optical film 100 may be fabricated by coextrusion, which includes (a) providing at least a first and a second stream of resin corresponding to a first and a second polymer to be used in the finished film, and (b) splitting the first and second streams into multiple layers using a suitable feedblock having (i) a gradient plate including a first flow channel and a second flow channel, the first channel having a cross-sectional area that varies from a first position to a second position along the flow channel, and (ii) a first plurality of conduits in fluid communication with the first flow channel and a second plurality of conduits in fluid communication with the second flow channel. (iii) a feed tube plate including a feed tube with each conduit feeding its respective slot die, each conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the conduit in fluid communication with the flow channel and the second end of the conduit in fluid communication with the slot die, and optionally an axial rod heater disposed proximate the conduit, (c) passing the composite stream through an extrusion die to form a multilayer web, each layer being generally parallel to a major surface of an adjacent layer, and (d) casting the multilayer web onto a casting wheel or chill roll, sometimes referred to as a casting drum, to form a cast multilayer film, which may have the same number of layers as the finished film, although the layers of the cast film are typically much thicker than those of the finished film.

[0068] After cooling, the multilayer web can be reheated and stretched or drawn to produce a near-finished multilayer optical film. The stretching or drawing accomplishes two objectives: thinning the layers to the desired final thickness profile and orienting the layers so that at least some of them are birefringent. The orientation or drawing can be accomplished along the cross-web direction (e.g., via a tenter), along the down-web direction (e.g., via a length orienter), or any combination thereof, either simultaneously or sequentially. If drawn in only one direction, the drawing can be "unconstrained" (the film can relax dimensionally in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the drawing direction) or "constrained" (the film is constrained and cannot relax dimensionally in the in-plane direction perpendicular to the drawing direction). If drawn along an in-plane direction, the drawing is symmetric, i.e., equal or asymmetric along the orthogonal in-plane direction. Alternatively, the film may be drawn in a batch process. In either case, subsequent or simultaneous draw reduction, stress or strain balancing, heat setting, and other processing operations may also be applied to the film.

[0069] Preferably, the polymers of the various layers are selected to have similar rheological properties, such as melt viscosity, so that they can be coextruded without significant impediments to flow. Extrusion conditions can be selected to adequately feed, melt, mix, and pump the respective polymers as feed and melt streams in a continuous and stable manner. The temperatures used to form and maintain each of the melt streams can be selected within a range that avoids freezing, crystallization, or excessive pressure drop at the lower end of the temperature range, and material degradation at the upper end of the temperature range.

[0070] Exemplary (A) materials suitable for the optical film 102 may include, for example, (a) polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), copolymers containing PEN and polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or dibenzoic acid), glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate, etc. Exemplary (B) materials suitable for the optical film 102 may include, for example, PEN-based copolyesters, PET-based copolyesters, polycarbonate (PC), or blends of these three materials, etc. To obtain high reflectivity with a reasonable number of layers, adjacent microlayers should have a refractive index for light polarized along the x-axis (Δn x ) can be shown.

[0071] In some examples, the stretch axes 122 (e.g., the Y-axis in FIG. 2) for each HIR layer 102a and LIR layer 102b of the plurality of interference layers 102 can be substantially aligned (e.g., aligned parallel or nearly parallel) with one another. In some examples, due to manufacturing tolerances, the alignment of the stretch axes 122 can include a variation of up to 2°.

[0072] Although the optical film 100 may be described in some examples as having a total (N) interference layer 102 of 1000 or less, it will be understood that the lower limit of the total number of layers (N) may be any suitable amount configured to obtain the described optical properties. In some examples, there is a trade-off between the optical properties obtained and the total number of layers (N) of the resulting film / film thickness. For example, in some examples, the contrast ratio of the film may be increased overall by increasing the total number of interference layers 102 included in the optical film 100 without any of the manufacturing problems discussed above, but the thickness of the film will also increase as the number of layers increases. In some examples, such as modern thin optical display devices, the overall thickness of the film may be a limiting factor due to the limited availability of space in such optical display units. In some examples, the optical film 100 may provide a significant increase in one or more optical properties (e.g., contrast ratio) while having a significantly reduced film thickness (e.g., half) compared to other film structures (e.g., combined absorptive polarizers and reflective polarizers used in some conventional display units). Furthermore, excessive film thickness runs the risk of reducing the overall contrast ratio due to depolarization of the pass-state light propagating through the film.

[0073] In some examples, the optical film 100 can have from about 200 to about 1000 total interference layers 102, with any film 100 having a total thickness, including any non-interference or protective layers, of less than about 100 μm. In some examples, the optical film 100 can have a total thickness across all layers of the optical film 100 of less than about 100 μm (e.g., less than 60 μm).

[0074] In some examples, the thickness of the individual interference layers 102 may be relatively thin, such that less than 30% of the interference layers 102 have a thickness greater than about 200 nm (e.g., less than 5% of the interference layers 102 have a thickness greater than 200 nm, or all of the interference layers 102 have a thickness less than about 200 nm), but may vary depending on location within the optical film 100. For example, the thickness of the individual interference layers 102 may vary (e.g., increase apart from local variations) as the thickness of the individual interference layers 102 moves generally from the first layer number to the Nth layer number. In some examples, the optical film 100 may be characterized with respect to the thickness profile of the film. For example, FIG. 3 is a plot of an exemplary thickness profile of the optical film 100 showing the relative thickness of the individual interference layers 102 as a function of layer number (e.g., layer numbers 1-N are plotted such that the thickness of the layers generally increases from layer 1 to layer N). The fitted curve 300 can be set to a region extending from the 1st layer to the Nth layer (e.g., excluding any non-interference layers, spacer layers, or any other optical layers that do not form a stack / packet), where the fitted curve 300 represents a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness profile of the optical film 100. In some examples, the fitted curve 300 can represent a second order, third order, fourth order, or fifth order polynomial regression analysis, an exponential regression analysis, or the like.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 3, a fitted curve 300 is depicted having an average slope representing the layer thickness profile of the individual interference layers 102 of the optical film 100 as a function of layer number. Specifically, the x-axis represents the layer number of the consecutively numbered interference layers 102 numbered 1 to N, and the y-axis represents the average thickness for a given layer number (e.g., average thickness for the entire XY plane in FIG. 1). As used herein, "consecutively numbered" interference layers 102 are used to refer to consecutively numbered interference layers 102 in a particular direction (e.g., moving along the Z-axis in FIG. 1). In some examples, the interference layers 102 may be arranged consecutively to form a single stack / packet, as shown in FIG. 1. In other examples, the consecutively numbered interference layers 102 may include one or more spacer layers (e.g., possibly thicker non-interference layers, such as non-interference layer 408 described in FIG. 4 below) that do not function by optical interference and are not numbered as part of the consecutively numbered interference layers 102. For example, in some instances, interference layers 102 numbered consecutively from 1 to N may represent two stacks / packets of interference layers with each stack / packet including consecutively arranged interference layers 102 separated by a spacer layer (e.g., a first stack including 1 to m layers and a second stack including (m+1) to N layers). As such, the spacer layers are not counted as making up the thickness profile shown in FIG.

[0076] In some non-limiting examples, the slope of the fitted curve 300 may be positively sloped (e.g., greater than 0) and less than about 0.2 nm per layer averaged across the interference layers 102 of the optical film 100 numbered consecutively from 1 to N, where N is greater than 200, with less than 30% of the interference layers 102 having a thickness greater than about 200 nm. For example, less than 10% of the interference layers 102 may have a thickness greater than about 200 nm, in some examples, less than 5% of the interference layers 102 may have a thickness greater than about 200 nm, and in some examples, all of the interference layers 102 numbered consecutively from 1 to N may have a thickness less than about 200 nm.

[0077] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 can include N consecutively numbered interference layers 102, where N is an integer greater than 200 and less than 1000, with each layer 102 having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm. In some such examples, a fitted curve 300 representing a best fit regression applied to a thickness profile plotting the thickness of each of the individual optical layers 102 as a function of layer number may define an average slope measured from the first layer to the Nth layer of about 0.2 nm / layer. In some such examples, the thickness profile of the optical film 100 causes the film to have an average optical transmission (T a ), and an average light reflectance of more than 80% for the second orthogonal polarization state (b) (T b ) can be defined.

[0078] In some examples, the slope may be substantially the same throughout all of the interference layers 102, representing a continuous and constant change in thickness from layer to layer. In some such examples, the average slope may be characterized as having an approximately constant step change in layer thickness between adjacent interference layers 202. For example, if the slope is substantially constant at about 0.2 nm, layer number x may have a thickness of t nm, while layer number (x+1) may have a thickness of (t+0.2 nm).

[0079] In some examples, the relative change in layer thickness between adjacent interference layers 102 may vary with position within the optical film 100 such that the slope of the fitted curve 300 may not be substantially the same throughout all of the interference layers 102. In some such examples, the slope of the fitted curve 300 may be characterized by a maximum slope and a minimum slope. For example, the optical film 100 may include N consecutively numbered interference layers 102, where N is an integer greater than 50 and less than 1000. The fitted curve 300, which represents a best fit regression, may be applied to a thickness profile that plots the thickness of each of the individual interference layers 102 as a function of layer number, and may define both a maximum slope and a minimum slope as a function of layer number. In some such examples, the difference between the maximum slope and the minimum slope may be less than about 0.70 nm / layer (e.g., less than about 0.57 nm / layer), and the maximum slope and the minimum slope are each evaluated over any group of 25 to 50 adjacent interference layers 102. In some such examples, the thickness profile of the optical film 100 causes the film to have an average light transmission (T) of greater than about 80% for normally incident light 110 in a first polarization state (a) within a predetermined wavelength range. a ), and an average light reflectance of more than 80% for the second orthogonal polarization state (b) (T b ) can be defined.

[0080] In some examples, the optical film 100 may have an average slope of the fitted curve 300 (e.g., Δn x / K, where K represents the average slope of the fitted curve 300) for the maximum difference between the refractive indices of the multiple interference layers 102 (e.g., the maximum Δn x ) ratio. A lower average slope can improve the optical interference between the optical films 100. In some examples, Δn x Designing the optical film 100 to have a relatively large (eg, greater than 1) .lamda. / K ratio can result in a higher contrast ratio.

[0081] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 has a Δn of greater than about 1.2. xIn some such examples, the optical film may specify an optical density of greater than about 1.4, greater than 1.6, greater than 1.8, greater than 2.0, or greater than about 3.0 for a given wavelength range. As used herein, "optical density" refers to the -log(T b In some instances, the higher the optical density, the higher the contrast ratio for the optical film.

[0082] In some such examples, the slope 302 of the fitted curve 300 may represent an average slope across a subgroup of interference layers 102. For example, the multiple interference layers 102 may be divided into multiple non-overlapping groups of consecutively arranged interference layers 102 in the optical film 100. As used herein, "sequentially arranged" interference layers 102 means that the interference layers are directly adjacent to one another and does not include any spacer layer (e.g., non-interference layer 408, described below in FIG. 4) disposed between any two adjacent interference layers 102 within the consecutively arranged layers. For each group of consecutively arranged interference layers 102, the layers may be consecutively numbered from 1 to m, where m is greater than 25 and less than N, and N represents the total number of interference layers 102 in the optical film 100 (e.g., 50 to 1000 layers). The fitted curve 300 may be applied to the entire thickness profile of the interference layers 102 according to layer number. A resulting average slope 302 (e.g., thickness change per m number of layers) may be determined for each subgroup of m layers. In some such examples, the maximum difference between the average slopes of all subgroups (e.g., the difference between the maximum slope measured from one group and the minimum slope measured from a different group) may be less than 0.70 nm / layer.

[0083] Considering the thickness profile of the optical film 100, it will be seen that the relative thicknesses of at least some of the different interference layers 102 vary throughout the stack / packet of interference layers 102 within the optical film 100. In some examples, the thickness difference of the multiple interference layers 102 may be characterized by a difference in average thickness of some of the interference layers 102. For example, the optical film 100 may include at least one interference layer 102 defining an average thickness (e.g., layer number 1) that is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other of the interference layers 102 may be greater than about 100 nm (e.g., layer number N). In some examples, the optical film 100 may include at least two interference layers 102 having an average thickness difference of at least less than about 30% (e.g., layer number 1 defining an average thickness that is at least 30% less than the average thickness of layer number N).

[0084] In some examples, the relative thicknesses of the interference layer 102 may be described in terms of the optical thicknesses of the unit cells 106a, 106b. As used, "unit cell" is used to mean a pair of one HIR layer 102a and one LIR layer 102b arranged in series, collectively referred to as a unit cell 106. Although only two respective unit cells 106 are shown in FIG. 2 (e.g., unit cell 106a and unit cell 106b), the optical film 100 may include tens to hundreds of unit cells 106. In some examples, the unit cells 106 may be arranged in series or separated into different stacks / packets by one or more spacer layers.

[0085] The "optical thickness" (τ) of the unit cell 106 is the thickness of each HIR layer 102a (d HIR ) thickness × stretch direction at the wavelength of interest (e.g., n x ) + the refractive index of each LIR layer 102b of the cell (d LIR ) x the thickness of the target at the same wavelength in the stretch direction (e.g., n2 x) as the refractive index of the LIR layer. Each unit cell 106 may be sized such that the unit cell defines a respective optical thickness equal to approximately half of each distinct central wavelength within a given wavelength range. For example, unit cell 106a may define a refractive index of the LIR layer equal to approximately half of the central wavelength (λ a ), whereby (τ a = λ a / 2=d HIR * n1 x +d LIR * n2 x ) optical thickness (τ a ) Each unit cell 106 in the optical film 100 can correspond to a different center wavelength within a given wavelength range to provide desired transmission and reflection characteristics for the film within that range.

[0086] In some examples, the optical thickness (τ) of the unit cells 106 can be controlled so that the intrinsic bandwidth of a given unit cell overlaps with the intrinsic bandwidth of an adjacent unit cell. By overlapping the intrinsic bandwidth of adjacent unit cells 106, the constructive interference obtained by the interference layer 102 remains high. One approach to improving the constructive interference obtained in the optical film 100 is to keep the difference in optical thickness (τ) of adjacent unit cells 106 relatively small to generate a sufficient amount of intrinsic bandwidth overlap. In some examples, the optical thickness (τ) of the unit cells 106 can be controlled so that less than 10% of adjacent unit cells have a difference in optical thickness (τ) of more than 1%. For example, the optical film of Example 1, further described below, had less than 6% of adjacent unit cells having a difference in optical thickness (τ) of more than 1%, and less than 1.2% of adjacent unit cells having a difference in optical thickness (τ) of more than 1.5%.

[0087] In some examples, the change in optical thickness between adjacent unit cells (e.g., unit cell 106a and unit cell 106b) may be relatively small to obtain desired optical properties. For example, in some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 can include between about 100 and about 400 consecutively arranged unit cells 106, each having a refractive index (e.g., Δn x Each unit cell 106 defines an optical thickness (τ) within a predetermined wavelength range and equal to approximately half of a different central wavelength (e.g., λ / 2). In some such examples, for at least 80% of adjacent pairs of unit cells (e.g., unit cell 106a and unit cell 106b form an adjacent pair of unit cells 108), the ratio of the difference in central wavelengths of adjacent unit cells 106a, 106b to the average of the central wavelengths of adjacent unit cells 106a, 106b is less than about 2% (e.g., abs([λ a(n) -λ a(n+1) ] / [(λ a(n) -λ a(n+1) ) / 2])<2%).

[0088] In some examples, the optical film 100 may be characterized with respect to the optical power of the interference layers 102. "Optical power" may be defined as the integral of the optical density in 1 / (wavelength) space over a region of interest for the blocked polarization state (b). In some examples, higher optical power may correspond to a higher contrast ratio in the region of interest. Depending on the intended application of the optical film 100, a certain amount of optical power may be desired for the optical film. However, the optical power per interference layer is generally inversely proportional to the total number of interference layers, such that the optical power per layer decreases with increasing total number of layers. While useful for obtaining other optical properties (e.g., sufficient coverage of a given wavelength range), increasing the total number of interference layers may lead to an overall decrease in optical power per layer. The optical films described herein may provide higher optical power per layer for a given number of interference layers than can be obtained with conventional reflective polarizer films.

[0089] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 includes about 100 to about 1000 alternating HIR 102a and LIR 102b layers, with each interference layer 102 reflecting or transmitting light primarily by optical interference. In some such examples, the optical film includes about (-0.0012 nm) of interference layers 102 per interference layer 102. * N+1.46), where N represents the total number of interference layers 102 (eg, N is between about 100 and about 1000).

[0090] Additionally or alternatively, in some non-limiting examples, the optical film 100 includes a total of at least about 300 alternating HIR 102a and LIR 102b layers, each interference layer 102 reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the optical film 100 defines an optical power per interference layer 102 of greater than about 0.7.

[0091] FIG. 15, described further below, shows the optical power per layer versus number of non-limiting optical films of Example 1 prepared according to the disclosure. Several comparative examples of conventional reflective polarizer films, either commercially available or described in the literature, are also included in the plot of FIG. 15 (see Table 6). As shown in FIG. 15 and Table 6, the optical film of Example 1 includes a total of 650 interference layers, providing about 0.74 optical power per layer.

[0092] In some examples, the multiple interference layers 102 of the optical film 100 may be arranged contiguously such that each interference layer 102 is immediately adjacent to a nearby interference layer to form an optical stack / packet of up to 1000 individual layers. In other examples, the optical film 100 may be separated into two or more stacks / packets of interference layers 102 separated by relatively thick non-interference layers that act as spacer layers (e.g., optical layers that do not reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference). For example, FIG. 4A illustrates another example of an optical film 400 that can be formed to exhibit one or more optical properties described above with respect to the optical film 100. As shown in FIG. 4A, the optical film 400 includes multiple interference layers 402 separated into two optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b, each including multiple interference layers 402. The optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b are separated by a relatively thick (e.g., thicker than the individual interference layers 402) spacer layer 408.

[0093] Similar to the optical film 100, the optical film 400 may include tens to hundreds of interference layers 402 distributed among the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b. a +N b ) consecutively numbered interference layers 402, the first optical stack / packet 406a includes a total of (N a ) interference layer 402, and the second stack / packet 406b includes a total of (N b ) interference layer 402.

[0094] Each interference layer 402 may be substantially similar to the interference layer 102 described with respect to Figures 1 and 2. For example, the interference layers 402 alternate between HIR layers (e.g., similar to HIR layer 102a) and LIR layers (e.g., similar to LIR layer 102a). Further, as with the optical film 100, in some examples, the total number (e.g., N) of interference layers 402 in the optical stack / packet 406a, 406b of the optical film 400 may be less than 1000, or less than 800, as discussed above.

[0095] In some examples, the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b can include substantially the same (e.g., the same or about the same) total number of interference layers 402. For example, the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b can each independently include from about 50 to about 400 interference layers 402, with the total number of interference layers 402 in each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b being the same (e.g., N a =N b In some examples, the total number of interference layers 402 in a single optical stack / packet 406a, 406b may be about 325 layers. In other examples, the optical stack / packet 406a, 406b may have a different total number (e.g., N a ≠N b ) interference layer 402.

[0096] The spacer layer 408 may include any suitable optical material (e.g., a non-interference layer) that does not reflect or transmit light primarily through optical interference. In some examples, the spacer layer 408 may include polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), copolymers containing PEN and polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or dibenzoic acid), glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate (PC), or blends of these four classes of materials, etc. In some examples, the spacer layer 408 may be formed by coextrusion or lamination, thereby laminating the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b with the spacer layer 408 between the two stacks / packets. Additionally or alternatively, the spacer layer 408 may be optically coupled to the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b (e.g., may be bonded to each stack / packet 406a, 406b such that light is transmitted through the spacer layer 408 without significant reflection or refraction).

[0097] The spacer layer 408 may be relatively thick compared to the individual interference layers 402. For example, the spacer layer 408 may have an average thickness greater than about 500 nm. Additionally or alternatively, the spacer layer 408 may have an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range. For example, if the predetermined wavelength range includes visible light (e.g., about 400 to about 700 nm), the thickness of the spacer layer 408 may be greater than 7000 nm. In some examples, the spacer layer 408 may have an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range. In some examples, the spacer layer 408 may help reduce flow turbulence that may otherwise occur during the coextrusion process, such as the formation of multilayer optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b.

[0098] In some examples, the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b may be independently optimized to transmit or reflect light in different predetermined wavelength ranges. In this manner, the optical film 400 may be configured to transmit and reflect light according to its polarization state across multiple distinct wavelength ranges. For example, the first optical stack / packet 406a may be configured to transmit and reflect light in the visible spectrum (e.g., about 400 to about 700 nm), while the second optical stack / packet 406b may be configured to transmit and reflect light in the near infrared spectrum (e.g., about 800 to about 1300 nm).

[0099] In some examples, the two optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b may be configured such that the optical film 400 transmits and reflects light in a continuous predetermined wavelength range (e.g., from about 400 to about 1300 nm) depending on its polarization state. For example, the optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b may be configured such that the predetermined wavelength ranges of each stack / packet 406a, 406b abut or overlap each other for a substantially continuous (e.g., continuous or near continuous) predetermined wavelength range.

[0100] In some examples, the first optical stack / packet 406a may include 1-(N) layers of alternating HIR and LIR layers configured to transmit or reflect light of different polarization states within a first predetermined wavelength range. a ) in a sequentially arranged interference layer 402. A pair of immediately adjacent HIR and LIR interference layers 402 is characterized by a unit cell 405, and the first optical stack / packet 406a may include a total of about (M a =N a Similarly, the second optical stack / packet 406b may have 1 to (N / 2) unit cells 405 of alternating HIR and LIR layers configured to transmit or reflect light of different polarization states within a second predetermined wavelength range. b ) or about (M b =N b Each HIR and LIR interference layer 402 forming each unit cell 405 may include a number of unit cells 405. The ratio of the average refractive index of the HIR layers to the average refractive index of the LIR layers, e.g., (n1 x / n2 x )

[0101] In some examples, the optical stack / packet is configured to exhibit a relatively high contrast ratio (e.g., greater than 1000:1) to reflect and transmit light within a given wavelength range (e.g., HIR (e.g., n1 x ) and LIR (e.g., n2 x ) The refractive index of the interference layer 402 and the total number (e.g., M) of unit cells 405 in each optical stack / packet 406 may be selected. In some examples, each optical stack / packet 406 may be selected to have a refractive index that satisfies the following formula: [(n x / n2 x ) * M>300].

[0102] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 400 may include M first unit cells 405 of alternating first HIR and second LIR interference layers 402 arranged in a series. a-The first unit cell 405 may be optimized to transmit or reflect light in a first predetermined wavelength range (e.g., about 400 to about 700 nm), but may not be optimized in a second predetermined wavelength range (e.g., about 800 to about 1300 nm). In some such examples, the first HIR layer (n1 x ) to the average refractive index of the second LIR layer (n x ) × the total number of first unit cells 405 (M a The first HIR and second LIR interference layers 402 arranged alternately have a respective (n1 x ) and (n2 x ) may define an average refractive index of the third HIR and fourth LIR interference layers 402. The optical film may further include a second unit cell 405 of the third HIR and fourth LIR interference layers 402 arranged in a series of M b The second unit cell 405 may be optimized to transmit or reflect light in a second predetermined wavelength range (e.g., about 400 to about 700 nm), but not in the first predetermined wavelength range (e.g., about 800 to about 1300 nm). x ) for the average refractive index of the fourth LIR layer (n4 x ) × the average refractive index ratio of the second unit cell 405 (M b The alternating third HIR interference layer and fourth LIR interference layer 402 each have a total of (n3 x ) and (n4 x In some such examples, light incident on the optical film 400 at any angle of incidence less than about 30 degrees, having any wavelength within the first and second predetermined wavelength ranges, may have an average refractive index of (T a ) vs. (T b ) is greater than about 1000:1. a ), and the average optical transmission for the second polarization state (b) (e.g., T b ) may be received.

[0103] In some such examples, the multiple stack / packet 406 design of the optical film 400 can provide a more efficient process for manufacturing the film, for example, compared to an optical film that includes only a single packet of interference layers configured to reflect and transmit light within the same contiguous predetermined wavelength range, which reduces the total number of layers and the complexity of forming a large single stack.

[0104] As with optical film 100, in some examples, the degree of transmittance and reflectance of optical film 400 for substantially normally incident light 110 (e.g., normal or nearly normal to surface 404) within a given wavelength range (e.g., visible light or about 400 to about 700 nm) can be expressed as an average optical transmittance (T a ) and light reflectance (R a ) and the average optical transmittance (T b ) and light reflectance (R b The optical transmittance and reflectance values ​​of the optical film 400 may be substantially the same as those described above for the optical film 100. For example, the average optical transmittance (T a ) may be greater than about 80% for the first / pass polarization state (a), and the average optical reflectance (R b ) may be greater than about 80% for the orthogonal second / reflected polarization state (b), and the average light transmission (T b ) may be less than about 0.2% for the orthogonal second / reflected polarization state (b). In some examples, each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b may be characterized as transmitting at least 50% of normally incident light 110 having a first polarization state (a) within a predetermined wavelength range and reflecting at least 50% of normally incident light 110 in a second polarization state (b) within a predetermined wavelength range.

[0105] FIG. 4B is an exemplary thickness profile plot of optical film 400 showing the thickness of individual interference layers 402 as a function of layer number, where the multiple interference layers 402 are consecutively numbered from 1 to N, where N is the total number of interference layers 402 in optical film 400 (e.g., N=N a +Nb 4B, the spacer layer 408 is excluded from the thickness profile plot of the optical film 400.

[0106] The thickness profile of the optical film 400 can be characterized by two fitted curves 410, 412, each corresponding to the thickness profile of a respective optical stack / packet 406a, 406b. The fitted curves 410, 412 represent a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness profile of the optical film 400 relative to the interference layers 402 in the respective stack / packet. For example, fitted curve 410 represents the thickness profile of the first stack / packet 406a, which is a thickness profile of 1 to N a 4 represents the interference layers 402, which are numbered consecutively from 1 to 100, and the fitted curve 412 represents the thickness profile of the second stack / packet 406a, which is (N a +1)~(N a +N b ) represent consecutively numbered interference layers 402 (e.g., 1 to N of the second stack / packet 406b). b , corresponding to the interference layers 402 which are numbered consecutively up to .

[0107] As shown in FIG. 4B, each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b may include a layer thickness profile (e.g., individual layer thickness plotted against layer number) that defines the respective slope. In some examples, the average slope of the fitted curves 410, 412 may be less than 0.2 nm / layer number for the interference layers 402 in each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b. Each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b of the optical film 400 may include less than about 400 total interference layers 402, with each individual layer thickness of each interference layer 402 being relatively thin (e.g., having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm).

[0108] In some examples, the average slope of the fitted curves 410, 412 may represent the average slope across a subgroup of interference layers 402 in the respective optical stack / packet 406a, 406b. For example, the interference layers 402 in the first optical stack / packet 406a may be divided into multiple non-overlapping groups of consecutively arranged interference layers 402. For each group of consecutively arranged interference layers 402, the layers may be consecutively numbered from 1 to m, where m is N. a / 10 or more, but N a is less than N a represents the total number of interference layers 402 in the first optical stack / packet 406a. A fitted curve 410 may be applied to the thickness profile for each group of layers according to layer number, and the resulting average slope for each group (e.g., thickness change per m number of layers) is determined for each group of layers. The maximum difference between the average slopes of all groups (e.g., the difference between the maximum slope measured from one group and the minimum slope measured from a different group) may be less than 0.70 nm / layer (e.g., less than 0.57 nm / layer), with the maximum and minimum slopes each being evaluated across any group of 25-50 adjacent layers.

[0109] In some examples, the layer thickness profile of the optical film 400 may be characterized by a best fit linear equation that is applied to the thickness profile of each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b as a function of layer number. For example, FIG. 4C is a pair of plots of an exemplary thickness profile of the optical film 400 showing the thickness of the first and second optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b as a function of interference layer number. As shown, the first optical stack / packet 406a has a thickness ranging from 1 to N a The second optical stack / packet 406b includes interference layers 402 numbered consecutively from 1 to N bThe optical film 400 includes interference layers 402 numbered consecutively from 0 to 100. The best fit linear regressions 420, 422 may be applied to each plot (e.g., linear least squares regression) to provide a respective average slope for each associated best fit regression. In some examples, the maximum difference between the average slopes of the best fit linear regressions 420, 422 for all optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b within the optical film 400 may be less than about 20%. For example, and referring to the non-limiting Example 1 and the optical film of FIG. 9 below, the slopes of packet 1 and packet 2 forming the optical film of Example 1 exhibit average slopes of 0.17 nm / layer and 0.18 nm / layer, respectively, resulting in a difference in slope of about 6%.

[0110] In some examples, the first and second optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b may include stitching in regions 424 and 426. Stitching describes an optical design where there are at least two packets where there is only a small amount of overlap between the reflected bands associated with each packet. This allows for a lower slope to be used in the individual packets, increasing the optical power associated with each layer. FIG. 13 shows an example of a stitch layer design. In such an example, the layer thickness change for layers of each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b adjacent to a layer 408 (e.g., the first 30 interference layers 402 adjacent to the spacer layer 408 with a given stack / packet) may increase in proportion to the thickness / layer change for other interference layers 402 in the optical stack / packet 406a, 406b. This variation is shown in regions 424 and 426 of FIG. 4C as a layer thickness profile having a slight curl at the ends of the thickness profile where the optical stack / packet 406a, 406b has a side adjacent to the spacer layer 408.

[0111] In some non-limiting examples, the optical film 400 may be configured such that the plurality of interference layers 402 polarizes light in a first polarization state (e.g., T a ) and transmits at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state (e.g., T b) in a predetermined wavelength range. The plurality of interference layers 402 may be divided into a plurality of optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b, with each pair of adjacent optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b separated by one or more spacer layers 408 that do not reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference, and each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b transmits at least 50% of light having a first polarization state (a) within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 50% of light having a second polarization state (b) within a predetermined wavelength range. Within each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b, the interference layers 402 may be consecutively numbered (e.g., N a Or N b ), each optical stack / packet 406a, 406b has a best-fit linear equation (e.g., fit lines 420, 422) relating the thickness of the optical stack / packet 406a, 406b to the interference layer number, the linear equation extending from the first interference layer 402 in the stack / packet to the last interference layer in the stack / packet (e.g., layer numbers 1 through N of the first optical stack / packet 406a, a 406a, 406b) in a region extending to a line 420 applied to the optical film 400, the maximum difference between the average slopes of the best-fit linear equations of the multiple optical stacks / packets 406a, 406b in the optical film 400 may be less than about 20%. In some such examples, the optical film 400 may have an average optical density of greater than about 2.5.

[0112] 5A and 5B are exemplary transmission plots for a representative optical film (e.g., optical film 400) according to the present disclosure, showing the transmission for a first and second polarization state (e.g., pass and reflection polarization states, respectively) for normally incident light 110 within a particular wavelength range 400-700 nm corresponding to the visible spectrum. FIG. 5B shows a logarithmic plot of the transmission for the second polarization state (b) (e.g., reflection polarization state). The representative optical film 400 tested includes two optical stacks (e.g., 406a, 406b), each having 325 interference layers 402, with transmission spectra measured for the first and second polarization states, respectively, using a Lambda 900 spectrometer (PerkinElmer). As shown, the transmission (e.g., reflection axis, T) in the second polarization state (b) across the entire visible spectral range is plotted. b ) was significantly lower than 0.1%.

[0113] In some examples, the optical films 100, 400 may include or be combined with one or more non-interference layers that may be used to isolate and / or protect one or more of the stacks / packets of interference layers 102, 402. For example, Figure 6 shows another example of an optical film 600 that can be formed to exhibit one or more of the properties described above with respect to the optical films 100, 400. As shown in Figure 6, the optical film 600 includes multiple interference layers 602 divided into two optical stacks / packets 606a, 606b stacked between a relatively thick non-interference layer 608. As shown in FIG. 6, the first optical stack / packet 606a is set between the non-interference layers 608a and 608b, while the second optical stack / packet 606b is set between the non-interference layers 608c and 608d such that the non-interference layers 608b and 608c are directly adjacent to each other and act as spacer layers between the first and second optical stacks / packets 606a, 606b. In some examples, due to their relative thicknesses, the outer non-interference layers 608a and 608d of the optical stacks / packets 606a, 606b can help protect the respective stacks / packets from unintentional damage (e.g., scratches). In some examples, the non-interference layers 608a and 608b can define a response index of about 1.57.

[0114] Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the non-interfering layers 608 may include a coating, such as a hard coat (anti-scratch coating), a diffusive coating, an anti-reflective coating, or an anti-glare coating.

[0115] 7 is a diagram of an exemplary display assembly 700 including a reflective polarizer optical film 702, a liquid crystal display assembly (LCD) 710, and a light source 720. As shown, the LCD assembly 710 is illuminated by polarized light provided by the optical film 702 and the light source 720. The LCD assembly 710 may include a multi-layer structure having an outer absorbing polarizer film 712, one or more glass layers 714, and a liquid crystal layer 716.

[0116] FIG. 7 illustrates two types of light delivered through the display assembly 700. Ambient light 730 represents light incident on the display surface 711 passing through the LCD assembly 710, the optical film 702, and the diffusely reflective surface of the light source 720 that is reflected off the optical film 702. Light can also originate from the backlight assembly of the light source 720. For example, the light source 720 can include an edge-lit backlight that includes lamps 722 in reflective lamp housings 724. Light from the lamps 722 is coupled into a light guide 726 where the light propagates until it strikes a diffusely reflective structure such as spots 728 (e.g., a discontinuous layer of titanium oxide pigmented material). This discontinuous array of spots is arranged to extract the lamp light and direct it towards the LCD assembly 710. Ambient light 730 entering the light source 720 can either hit the spots or leak out of the light guide through the gap areas between the spots. A diffuse reflective layer 729 (e.g., a layer of titanium oxide pigmented material) may be disposed below the light guide 726 to block and reflect such light rays. Generally, all light rays exiting from the light source 720 towards the LCD assembly 710 are shown as a light beam 732. This light beam enters the optical film 702, which transmits light having a first polarization state, designated "(a)," and effectively reflects light having the orthogonal polarization state (b). The optical film 702 may correspond to any of the optical films 100, 400, 600 described above.

[0117] In some examples, the LCD display assembly may include an absorbing polarizing film and a reflective polarizer film (AP / RP film) between the light source 720 and the LCD assembly 710. In such examples, an AP film may typically be used to generate sufficient contrast in the display assembly, while including the RP film improves the brightness of the AP / RP film combination compared to an AP film only system, especially in high ambient light environments or high glare conditions. Surprisingly, it has been found that the AP / RP film may be substituted for the high contrast reflective polarizer (RP) optical film 702 described herein without causing a significant decrease in brightness or contrast to the display assembly 700, even in high ambient light environments (e.g., exterior conditions). For example, it was theorized that including only the optical film 702 in a display assembly 700 without a rear AP film would cause ambient light to be undesirably reflected off the optical film 702, resulting in high levels of glare, while in practice, a measurable or relatively small increase in glare is observed.

[0118] In some examples, a display assembly 700 including optical film 702 can exhibit about 10% to about 15% improved brightness compared to a comparable display assembly including an AP / RP film.

[0119] In some examples, the display assembly 700 may include one or more brightness enhancing films 740 disposed between the light source 720 and the optical films 702 to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly 700. Exemplary brightness enhancing films 740 include, for example, turning films, prism films, etc.

[0120] In some non-limiting examples, the display assembly 700 may include a light source 720, an LCD assembly 710 configured to be illuminated by the light source 720, one or more brightness enhancing films 740 disposed between the light source 720 and the LCD assembly 710 to increase the axial brightness of the display assembly 700, and an optical film 702 (e.g., RP) disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films 740 and the LCD assembly 710 and configured to substantially transmit light having a first polarization state (a) and substantially reflect light having an orthogonal second polarization state (b). The optical film 702 may be configured to substantially transmit light having a second polarization state (e.g., T) without an absorbing polarizer (AP) disposed between the light source 720 and the LCD assembly 710. b ) may provide an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state (b). In some such examples, the display assembly 700 may provide a contrast ratio that is at least twice as high as the contrast ratio of a comparative display assembly having the same structure, except that the comparative display assembly has an average transmittance of RP of greater than about 1.0% for the second polarization state (b).

[0121] Additionally or alternatively, in some non-limiting examples, the display assembly 700 may include a light source 720, an LCD assembly 710 configured to be illuminated by the light source 720, one or more brightness enhancement films 740 disposed between the light source 720 and the LCD assembly 710 to increase the axial brightness of the display assembly 700, and an optical film 702 disposed between the one or more brightness enhancement films 740 and the LCD assembly 710. The optical film 702 may include a plurality of interference layers that transmit or reflect light primarily by optical interference such that, for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmits or reflects a first polarization state (e.g., T a ) and transmits at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state (e.g., T b ) transmits less than about 0.2% of the light having a

[0122] 8 is an exemplary luminance profile of a display assembly 700 including an optical film 702 as a function of viewing angle compared to a display assembly having an AP / RP film. Curve 800 represents the luminance profile of the optical film 702 for the display assembly 700, while curve 802 represents the luminance profile for a comparable display assembly including an AP / RP film (e.g., APCF available from Nitto Denko Corporation, Tokyo). As shown, the optical film 702 provides a comparative viewing luminance profile for normal viewing angles (e.g., ±20°) while providing a slight improvement in the luminance profile for off-axis viewing positions (e.g., greater than 50°).

[0123] In some such examples, the use of optical film 702, as opposed to a conventional AP / RP film, may significantly reduce the overall thickness of the LCD display assembly, as the high contrast RP optical films described herein may be formed at approximately half the thickness of a conventional AP / RP film. While the use of only optical film 702 in the display assembly 700, as opposed to an AP / RP film, may provide benefits associated with a reduced thickness of the display assembly, in some examples, an absorbing polarizing film may optionally be included between the LCD assembly 710 and the optical film 702 (not shown). In some such examples, the absorbing polarizer / optical film 702 combination may provide improved brightness and / or contrast ratio as compared to a conventional AP / RP film.

[0124] In some examples, the optical film 702 of the display assembly 700 can act as a high contrast RP to substantially transmit light having a first polarization state (a) and substantially reflect light having an orthogonal second polarization state (b). In some examples, the optical film 702 provides an average light transmission of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state (b), no absorbing polarizer is disposed between the light source 720 and the liquid crystal layer 716, and the contrast ratio of the display assembly 700 is at least twice that of a comparative display assembly having the same structure, except that the average transmission of the reflective polarizer of the comparative display assembly for the second polarization state is greater than about 1.0%.

[0125] In some examples, one or more of the optical films 100, 200, 400, 600 described herein may be incorporated into an optical system designed to display an object to a viewer centered about an optical axis (e.g., a virtual reality display system). Such an optical system may include one or more optical lenses having non-zero optical power with a reflective polarizer (e.g., optical films 100, 200, 400, 600) matched to a first major surface of the one or more optical lenses, and a partial reflector matched to a second major surface of the one or more optical lenses. In some examples, the lens and reflective polarizer may be convex about one or two orthogonal axes and may be disposed between an aperture plane (e.g., an exit pupil or entrance pupil) and an image plane (e.g., a surface of a display panel or image recording device) to produce a system with high field of view, high contrast, low chromatic aberration, low distortion and / or high efficiency in a compact configuration that is useful in a variety of devices, such as head mounted displays, such as virtual reality displays, and cameras included in mobile phones.

[0126] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary optical system 1000 (e.g., a virtual reality display system) including an image plane 1030, an aperture plane 1035, and an optical stack 1010 disposed between the image plane 1030 and the aperture plane 1035. An xyz coordinate system is shown in FIG. 10. The image plane 1030 may be the output plane of an image forming device such as a display panel that emits polarized or unpolarized light, while the aperture plane 1035 may be the exit pupil of the optical system 1000 and may overlap with the entrance pupil of a second optical system, which may be, for example, an observer's eye or a camera.

[0127] In some examples, the optical stack 1010 may include an optical lens 1012 having a first major surface 1014 and a second major surface 1016, a reflective polarizer 1027 (e.g., optical films 100, 200, 400, 600) disposed on the first major surface 1014, and a partial reflector 1017 disposed on the second major surface 1016 of the optical film 1012. In some examples, the optical stack 1010 may also include one or more quarter wave retarders 1015, 1025 disposed on the first major surface 1014 and the second major surface 1016, respectively.

[0128] 10, the optical stack 1010 can be convex toward the image plane 1030, orthogonal to a first axis and / or a second axis (e.g., the x-axis and y-axis, respectively). The optical stack 1010 can be made by first forming a reflective polarizer 1027 with an optional first quarter wave retarder 1025 coated or laminated to the reflective polarizer 1027, and then thermoforming the resulting film into any shape to correspond to the optical lens 1012. The partial reflector 1017 and optional second quarter wave retarder 1015 may be manufactured by coating a quarter wave retarder onto a partial reflector film, by coating a partial reflector coating onto a quarter wave retarder film, by laminating a partial reflector film and a quarter wave retarder film together, or by first forming the lens 1012 (which may be formed on a film including the reflective polarizer 1027) and then coating the partial reflector 1017 onto the second major surface 1016 in a film insert molding process. In some examples, the lens 1012 may be formed by injection molding the lens 1012 between the first and second films of the reflective polarizer 1027 and the partial reflector 1017. The first and second films may be thermoformed prior to the injection molding process.

[0129] Image source 1031 includes image plane 1030, and aperture plane 1035 is the exit pupil for optical system 1000. In some examples, image source 1031 may be a display panel. In other examples, a display panel may not be present, and instead image plane 1030 is an aperture adapted to receive light reflected from an object external to optical system 1000.

[0130] In some examples, a second optical system 1033 having an entrance pupil 1034 may be disposed proximate to the optical system 1000 having an aperture plane 1035 overlapping the entrance pupil 1034. The second optical system 1033 may be, for example, a camera adapted to record an image transmitted through the image plane 637. In some examples, the second optical system 1033 is a viewer's eye and the entrance pupil 1034 is a pupil of the viewer's eye. In such examples, the optical system 1000 may be for use in a head mounted display.

[0131] The reflective polarizer 1027 can be any one of the optical films 100, 200, 400, 600 described herein. For example, the reflective polarizer can include at least 50 consecutively numbered interference layers, each of which can be relatively thin (e.g., having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm), and the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness profile reflective polarizer 1027, and depending on the number of layers (e.g., curve 300 in FIG. 3), the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm / layer. The reflective polarizer 1027 substantially transmits light having a first polarization state (a) (e.g., linearly polarized in a first direction) and substantially reflects light having an orthogonal second polarization state (b) (e.g., linearly polarized in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction).

[0132] The partial reflector 1017 has an average light reflectance of at least 30% and a light transmittance of at least 30% in a predetermined wavelength range, which may be any of the wavelength ranges described elsewhere herein. Any suitable partial reflector may be used. In some examples, the partial reflector 1017 may be, for example, a half mirror. In some examples, the partial reflector 1017 may be constructed by coating a thin layer of metal (e.g., silver or aluminum) on a transparent substrate. Additionally or alternatively, the partial reflector 1017 may be formed, for example, by depositing a thin dielectric coating on the surface of a lens, or by depositing a combination of a metal coating and a dielectric coating on the surface of a lens. In some examples, the partial reflector 1017 may itself be a reflective polarizer.

[0133] The optional first quarter wave retarder 1015 and second quarter wave retarder 1025 may be coatings or films formed from any suitable material including linear photopolymerizable polymer (LPP) materials and liquid crystal polymer (LCP) materials described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002 / 0180916 (Schadt et al.), 2003 / 028048 (Cherkaoui et al.), and 2005 / 0072959 (Moia et al.). Suitable LPP materials include ROP-131 EXP 306 LPP and suitable LCP materials include ROF-5185 EXP 410 LCP, both available from Rolic Technologies, Allschwil, Switzerland. In some examples, the quarter wave retarders 1015, 1025 may be quarter wave retarders at at least one wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range.

[0134] During operation of the optical system 1000, light rays 1037 and 1038 transmit through the image plane 1030 and the aperture plane 1035, respectively. Light rays 1037 and 1038 can transmit from the image plane 1030 to the aperture plane 1035 (e.g., in a head mounted display application), or light rays 1037 and 1038 can transmit from the aperture plane 1035 to the image plane 1030 (e.g., in a camera application). Light ray 1038 is a central ray whose optical path defines a folded optical axis 1040 for the optical system 1000, which may be centered about the folded optical axis 1040. Light ray 1038 may pass through the optical stack 1010 without significant deviation from the optical axis 1040.

[0135] The path of the light ray 1037 may be deflected by the optical stack 1010. The light ray 1037 is transmitted through the lens 1012, through the partial reflector 1017 (including the optional second quarter wave retarder 1015). After the first pass through the lens 1012, the light ray passes through the optional first quarter wave retarder 1025 and reflects off the reflective polarizer 1027. In an example incorporating two quarter wave retarders 1015, 1025 in the optical stack 1010, the quarter wave retarders 1015, 1025 may be disposed on either side of the lens 1012 such that the quarter wave retarders 1015, 1025 are located between the reflective polarizer 1027 and the image source 1031. In some such examples, the image source 1031 may emit light having a polarization along the pass axis (a) of the reflective polarizer 1027 such that after passing through the quarter wave retarders 1015, 1025, the light is polarized along the block axis of the reflective polarizer 1027 and consequently reflects off the reflective polarizer 1027 when it is initially incident on the film. After initially reflecting off the reflective polarizer 1027, light ray 1037 passes back through the first quarter wave retarder 1025, then reflects off the partial reflector 1017 (other light rays not shown pass through the partial reflector 1017), passes back through the lens 1012 and the first quarter wave retarder 1025, and then again enters the reflective polarizer 1027. After passing through the first quarter-wave retarder 1025, reflecting off the partial reflector 1017, and passing back through the first quarter-wave retarder 1025, the light ray 1037 has a polarization along the pass axis (a) of the reflective polarizer 1027. Thus, the light ray 1037 is transmitted through the reflective polarizer 1027 and then transmitted through the stop surface 1035 into the second optical system 1033.

[0136] The design of the single integrated optics stack 1010 can provide a high field of view in a compact system. Rays 1037 transmitted through the outer edge of the image plane 1030 are chief rays that intersect the aperture plane 1035 at a folded optical axis 1040 having a field angle of θ, which can be, for example, at least 40 degrees, at least 45 degrees, or at least 50 degrees. The field of view at the aperture plane 1035 is, for example, 2θ, which can be at least 80 degrees, at least 90 degrees, or at least 100 degrees.

[0137] In some non-limiting examples, the optical system 1000 may include one or more optical lenses 1012 having a non-zero optical power with a reflective polarizer 1027 disposed on and matched to a first major surface 1014 of the one or more optical lenses 1012, and a partial reflector 1017 disposed on and matched to a different second major surface 1016 of the one or more optical lenses 1012. The reflective polarizer 1027 substantially transmits light 1037 having a first polarization state (a) such that the average light transmission of the optical system 1000 for light 1037 incident along an optical axis 1040 having a second polarization state (b) is less than about 0.1%, and substantially reflects light having an orthogonal second polarization state (b) with the partial reflector 1017 having an average light reflectance of at least 30% for a predetermined wavelength range.

[0138] Further examples of optical systems for displaying objects to a viewer centered on an optical axis that include one or more reflective polarizers are disclosed and described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 865,017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One or more of the optical films 100, 200, 400, 600 described herein can be used in such systems as the reflective polarizers described herein.

[0139] In some examples, one or more of the optical films 100, 200, 400, 600 described herein may be incorporated as a reflective polarizer in a polarizing beam splitter (PBS). A PBS may be used to effectively split unpolarized light into two polarization states. PBS systems may be used in semiconductor, photonics devices, or other optical systems to substantially transmit light in a first polarization state (a) while substantially reflecting polarized light in a second, orthogonal polarization state (b). In some examples, a PBS system may be designed to receive light at an incidence angle of 0° or 45° while splitting an output polarized beam with a separation of about 90°.

[0140] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary PBS 1100 including a first prism 1102, a second prism 1104, a reflective polarizer 1110, and a light source 1150. The first prism 1102 includes an input face 1112 for receiving incident light from the light source 1150, an output face 1114, and a first hypotenuse 1116. In some examples, the input face 1112 and the output face 1114 may be further formed with active regions for receiving and transmitting light passing through the first prism 1102. The second prism 1104 includes an output face 1118 and a second hypotenuse 1120.

[0141] The reflective polarizer 1110 is disposed between the first hypotenuse 1116 and the second hypotenuse 1120 of each of the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104. The reflective polarizer 1110 can be any of the optical films 100, 200, 400, 600 described herein. For example, the reflective polarizer 1110 can include at least 50 consecutively numbered interference layers, each of which can be relatively thin (e.g., having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm), and the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness profile reflective polarizer 1110 as a function of the number of layers (e.g., curve 300 in FIG. 3), and the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm / layer.

[0142] The first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 may comprise glass or a polymeric material. Suitable polymeric materials for the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 include transparent optical polymers such as, for example, acrylic polymers (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate), cyclic olefin copolymers, polycarbonates, and combinations thereof. In some examples, the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 may be formed by injection molding using a thermoplastic acrylic polymer, such as the acrylic polymer commercially available under the trade designation "OPTOREZ OZ-1330" series of polymers from Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan). In some examples, it is desirable to form the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 using the same polymeric material to reduce optical variations between the two prisms, however, in other examples, the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 may be formed using different materials. In some examples, the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 can be similarly sized, while in other examples, the first prism 1102 can have a volume that is smaller than the volume of the second prism 1104. In some examples, the volume of the first prism 1102 can be about half (or about 60% or less, or about 40% or less) or less of the volume of the second prism 1104. The selection of which portions of the first prism 1102 may be removed depends, in part, on the optical paths of the incident, transmitted, and reflected light that occur within the envelope 1152.

[0143] In operation, the light source 1150 generates a light beam having an envelope 1152 that includes a central ray 1154. The light from the light source 1150 may be unpolarized having a predetermined wavelength range. The central ray 1154 enters the first prism 1102 through the input face 1112 where it is transmitted through the prism and then incident on the reflective polarizer 1110 at an incidence angle of about 45°. At that point, the central ray 1154 then transmits through and reflects off the reflective polarizer 1110 according to the polarization state of the light. For example, light corresponding to a first polarization state (a) (e.g., a pass state) passes through the reflective polarizer 1110 and travels through the second prism 1104 as a transmitted ray 1156 having a first polarization state (a) that reaches the output face 1118. Light corresponding to a second orthogonal polarization state (b) (e.g., blocked / reflected) reflects from the reflective polarizer 1110 as reflected ray 1158 having the second orthogonal polarization state (b). Depending on the angle of incidence between ray 1154 and the reflective polarizer 1110, reflected ray 1158 reflects off the reflective polarizer 1110 towards the output face 1114. In some examples, the transmitted ray 1156 and the reflected ray 1158 travel at 90° to each other.

[0144] The PBS 1100 may include additional components (not shown) attached to one or more of the output or other faces of the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104. Additionally or alternatively, the PBS 1100 may be incorporated into a different optical system. Various components or components of the PBS 1100 or those components coupled to the PBS 1100 could be directly contacted or attached via an optically clear adhesive. In some examples, the reflective polarizer 1110 is attached to one or both of the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 using an optically clear adhesive layer. Further examples of PBS designs and optical systems incorporating PBS systems are disclosed and described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 865,017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0145] In some non-limiting examples, the PBS 1100 may include a first prism 1102 and a second prism 1104, and a reflective polarizer 1110 disposed and bonded between the first prism 1102 and the second prism 1104 (e.g., along a first hypotenuse 1116 and a second hypotenuse 1120). In such an example, for example, when incident light (e.g., light ray 1154) having a predetermined wavelength enters the PBS 1100 from the input surface 1112 of the PBS 1100 and exits through the output surface (e.g., output surface 1118 or 1114) of the PBS 1110 after hitting the reflective polarizer 1110 at least once, the reflective polarizer 1110 can substantially reflect polarized light having a first polarization state (a) and substantially transmit polarized light having an orthogonal second polarization state (b) such that the ratio of the average intensity of the exiting light (e.g., transmitted light ray 1156 or reflected light ray 1158) to the average intensity of the incident light (e.g., light ray 1154) is greater than about 90% when the incident light has a first polarization state (a) and is less than about 0.2% when the incident light has a second polarization state (b). EXAMPLES

[0146] Example 1 - A birefringent reflective polarizer optical film was prepared as follows: Two multilayer optical packets were coextruded with each packet consisting of 325 alternating layers of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and a low refractive index isotropic layer, which has a refractive index of about 1.57, was made with a blend of polycarbonate and copolyester (PC:coPET) to remain substantially isotropic in a uniaxial direction, with a molar ratio of PC:coPET of about 42.5 mol % PC and 57.5 mol % coPET, and has a Tg of 105 degrees Celsius. The isotropic material was selected so that after stretching, the refractive index in the two non-stretch directions remains substantially matched to the refractive index of the birefringent material in the non-stretch direction, while in the stretch direction there is a substantial mismatch in refractive index between the birefringent and non-birefringent layers. The PEN and PC / coPET polymers were fed from separate extruders into a multi-layer coextrusion feedblock, which were assembled into packets of 325 alternating optical layers ("Packet 1" and "Packet 2", respectively), with the addition of thicker protective boundary layers of PC / coPET on the outside of the laminated optical packets, for a total of 652 layers.

[0147] This layer profile for the high contrast reflective polarizer (HCRP) optical film of Example 1 is shown in Figure 9 along with Packet 1 and Packet 2. Using least squares linear regression, the average slope for Packet 1 was about 0.17 nm / layer and the average slope for Packet 2 was about 0.18 nm / layer, indicating a difference in the respective slopes for the two packets of about 6%. The film of Example 1 had a total resulting thickness as measured with a capacitance gauge of about 63.2 μm.

[0148] To evaluate the alignment of the interference layers of Example 1, the optical axis of the film was determined for linearly polarized light incident on each major surface of the film. The optical axis of the film corresponds to the orientation of the incident polarized light in the plane of the film, which allows the minimum amount of linearly polarized light to pass through the film (e.g., aligned with the stretch axis 120 in FIG. 2). In an ideal scenario, the optical axis of the film is the same regardless of the surface on which the polarized light enters the film. However, due to variations in the manufacturing process and misalignment of the individual optical axes of the interference layers, the optical axis of the film may depend on which surface the polarized light enters. In some examples, the greater the degree of misalignment between the layers, the greater the difference in the optical axis for the film. The difference between the optical axes of the film for the two surfaces may be used as a metric to evaluate the alignment between the interference layers in some examples. The two optical axes for the film of Example 1 were measured for the two surfaces using linearly polarized light. Polarized light was projected directly onto the first major surface of the film, and the film was rotated until a minimum amount of polarized light was obtained passing through the film. The optical axis of the first major surface was marked as being parallel to the polarization axis of the polarized light. This process was repeated for the second major surface of the film. The difference between the optical axes of the first major surface and the second major surface for the film of Example 1 was determined to be less than 0.1 degrees, indicating strong alignment between the multiple interference layers.

[0149] Example 2 - A birefringent reflective polarizer optical film was made using the same process conditions as the film of Example 1, except that the optical film had a thickness of about 66.7 μm as measured by a capacitance gauge.

[0150] Example 3 - A birefringent reflective polarizer optical film was prepared as follows: Two multilayer optical packets were coextruded with each optical packet comprising 325 alternating layers of 90 / 10 coPEN (e.g., 90 mol% polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and 10 mol% polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) and a low refractive index isotropic layer of PC / coPET as described in Example 1 above. The 90 / 10 coPEN and PC / coPET polymers were fed from separate extruders to a multilayer coextrusion feedblock, where the packets of 325 alternating optical layers were assembled with thicker protective boundary layers of coPEN on the outside of the stacked optical packets for a total of 652 layers. The film had a total physical thickness measured with a capacitance gauge of about 63.2 μm.

[0151] Table 1 below provides comparative average transmission profiles for the first polarization state (a) and the second polarization state (b) (e.g., pass axis and block axis) in the visible spectral range of 450-650 nm for the optical films of Examples 1 to 3, and compares them with commercially available absorptive polarizers (AP) and reflective polarizers (RP) and those referenced in the literature. [Table 1]

[0152] Table 2 below presents calculated transmission and reflectance values ​​in a first polarization state (a) and an orthogonal second polarization state (b) for exemplary films 1 through 3 relative to the values ​​in Table 1. These values ​​are calculated assuming negligible loss of light energy associated with absorption by the film layers. [Table 2]

[0153] FIG. 12 is a plot of an exemplary thickness profile (layer thickness vs. number of layers) for an exemplary reflective polarizer film compared to a conventional reflective polarizer as described herein. The films are described in Table 3 below. Films 1206 and 1208 represent commercially available multilayer reflective polarizer films available from 3M Company (St. Paul, Minnesota). Film 1210 is a representative conventional polarizing film with 275 layers, which has a maximum to minimum thickness ratio of 2.2, with thickness varying continuously as described in the patent. Lines 1202 and 1204 correspond to the first and second optical stacks / packets in HCPR Example 1, respectively. The layer thickness profiles were measured using an atomic force microscope (AFM). [Table 3]

[0154] Table 4 below presents the calculated difference between the highest and lowest gradient regions for each of the films / packets 1202-1208 shown in Figure 12. The slope of each of the given regions was determined using least squares linear regression over a range of 25 layers. [Table 4]

[0155] Example 4 - Optical films were made using manufacturing processes similar to those described with respect to Examples 1, 2, and 3. An alternative layer thickness profile was implemented utilizing a lower gradient / layer profile than Examples 1, 2, and 3. In particular, two multilayer optical stacks / packets were coextruded with each containing 325 alternating layers of HIR and LIR isotropic layers of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), the LIR isotropic layers being made of a blend of 20 wt% PETg (Eastman Chemicals, Knoxville, TN) and 80 wt% Xylex (Sabic, Houston, TX), an alloy of polycarbonate and copolyester. The refractive index of the LIR layers was approximately 1.57 and remained substantially isotropic when uniaxially oriented. This isotropic material was selected so that after stretching, its refractive index in the stretch direction would not change substantially and would be similar to that of the HIR layer in the unstretched direction, while the refractive index of the HIR layer in the stretch direction was substantially mismatched to that of the LIR layer in the same direction. The HIR and LIR layer materials were provided from separate extruders feeding a multi-layer coextrusion feedblock, which were assembled into two packets of 325 alternating optical layers, plus a thick protective boundary layer of isotropic LIR material on each side of each packet, totaling 653 layers, with the spacer layer between the stacked optical packets considered optically and mechanically to be a single layer. The first packet (e.g., "Packet 1") was comprised of relatively thin alternating HIR / LIR layers, while the second packet (e.g., "Packet 2") was comprised of relatively thick alternating HIR / LIR layers, corresponding to predetermined wavelength ranges of about 390 nm to about 620 nm and about 600 nm to about 900 nm, respectively. The film was stretched in a parabolic tenter as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,916,440, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The film was stretched at a temperature of about 316° F. (e.g., 158° C.). The film was stretched in the transverse direction at a ratio of about 6:1 and in the machine direction at a ratio of about 0.46:1, i.e., the film was relaxed in the machine direction.

[0156] FIG. 13 shows a plot of the layer thickness profile of the optical film of Example 4 obtained from AFM. Using least squares linear regression, the average slope of packet 1 was calculated to be about 0.104 nm / layer and the average slope of packet 2 was calculated to be about 0.141 nm / layer. The film of Example 4 had a total thickness, as measured with a capacitance gauge, of about 65.7 μm. The average pass state transmission (T a ) is about 89.1%, and the average block / reflective state transmittance (T b ) was approximately 0.057%.

[0157] FIG. 14 shows the block state transmittance (T b ) over the wavelength range of 375 to 850 nm.

[0158] Example 5 - Table 5 below shows the Δn for the optical films of Examples 1 and 4 above, compared to the commercially available RP2 and RP3 in the examples. x As shown, each respective packet of optical film of Example 1 and Example 4 has a Δn / K ratio of greater than 1.2. x / K ratios, while the commercially available RP2 and RP3 in the examples have Δn x / K ratio is shown. [Table 5]

[0159] Example 6 - Table 5 below shows the optical density, optical power, and other optical properties of the optical film of Example 1. Table 5 also includes results obtained for 24 comparative samples of conventional reflective polarizer films. The comparative samples correspond to various polarizer films obtained using either commercially available or techniques disclosed in the literature. The optical power per layer versus the total number of layers for the films listed in Table 6 is plotted in Figure 15. As shown in Figure 15, the optical films of Example 1 and Example 4 each had an optical density, optical power, and other optical properties of (-0.0012 *N+1.46) (shown as a line). [Table 6]

[0160] Example 7 - Comparative display assembly investigation was conducted using the LCD display of an iPad4 (Apple Inc., Cupertino, Calif.). Three reflective polarizers were tested in the display assembly as rear reflective polarizers (e.g., in the position of optical film 702 in display assembly 700). The reflective polarizers tested included iPad4 stock RP film laminated to a polyvinyl alcohol type adsorbent polarizer ("Comparative AP / RP Film"), iPad4 stock RP film without the presence of RP ("Comparative RP Film"), and the high contrast reflective polarizer optical film of Example 1. The adhesive used to adhere the polarizer optical film to the LCD display was clear OCA8171 available from 3M Company, St. Paul, Minnesota. The light source used for testing was the stock backlight with brightness enhancement film (e.g., prism film / diffuser sheet) that comes with the iPad4 device.

[0161] The optical performance of the three different display assemblies was tested using a commercially available conoscope ELDIM L80 (ELDIM SA, Hérouville-Saint-Clair, France). The brightness and contrast results of the display assemblies are shown in Table 7 with the values ​​normalized with respect to the comparative AP / RP film. The results are shown. The optical film of Example 1 showed superior brightness compared to both the comparative AP / RP film and the RP film. In addition, the optical film of Example 1 showed a much higher contrast ratio than the stock comparative RP film alone, which was comparable to the contrast ratio of the comparative AP / RP, despite the absence of a rear AP layer in the display assembly. [Table 7]

[0162] Item 1: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, the total number of interference layers being less than about 1000, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers have an average optical transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state, and an average optical transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0163] Item 2: In some examples of the optical film described in item 1, the plurality of interference layers have an average light transmission for the first polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range that is greater than about 90%.

[0164] Item 3: In some examples of the optical film described in item 1, the plurality of interference layers have an average optical transmission for the first polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range that is greater than about 95%.

[0165] Item 4: In some examples of the optical film described in item 1, the plurality of interference layers have an average light transmission for the first polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range that is greater than about 98%.

[0166] Item 5: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 to 4, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance for the second polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range of less than about 0.15%.

[0167] Item 6: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 to 5, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance for the second polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range of less than about 0.10%.

[0168] Clause 7: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 1 to 6, for light in a predetermined wavelength range and incident on the optical film at an incidence angle of about 10 degrees, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for a second polarization state, and an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0169] Clause 8: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 1 to 7, for light in a predetermined wavelength range and incident on the optical film at an incidence angle of about 20 degrees, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for a second polarization state, and an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0170] Clause 9: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 1, for light in a predetermined wavelength range and incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 30 degrees, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for a second polarization state, and an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0171] In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the total number of interference layers is less than about 1000, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance T for a first polarization state. a and the average light reflectance R a , the average optical transmittance T for the second orthogonal polarization state b and the average light reflectance R b T b / R b is less than about 0.002, and R a / T a is less than about 0.17.

[0172] Item 11: In some examples of the optical film of item 10, T a / T bis over 425.

[0173] Item 12: In some examples of the optical film of items 10 or 11, R b / R a is greater than about 6.7.

[0174] Item 13: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 12, the T of a plurality of interference layers a is greater than about 90% in a given wavelength range.

[0175] Item 14: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 13, the T of a plurality of interference layers a is greater than about 95% over a given wavelength range.

[0176] Item 15: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 14, the T of a plurality of interference layers a is greater than about 98% over a given wavelength range.

[0177] Item 16: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 15, T b is less than about 0.15% within a given wavelength range.

[0178] Item 17: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 16, T b is less than about 0.10% within a given wavelength range.

[0179] Item 18: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 17, for light in a given wavelength range that is incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 10 degrees, T a exceeds about 85%, and R b exceeds about 80%, and T b is less than about 0.2%.

[0180] Item 19: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 18, for light in a given wavelength range that is incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 20 degrees, T a exceeds about 85%, and R b exceeds about 80%, and T b is less than about 0.2%.

[0181] Item 20: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 10 to 19, for light in a given wavelength range that is incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 30 degrees, T a exceeds about 85%, and R b exceeds about 80%, and T b is less than about 0.2%.

[0182] Clause 21: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 1 to 20, the optical film includes at least one non-interference layer disposed between two interference layers, and each of the at least one non-interference layer does not reflect or transmit light primarily due to optical interference.

[0183] Item 22: In some embodiments of the optical film described in item 21, the average thickness of each of the at least one non-interference layer is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0184] Item 23: In some embodiments of the optical film described in item 21, the average thickness of each of the at least one non-interference layer is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0185] Item 24: In some embodiments of the optical film according to any one of items 1 to 23, the predetermined wavelength range is about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

[0186] Item 25: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 1 to 24, the predetermined wavelength ranges are from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and from about 800 nm to about 1300 nm.

[0187] Item 26: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 through 25, the total number of interference layers is less than about 900.

[0188] Item 27: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 through 26, the total number of interference layers is less than about 800.

[0189] Item 28: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 through 27, the optical film has a thickness of less than about 60 μm.

[0190] Clause 29: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 1 to 28, the multiple interference layers include multiple alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index.

[0191] Clause 30: In one example, an optical film includes N consecutively numbered layers, N is an integer greater than 200 and less than 1000, each layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, the fitted curve being a best fit regression applied to a layer thickness profile plotting the thickness of each layer as a function of the number of layers, the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer being less than about 0.2 nm / layer, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0192] Clause 31: In one example, an optical film includes N consecutively numbered layers, where N is an integer greater than 200, and less than 10% of the layers have an average thickness greater than about 200 nanometers (nm), and the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm.

[0193] Item 32: In some examples of the optical film described in item 31, the average thickness of at least one numbered layer in the N consecutively numbered layers is at least 30% less than the average thickness of at least one other numbered layer in the N consecutively numbered layers.

[0194] Item 33: In some embodiments of the optical film described in item 30 or 32, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0195] Clause 34: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of clauses 30 to 33, the optical film includes at least one spacer layer disposed between two consecutively numbered layers in the N consecutively numbered layers, and each spacer layer in the at least one spacer layer has an average thickness greater than about 500 nm.

[0196] Clause 35: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of clauses 30 to 34, the optical film includes at least one spacer layer disposed between two consecutively numbered layers in the N consecutively numbered layers, and each spacer layer in the at least one spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0197] Clause 36: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of clauses 30 to 35, the optical film includes at least one spacer layer disposed between two consecutively numbered layers in the N consecutively numbered layers, and each spacer layer in the at least one spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0198] Item 37: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 30 to 36, at least one layer in the N consecutively numbered layers has an average thickness of less than about 50 nm, and at least one other layer in the N consecutively numbered layers has an average thickness of more than about 100 nm.

[0199] Item 38: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 30 to 37, the N consecutively numbered layers are disposed consecutively.

[0200] Item 39: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 30 to 38, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0201] Item 40: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 30 to 39, the N consecutively numbered layers comprise a plurality of alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index.

[0202] Clause 41: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of layers numbered consecutively from 1 to N, where N is an integer greater than 50 and less than 1000, wherein the optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range, and the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer, the difference between the maximum slope and the minimum slope of the fitted curve is less than about 0.70 nm / layer, and wherein the maximum slope and minimum slope are each evaluated over any group of 25 to 50 adjacent layers.

[0203] Item 42: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 41, each layer in the plurality of layers has an average thickness of less than about 200 nm.

[0204] Item 43: In some examples of the optical film described in items 41 or 42, the numbered layers in the plurality of layers are disposed consecutively.

[0205] Item 44: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 41 to 43, for substantially normally incident light in a given wavelength range, the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm.

[0206] Item 45: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 41 to 44, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0207] Clause 46: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 41 to 45, the optical film includes a spacer layer disposed between two consecutively numbered layers in the plurality of 1 to N consecutively numbered layers, and the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0208] Item 47: In some examples of the optical film described in item 46, the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0209] Item 48: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 41 to 47, at least one layer in the plurality of 1 to N consecutively numbered layers has an average thickness of less than about 50 nm, and at least one layer in the plurality of 1 to N consecutively numbered layers has an average thickness of more than about 100 nm.

[0210] Item 49: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 41 to 48, the N consecutively numbered layers include a plurality of alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index.

[0211] Clause 50: In one example, an optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film comprising a stack of N layers, N being an integer greater than 50 and less than 1000, for a plurality of non-overlapping groups of consecutively arranged layers in the stack of N layers, the layers in each group being numbered from 1 to m, m being greater than 25, for each non-overlapping group, a fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the group as a function of the number of layers, and in a region extending from the first layer in the group to the mth layer in the group, the fitted curve has an average slope such that the maximum difference between the average slopes of the fitted curves in the plurality of non-overlapping groups is less than 0.70 nm / layer.

[0212] Item 51: In some examples of the optical film described in item 51, the average thickness of at least one layer in the N-layer stack is at least 30% less than the average thickness of at least one other layer in the N-layer stack.

[0213] Item 52: In some examples of the optical film described in item 51 or item 52, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0214] Item 53: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 50 to 52, the average thickness of at least one layer in the stack of N layers is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other layer in the stack of N layers is greater than about 100 nm.

[0215] Clause 54: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of alternating first and second layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, a total number of each of the first and second layers being less than 400 and greater than 100, and for each pair of adjacent first and second layers, within the plane of the first layers, the first layers have a maximum refractive index along the x-direction, n1 x and the second layer has a refractive index n2 along the x direction. x n1 x and n2 x and the difference between is greater than about 0.24 and the maximum angular extent in the x-direction of the first layer is less than about 2 degrees.

[0216] Item 55: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 54, the plurality of alternating first and second layers are disposed in succession.

[0217] Clause 56: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 54 or clause 55, the multiple alternating first and second layers include a total of N layers arranged in series, wherein the optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having a second polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range, and the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, such that the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer includes a slope of less than about 0.2 nm / number of layers.

[0218] Item 57: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 54 to 56, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0219] Item 58: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 54 to 57, each of the plurality of alternating first and second layers has an average thickness of less than about 200 nm per layer.

[0220] Clause 59: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 54 to 58, the multiple alternating first and second layers include at least two laminates, each including multiple alternating first and second layers, and the optical film further includes a spacer layer disposed between the two laminates, and the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0221] Item 60: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 59, the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0222] Item 61: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 54 to 60, the average thickness of at least one layer in the plurality of alternating first and second layers is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other layer in the plurality of alternating first and second layers is greater than about 100 nm.

[0223] Clause 62: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, the total number of interference layers is greater than 300, and the optical power per interference layer of the optical film is greater than about 0.7.

[0224] Item 63: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 62, the total number of high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers is less than 1,000.

[0225] Clause 64: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 62 or clause 63, the high refractive index interference layer and the low refractive index interference layer include at least two laminates, each including a high refractive index interference layer and a low refractive index interference layer, and the optical film further includes a spacer layer disposed between the two laminates, and the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0226] Item 65: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 62 to 64, the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0227] Item 66: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 62 to 65, the average thickness of at least one layer in the plurality of alternating high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other layer in the plurality of alternating high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers is greater than about 100 nm.

[0228] Clause 67: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the optical power per interference layer of the plurality of interference layers is less than or equal to -0.0012. * N+1.46, where N is the total number of alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, and N is greater than 100 and less than 1,000.

[0229] Item 68: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 67, the total number of high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers is less than 1,000.

[0230] Clause 69: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 67 or clause 68, the high refractive index interference layer and the low refractive index interference layer include at least two laminates, each including a high refractive index interference layer and a low refractive index interference layer, and the optical film further includes a spacer layer disposed between the two laminates, and the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0231] Item 70: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 69, the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0232] Item 71: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 67 to 70, the average thickness of at least one layer in the multiple alternating high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other layer in the multiple alternating high refractive index interference layers and low refractive index interference layers is greater than about 100 nm.

[0233] Clause 72: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of interference layers that reflect and transmit light primarily by optical interference, where for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmit at least 80% of light having a first polarization state and reflect at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state, and have an average optical density of greater than about 2.5, where the plurality of interference layers are divided into a plurality of optical stacks, where each pair of adjacent optical stacks is separated by one or more spacer layers that do not reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference, and where each optical stack has an average optical density of greater than about 2.5. The stack transmits at least 50% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 50% of light having a second polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range, the interference layers in each optical stack are numbered sequentially, and each optical stack has a best-fit linear equation relating a thickness of the optical stack to the number of interference layers, the linear equation having an average slope in a region extending from the first interference layer in the stack to the last interference layer in the stack, and a maximum difference between the average slopes of the linear equations across the multiple optical stacks is less than about 20%.

[0234] Item 73: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 72, each optical stack includes at least 50 interference layers of the plurality of interference layers.

[0235] Item 74: In some examples of the optical film described in item 72 or 73, the optical film includes fewer than 1000 layers of the plurality of interference layers.

[0236] Item 75: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 72 to 74, one or more spacer layers have an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0237] Item 76: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 72 to 75, one or more spacer layers have an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0238] Item 77: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 72 to 76, the average thickness of at least one layer in the plurality of interference layers is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other layer in the plurality of interference layers is greater than about 100 nm.

[0239] Clause 78: In one example, an optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film comprising at least 100 and at most 400 consecutively arranged unit cells, each unit cell comprising a first layer of a low refractive index and an adjacent second layer of a high refractive index, the difference between the high and low refractive indices for each unit cell being greater than about 0.24, each unit cell having a total optical thickness equal to half the distinct central wavelengths in the predetermined wavelength range, and for each of at least 80% of pairs of adjacent unit cells in the consecutively arranged unit cells, a ratio of the difference in the central wavelengths of the adjacent unit cells to the average of the central wavelengths of the adjacent unit cells is less than about 2%.

[0240] Item 79: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 78, the average thickness of at least one layer in the successively arranged unit cells is at least 30% less than the average thickness of at least one other layer in the successively arranged unit cells.

[0241] Clause 80: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 78 or clause 79, the continuously arranged unit cell includes a total of N continuously arranged layers, each layer of the N continuously arranged layers has an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 80% for a first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0242] Item 81: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 78 to 80, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0243] Item 82: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 78 to 81, at least one layer in a stack of N consecutively arranged layers has an average thickness of less than about 50 nm, and at least one other layer in the N consecutively arranged layers has an average thickness of less than about 100 nm.

[0244] Clause 83: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of interference layers that reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference in a predetermined wavelength range, wherein a maximum difference between the refractive indices of the interference layers is Δn, and a fit curve is a best-fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein the fit curve has an average slope K within a region extending across the plurality of interference layers, and Δn / K is greater than about 1.2.

[0245] Item 84: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 83, Δn / K is greater than about 1.5.

[0246] Item 85: Some examples of the optical film described in Item 83 or Item 84 have an optical density of greater than about 2.0 in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0247] Item 86: Some examples of the optical film according to any of items 83 to 85 have an optical density of greater than about 3.0 in the given wavelength range.

[0248] Item 87: Some examples of the optical film according to any of items 83 to 86 have an optical density of greater than about 3.0 in the given wavelength range.

[0249] Item 88: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 83 to 87, Δn is greater than about 0.24.

[0250] Clause 89: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 83 to 88, the multiple interference layers include a total of N consecutively arranged layers, N is less than 1000, each of the N consecutively arranged layers has an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 80% for a first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0251] Item 90: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 89, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0252] Item 91: In some examples of the optical film described in items 89 or 90, the average thickness of at least one layer in the N consecutively arranged layers is less than about 50 nm, and the average thickness of at least one other layer in the N consecutively arranged layers is greater than about 100 nm.

[0253] Clause 92: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 83 to 91, the optical film includes a spacer layer disposed between two of the multiple interference layers, the spacer layer having an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0254] Item 93: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 92, the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0255] Clause 94: In one example, the optical film is optimized to transmit or reflect light in a first predetermined wavelength range but not in a second predetermined wavelength range. a and a first unit cell arranged in series, each of the first unit cells including a first high refractive index layer and a second low refractive index layer, and a M optimized to transmit or reflect light in a second predetermined wavelength range but not in the first predetermined wavelength range. b and a second unit cell arranged in series, each of the second unit cells including a third high refractive index layer and a fourth low refractive index layer, a For the first unit cells arranged in succession, the ratio of the average refractive index of the first high refractive index layer to the average refractive index of the second low refractive index layer × M a is over 300, M b for the second unit cells arranged in succession, the ratio of the average refractive index of the third high refractive index layer to the average refractive index of the fourth low refractive index layer × M b is greater than about 300, and light incident on the optical film at any angle of incidence between about 0 degrees and about 30 degrees has any wavelength within the first predetermined wavelength range and the second predetermined wavelength range, and the average light transmittance T of the optical film for the first polarization state is a vs. the average light transmittance T of the optical film for the second, orthogonal polarization state b The ratio is about 1000:1 or greater.

[0256] Item 95: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 94, the first predetermined wavelength range and the second predetermined wavelength range are in the visible and infrared ranges, respectively, of the electromagnetic spectrum.

[0257] Item 96: In some embodiments of the optical film according to item 94 or 95, the first predetermined wavelength range is from about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

[0258] Item 97: In some embodiments of the optical film according to any one of items 94 to 96, the second predetermined wavelength range is from about 800 nm to about 1300 nm.

[0259] Item 98: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 94 to 97, M a The first unit cells and M b The sequentially arranged second unit cells each include a total of less than about 400 interference layers, each interference layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, and the fitted curve represents M as a function of the number of layers. a is a best-fit regression applied to the layer thicknesses of the first unit cells arranged in succession, starting from the first interference layer (2 * The average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending to the Ma) layer is less than about 0.2 nm / layer, and for substantially normally incident light within a first predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 80% for a first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0260] Item 99: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 94 to 98, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0261] Item 100: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 94 to 99, M a The average thickness of at least one interference layer in the consecutively arranged first unit cells is less than about 50 nm, and Ma the at least one other interference layer in the successively disposed first unit cell has an average thickness greater than about 100 nm.

[0262] Item 101: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 94 to 100, the optical film is M a The first unit cells and M b a spacer layer disposed between the successively arranged second unit cells, the spacer layer having an average thickness that is at least 10 times a maximum wavelength in the first and second predetermined wavelength ranges.

[0263] Item 102: In some examples of the optical film described in item 101, the spacer layer has an average thickness that is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the first and second predetermined wavelength ranges.

[0264] Item 103: In some examples of the optical film according to any of items 30 to 100, for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmission T a and the average light reflectance R a , and the average optical transmittance T for the orthogonal second polarization state b and the average light reflectance R b T b / R b is less than about 0.002, and R a / T a is less than about 0.17.

[0265] Item 104: In some examples of optical films of Item 103, T a / T b is over 425.

[0266] Item 105: In some examples of optical films of items 103 or 104, R b / R a is greater than about 6.7.

[0267] Item 106: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 105, the predetermined wavelength range is about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

[0268] Item 107: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 106, the predetermined wavelength ranges are from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and from about 800 nm to about 1300 nm.

[0269] Item 108: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 107, the T a is greater than about 90% in a given wavelength range.

[0270] Item 109: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 108, the T for the layer a is greater than about 95% over a given wavelength range.

[0271] Item 110: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 109, the T for the layer a is greater than about 98% over a given wavelength range.

[0272] Item 111: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 110, T b is less than about 0.15% within a given wavelength range.

[0273] Item 112: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 111, T b is less than about 0.10% within a given wavelength range.

[0274] Item 113: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 112, for light in a given wavelength range incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 10 degrees, T a exceeds about 85%, and R b exceeds about 80%, and T bis less than about 0.2%.

[0275] Item 114: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 113, for light in a given wavelength range incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 20 degrees, T a exceeds about 85%, and R b exceeds about 80%, and T b is less than about 0.2%.

[0276] Item 115: In some examples of the optical film according to any one of items 103 to 114, for light in a given wavelength range incident on the optical film at an angle of incidence of about 30 degrees, T a exceeds about 85%, and R b exceeds about 80%, and T b is less than about 0.2%.

[0277] Item 116: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 30 to 115, the optical film has a thickness of less than about 60 μm.

[0278] Item 117: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 30 to 116, the layers include a plurality of alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index.

[0279] Item 118: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 30 to 117, the total number of layers is less than about 900.

[0280] Item 119: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 30 to 118, the total number of layers is less than about 800.

[0281] Item 120: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 through 119, the optical film has a contrast ratio of greater than 1000:1.

[0282] Item 121: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 through 120, the optical film has an optical density of greater than about 2.0 in the given wavelength range.

[0283] Item 122: In some examples of the optical film described in any of items 1 through 121, the optical film has an optical power of greater than about 0.7 per interference layer.

[0284] Item 123: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 1 to 122, the predetermined wavelength range includes three predetermined wavelength ranges: about 430 nm to about 465 nm, 490 nm to about 555 nm, and about 600 nm to about 665 nm.

[0285] Clause 124: In some examples of the optical film described in any of clauses 1 to 123, the alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index define a difference between their refractive indices of greater than about 0.24 relative to an axis corresponding to a first polarization state.

[0286] Item 125: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 124, the maximum difference between the refractive index of alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index is Δn, the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, the fitted curve has an average slope K in a region extending across the multiple interference layers, and Δn / K is greater than about 1.2.

[0287] Item 126: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 125, Δn / K is greater than about 1.5.

[0288] Clause 127: In one example, a display assembly includes a light source, a liquid crystal display assembly, and an optical film according to any of the preceding clauses disposed between the liquid crystal display assembly and the light source.

[0289] Clause 128: In some examples of the display assembly of clause 127, the light source includes a light guide configured to direct light toward the optical film, and the liquid crystal display assembly includes a liquid crystal layer and an absorptive polarizer, the liquid crystal layer being disposed between the optical film and the absorptive polarizer.

[0290] Item 129: In some examples of the display assembly of items 127 or 128, the display assembly does not include an absorbing polarizer film between the liquid crystal layer and the optical film.

[0291] Item 130: In some examples of the display assembly of items 127 or 128, the display assembly further includes an absorbing polarizer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the optical film.

[0292] Clause 131: In one example, a display assembly includes a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly, and a reflective polarizer disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer and configured to substantially transmit light having a first polarization state and substantially reflect light having an orthogonal second polarization state, wherein the reflective polarizer has an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state, and no absorptive polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer, and the contrast ratio of the display assembly is at least twice the contrast ratio of a comparative display assembly having the same structure, except that the average transmittance of the reflective polarizer of the comparative display assembly for the second polarization state is greater than about 1.0%.

[0293] Item 132: In some examples of the display assembly of Item 131, the reflective polarizer includes the optical film of any one of items 1 to 126.

[0294] Clause 133: In one example, a display assembly includes a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly, and a reflective polarizer disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer and including a plurality of interference layers that transmit or reflect light primarily by optical interference, wherein for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmit at least 80% of light having a first polarization state and transmit less than about 0.2% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state, and no absorptive polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer.

[0295] Item 134: In some examples of the display assembly of Item 133, the reflective polarizer includes the optical film of any one of items 1 to 126.

[0296] Clause 135: In one example, an optical stack is a reflective polarizer including a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and for substantially normally incident light having a predetermined wavelength, the plurality of interference layers include a reflective polarizer having an optical transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an optical reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state, and an optical transmittance of less than about 0.1% for the second polarization state; and an absorptive polarizer coupled to the reflective polarizer and substantially coextensive therewith, wherein for substantially normally incident light having a predetermined wavelength, the absorptive polarizer has a first optical transmittance for the first polarization state, an optical absorptance of greater than about 50% for the second polarization state, and a second optical transmittance for the second polarization state, and a ratio of the second optical transmittance to the first optical transmittance greater than about 0.001.

[0297] Item 136: In some examples of the optical stack described in Item 135, the ratio of the second optical transmittance to the first optical transmittance is greater than about 0.01.

[0298] Item 137: In some embodiments of the optical stack described in Item 135 or Item 136, the ratio of the second optical transmittance to the first optical transmittance is greater than about 0.1.

[0299] Item 138: In some examples of the optical laminate described in any one of items 135 to 137, the predetermined wavelength is about 550 nm.

[0300] Item 139: In some examples of the optical stack described in any one of items 135 to 138, the reflective polarizer includes an optical film described in any one of items 1 to 126.

[0301] Clause 140: In one example, an optical system for displaying an object to an observer centered on an optical axis includes at least one optical lens having non-zero optical power; a reflective polarizer disposed on a first major surface of the optical lens and matched to the first major surface of the optical lens, the reflective polarizer substantially transmitting light having a first polarization state and substantially reflecting light having an orthogonal second polarization state; and a partial reflector disposed on a different second major surface of the optical lens and matched to the different second major surface of the optical lens, the partial reflector having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% for a predetermined wavelength range and an average optical transmittance of the optical system for light incident along the optical axis having the second polarization state of less than about 0.1%.

[0302] Clause 141: In some examples of the optical system described in clause 140, the reflective polarizer includes N consecutively numbered interference layers, where N is an integer greater than 50, each layer has an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to a layer thickness profile plotting the thickness of each layer as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm / layer.

[0303] Item 142: In some examples of the optical system described in Item 140 or Item 141, the reflective polarizer includes an optical film described in any one of Items 1 to 126.

[0304] Clause 143: In some examples of the optical system described in any of clauses 140 to 142, a first major surface of at least one optical lens is curved along at least a first direction.

[0305] Clause 144: In some examples of the optical system described in any of clauses 140 to 143, the second major surface of at least one optical lens is curved along at least the first direction.

[0306] Clause 145: In some examples of the optical system described in any of clauses 140 to 144, each of the first principal surface and the second principal surface is curved along two mutually orthogonal directions.

[0307] Clause 146: In one example, a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) comprises first and second prisms and a reflective polarizer disposed and bonded between the first and second prisms, the reflective polarizer substantially reflects polarized light having a first polarization state and substantially transmits light having an orthogonal second polarization state, incident light having a predetermined wavelength enters the PBS from an input side of the PBS and exits the PBS from an output side of the PBS after encountering the reflective polarizer at least once, a ratio of an average intensity of the exiting light to an average intensity of the incident light is greater than about 90% when the incident light has the first polarization state and is less than about 0.2% when the incident light has the second polarization state.

[0308] Item 147: In some examples of the PBS of Item 146, the reflective polarizer includes N consecutively numbered interference layers, N is an integer greater than 50, each layer has an average thickness less than about 200 nm, the fit curve is a best fit regression applied to a layer thickness profile plotting the thickness of each layer as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fit curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm / layer.

[0309] Item 148: In some examples of the PBS of Item 146 or Item 147, the reflective polarizer includes the optical film of any one of Items 1 to 126.

[0310] Item 149: In some examples of the PBS described in any one of items 146 to 148, at least one of the first prism and the second prism is a polymer.

[0311] Item 150: In some embodiments of the PBS described in any one of items 146 to 149, the predetermined wavelength is within a range of about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

[0312] Item 151: In one example, a liquid crystal display projection system includes the optical film described in any one of items 1 to 126.

[0313] Clause 152: In some examples of the liquid crystal display projection system of clause 151, the system includes one or more light wave retarder layers positioned adjacent to the optical film, the one or more light wave retarder layers configured to modify the polarization state of the incident light.

[0314] Item 153: In some examples of the liquid crystal display projection system of Item 152, the at least one light wave retarder layer is optically coupled directly to the optical film.

[0315] Item 154: In some embodiments of the liquid crystal display projection system of item 152 or 153, at least one light wave retarder layer is spaced apart from the optical film.

[0316] Clause 155: In one example, a display assembly includes a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, and a reflective polarizer comprising an optical film described in any one of clauses 1 to 126, the reflective polarizer being disposed adjacent to the reflective polarizer.

[0317] Clause 156: In one example, an optical system includes a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, the interference layers totaling less than about 800 such that, for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers has an average optical transmittance for a first polarization state that is greater than about 85%, an average optical reflectance for an orthogonal second polarization state that is greater than about 80%, and an average optical transmittance for the second polarization state that is less than about 0.2%.

[0318] Item 157: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the optical film further includes at least one non-interference layer disposed between two interference layers, and each of the at least one non-interference layer does not reflect or transmit light primarily due to optical interference.

[0319] Item 158: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 157, the average thickness of each of the at least one non-interference layer is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0320] Item 159: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 157, the average thickness of each of the at least one non-interference layer is at least 50 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0321] Item 160: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the predetermined wavelength range is about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

[0322] Item 161: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the predetermined wavelength ranges are from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and from about 800 nm to about 1300 nm.

[0323] Item 162: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the multiple interference layers comprise a plurality of alternating first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index.

[0324] Item 163: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 90% for a first polarization state in a predetermined wavelength range.

[0325] Item 164: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 95% for the first polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0326] Item 165: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 98% for the first polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0327] Item 166: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance for the second polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range of less than about 0.15%.

[0328] Item 167: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 156, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance for the second polarization state in the predetermined wavelength range of less than about 0.10%.

[0329] Clause 168: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 156, the optical film has, for light in a predetermined wavelength range and an incidence angle of about 10 degrees, an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for a second polarization state, and an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0330] Clause 169: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 156, for light in a predetermined wavelength range and incident on the optical film at an incidence angle of about 20 degrees, the multiple interference layers have an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for a second polarization state, and an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

[0331] Clause 170: In some examples of the optical film described in clause 156, the optical film has, for light in a predetermined wavelength range and an incidence angle of about 30 degrees, an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for a second polarization state, and an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state, for light incident on the optical film at a predetermined wavelength range and an incidence angle of about 30 degrees.

[0332] In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmittance T for a first polarization state. a and the average light reflectance R a , the average optical transmittance T for the second orthogonal polarization state b and the average light reflectance R b , T less than about 0.002 b / R b , and an R of less than about 0.17 a / T a Thus, the total number of interference layers is less than about 800.

[0333] Item 172: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 171, the multiple interference layers are disposed consecutively.

[0334] Item 173: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 171, the optical film further includes at least one non-interference layer disposed between two interference layers in the plurality of interference layers, and each of the at least one non-interference layer does not reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference.

[0335] Item 174: In some examples of optical films of Item 171, T a / T b is over 425.

[0336] Item 175: In some examples of optical films of item 171, R b / R a is greater than about 6.7.

[0337] Clause 176: In one example, an optical film comprises N consecutively numbered layers, where N is an integer greater than 200 and less than 800, each layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, and a fitted curve that is a best-fit regression applied to the thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm, such that for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average light transmittance of greater than about 85% for a first polarization state and an average light reflectance of greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state.

[0338] Item 177: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 176, the N consecutively numbered layers are disposed consecutively.

[0339] Item 178: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 176, the best fit regression is one or more of best fit linear regression, best fit nonlinear regression, best fit polynomial regression, and best fit exponential regression.

[0340] Item 179: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 176, the optical film further comprises a spacer layer disposed between two consecutively numbered layers in the N consecutively numbered layers, the spacer layer having an average thickness that is at least 10 times the maximum wavelength in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0341] Item 180: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 176, at least one layer in the N consecutively numbered layers has an average thickness of less than about 50 nm, and at least one other layer in the N consecutively numbered layers has an average thickness of more than about 100 nm.

[0342] Clause 181: In one example, an optical film comprises N consecutively numbered layers, N being an integer greater than 200, each layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, and a fitted curve that is a best fit regression applied to the thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm.

[0343] Item 182: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 181, the optical film further comprises at least one spacer layer disposed between two consecutively numbered layers in the N consecutively numbered layers, and each spacer layer in the at least one spacer layer has an average thickness greater than about 500 nm.

[0344] Item 183: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 181, the N consecutively numbered layers are disposed consecutively.

[0345] Item 184: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 181, the average thickness of at least one numbered layer in the N consecutively numbered layers is at least 30% less than the average thickness of at least one other numbered layer in the N consecutively numbered layers.

[0346] Clause 185: In one example, an optical film comprises a plurality of layers numbered consecutively from 1 to N, where N is an integer greater than 50 and less than 800, the optical film transmitting at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflecting at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range, and a fitted curve that is a best-fit regression applied to the thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer, the difference between the maximum slope and the minimum slope of the fitted curve is less than about 0.70 nm / layer.

[0347] Item 186: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 185, each layer in the plurality of layers has an average thickness of less than about 200 nm.

[0348] Item 187: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 181, the numbered layers in the plurality of layers are disposed consecutively.

[0349] Clause 188: In one example, an optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film comprising a stack of N layers, N being an integer greater than 50 and less than 800, and for a plurality of non-overlapping groups of consecutively arranged layers in the stack of N layers, the layers in each group are numbered from 1 to m, m being greater than N / 10, and for each group, the fitted curve is a best fit regression applied to the thickness of the group as a function of the number of layers, and in a region extending from the first layer in the group to the mth layer in the group, the fitted curve has an average slope such that the maximum difference between the average slopes of the fitted curves in the plurality of non-overlapping groups is less than 0.70 nm / layer.

[0350] Clause 189: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of alternating first and second layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, a total number of first and second layers being less than 400 and greater than 100, and for each pair of adjacent first and second layers, within the plane of the first layers, the first layers have a maximum refractive index n1 along the x-direction. x and the second layer has a maximum refractive index n2 along the x direction. x n1 x and n2 x and the difference between is greater than about 0.24, and the maximum angular extent of the first layer in the x-direction is less than about 2 degrees.

[0351] Item 190: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 189, the plurality of alternating first and second layers are disposed in succession.

[0352] Clause 191: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, each interference layer reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, the total number of layers is greater than 300, and the optical power of the optical film per interference layer is greater than about 0.7.

[0353] Item 192: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 191, the total number of interference layers is less than 800.

[0354] Clause 193: In one example, an optical film includes a plurality of alternating high and low refractive index interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and the optical power per interference layer of the plurality of interference layers is less than or equal to -0.0012. * N+1.5, where N is the total number of interference layers, and N is an integer greater than 100 and less than 1000.

[0355] Clause 194: In one example, an optical film comprises a plurality of interference layers that reflect and transmit light primarily by optical interference, wherein for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmit at least 80% of light having a first polarization state and reflect at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state, and have an average optical density greater than about 2.5, the plurality of interference layers being divided into a plurality of optical stacks, each pair of adjacent optical stacks being separated by one or more spacer layers that do not reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference, and each optical stack having an average optical density greater than about 2.5. The stack transmits at least 50% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 50% of light having a second polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range, the interference layers in each optical stack are numbered in sequence, and each optical stack has a best-fit linear equation relating a thickness of the optical stack to the number of interference layers, the linear equation having an average slope in a region extending from the first interference layer in the stack to the last interference layer in the stack, and the maximum difference between the average slopes of the linear equations across the multiple optical stacks is less than about 20%.

[0356] Item 195: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 194, each optical stack includes at least 50 interference layers of the plurality of interference layers.

[0357] Clause 196: In one example, a display system comprises a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display system, and a reflective polarizer disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer and configured to substantially transmit light having a first polarization state and substantially reflect light having an orthogonal second polarization state, wherein the reflective polarizer has an average light transmittance of less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state, and no absorptive polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer, and the contrast ratio of the display system is at least twice the contrast ratio of a comparative display system having the same structure, except that the average transmittance of the reflective polarizer of the comparative display system for the second polarization state is greater than about 1.0%.

[0358] Clause 197: In one example, a display system comprises a light source, a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source, one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display system, and a reflective polarizer disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer and having a plurality of interference layers that transmit or reflect light primarily by optical interference, wherein for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers transmit at least 80% of light having a first polarization state and transmit less than about 0.2% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state, and no absorptive polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer.

[0359] Clause 198: In one example, an optical film transmits at least 80% of light having a first polarization state within a predetermined wavelength range and reflects at least 80% of light having an orthogonal second polarization state within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film comprising between 200 and 400 consecutively arranged unit cells, each unit cell comprising a first layer of low refractive index and an adjacent second layer of high refractive index, the difference between the high and low indexes for each unit cell being greater than about 0.24, each unit cell having a total optical thickness equal to half the distinct central wavelengths in the predetermined wavelength range, and for each of at least 80% of adjacent pairs of unit cells in the consecutively arranged unit cells, the ratio of the difference in the central wavelengths of the unit cells to the average of the central wavelengths of the unit cells is less than about 2%.

[0360] Clause 199: In one example, an optical film comprises a plurality of interference layers that reflect or transmit light primarily by optical interference in a predetermined wavelength range, where the maximum difference between the refractive indices of the interference layers is Δn, and a fitted curve that is a best-fit regression applied to the thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, where the fitted curve has an average slope K within a region extending across the plurality of interference layers, and Δn / K is greater than about 1.2.

[0361] Item 200: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 199, Δn / K is greater than about 1.5.

[0362] Item 201: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 199, the optical film has an optical density of greater than about 2.0 in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0363] Item 202: In some embodiments of the optical film described in Item 199, the optical film has an optical density of greater than about 3.0 in the predetermined wavelength range.

[0364] Clause 203: In one example, an optical film includes M contiguously arranged first unit cells optimized to transmit or reflect light in a first predetermined wavelength range and not in a second predetermined wavelength range, and N contiguously arranged second unit cells optimized to transmit or reflect light in the second predetermined wavelength range and not in the first predetermined wavelength range, the first unit cells and the second unit cells comprising a low refractive index layer and an adjacent high refractive index layer, wherein for the M contiguously arranged first unit cells, a ratio of the average refractive index of the first layer to the average refractive index of the second layer×M is greater than about 300, and for the N contiguously arranged second unit cells, a ratio of the average refractive index of the first layer to the average refractive index of the second layer×N is greater than about 300, for light incident on the optical film at any angle of incidence from about 0 degrees to about 30 degrees, having any wavelength within the first predetermined wavelength range and the second predetermined wavelength range, and an average light transmittance T of the optical film for a first polarization state. a vs. the average light transmittance T of the optical film for the second, orthogonal polarization state b is less than about 1000.

[0365] Item 204: In some examples of the optical film described in Item 203, the first predetermined wavelength range and the second predetermined wavelength range are in the visible and infrared ranges, respectively, of the electromagnetic spectrum.

[0366] Clause 205: In one example, a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) comprises a reflective polarizer disposed and bonded between a first prism and a second prism, wherein the reflective polarizer substantially reflects light having a first polarization state and substantially transmits light having an opposing second polarization state such that when incident light having a predetermined wavelength enters the PBS from an input side of the PBS and exits the PBS from an output side of the PBS after encountering the reflective polarizer at least once, the ratio of the average intensity of the exiting light to the average intensity of the incident light is greater than about 90% when the incident light has a first polarization state and is less than about 0.2% when the incident light has a second polarization state.

[0367] Item 206: In some examples of the PBS of Item 205, at least one of the first prism and the second prism is a polymer.

[0368] Item 207: In some examples of the PBS of Item 205, the reflective polarizer comprises N consecutively numbered layers, N being an integer greater than 50, each layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, the fitted curve being a best fit regression applied to the thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, and the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm.

[0369] Item 208: In some embodiments of the PBS of Item 205, the predetermined wavelength is within a range of about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

[0370] Item 209: In some examples of the PBS of Item 205, the reflective polarizer includes the optical film described in any of Items 1 to 208.

[0371] Clause 210: In one example, an optical system for displaying an object to an observer centered on an optical axis includes one or more optical lenses having non-zero optical power; a reflective polarizer disposed on a first major surface of the one or more optical lenses and matched to the first major surface of the optical lenses, the reflective polarizer substantially transmitting light having a first polarization state and substantially reflecting light having an orthogonal second polarization state; and a partial reflector disposed on a different second major surface of the one or more optical lenses and matched to the different second major surface of the optical lenses, the partial reflector having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% for a predetermined wavelength range and an average optical transmittance of the optical system for light incident along the optical axis having the second polarization state of less than about 0.1%.

[0372] Clause 211: In some examples of the optical system described in clause 210, the reflective polarizer comprises N consecutively numbered layers, where N is an integer greater than 50, each layer having an average thickness of less than about 200 nm, and a fitted curve that is a best fit regression applied to the thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, wherein the average slope of the fitted curve in the region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer is less than about 0.2 nm.

[0373] Clause 212: In some examples of the optical system described in Clause 210, the first surface of the at least one optical lens is curved along one or more first directions.

[0374] Clause 213: In some examples of the optical system described in Clause 210, the second surface of the one or more optical lenses is curved along at least the first direction.

[0375] Clause 214: In some examples of the optical system described in Clause 210, each of the first major surface and the second major surface is curved along two mutually orthogonal directions.

[0376] Item 215: In some examples of the optical system described in Item 210, the reflective polarizer includes an optical film described in any of Items 1 to 214.

[0377] Clause 216: In one example, an optical stack includes a reflective polarizer including a plurality of interference layers, each of which reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference, and for substantially normally incident light having a predetermined wavelength, the plurality of interference layers have an optical transmittance greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an optical reflectance greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state, and an optical transmittance less than about 0.1% for the second polarization state; and an absorptive polarizer coupled to the reflective polarizer and substantially coextensive therewith, and for substantially normally incident light having a predetermined wavelength, the absorptive polarizer has a first optical transmittance for the first polarization state, an optical absorptance greater than about 50% for the second polarization state, and a second optical transmittance for the second polarization state, and a ratio of the second optical transmittance to the first optical transmittance greater than about 0.001.

[0378] Item 217: In some examples of the optical stack described in Item 216, the predetermined wavelength is about 550 nm.

[0379] Item 218: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 1 to 217, the predetermined wavelength range of the optical film is about 430 nm to about 465 nm, 490 nm to about 555 nm, and about 600 nm to about 665 nm.

[0380] Item 219: In some examples of the optical film described in any one of items 1 to 218, the predetermined wavelength range of the optical film is about 400 nm to about 430 nm, 450 nm to about 500 nm, and about 550 nm to about 600 nm.

[0381] Various examples have been described above. These and other examples are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. and a layer thickness profile having N consecutively numbered layers, N being an integer greater than 200 and less than 1000, each layer having an average thickness less than 200 nm, the fitted curve being a least squares linear regression applied to a layer thickness profile plotting the thickness of each layer as a function of the number of layers, the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from a first layer to an Nth layer being less than 0.2 nm / layer, and for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmission Ta of greater than 85% for a first polarization state and an average optical transmission Ta of greater than 85% for an orthogonal polarization state.

16. An optical film having an average light reflectance for a second polarization state greater than 80%, an average light transmittance for the second polarization state, Tb, where Ta / Tb is greater than 425, said N consecutively numbered layers comprising alternating first layers of a high refractive index and second layers of a low refractive index, each of the first and second layers reflecting or transmitting light primarily by optical interference, and each of the first layers comprising a polymer of polyethylene naphthalate or a copolymer of polyethylene naphthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.

2. 1. An optical film comprising N consecutively numbered layers, N being an integer greater than 200, less than 10% of the layers having an average thickness greater than 200 nanometers (nm), a fitted curve being a least squares linear regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, the average slope of the fitted curve in a region extending from a first layer to an Nth layer being less than 0.2 nm / layer, for substantially normally incident light within a predetermined wavelength range, the optical film has an average optical transmission Ta of greater than 85% for a first polarization state and an average optical transmission Tb for an orthogonal second polarization state, Ta / Tb being greater than 425, the N consecutively numbered layers comprising alternating first layers of a high refractive index and second layers of a low refractive index, each of the first and second layers reflecting or transmitting light primarily by optical interference, and each of the first layers comprising a polymer of polyethylene naphthalate or a copolymer of polyethylene naphthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.

3. 3. The optical film of claim 1, wherein in a region extending from the first layer to the Nth layer, the difference between the maximum slope and the minimum slope of the fitted curve is less than 0.70 nm / layer, the maximum slope and the minimum slope each being evaluated over any group of 25 to 50 adjacent layers.

4. 3. The optical film of claim 1, wherein for a plurality of non-overlapping groups of consecutively arranged layers in a stack of N layers, the layers in each group are numbered from 1 to m, where m is greater than 25, and for each non-overlapping group, a fitted curve of the group is a least-squares linear regression applied to the layer thickness of the group as a function of layer number, and in a region extending from a first layer in the group to the mth layer in the group, the fitted curve of the group has an average slope such that a maximum difference between the average slopes of the fitted curves in the plurality of non-overlapping groups is less than 0.70 nm / layer.

5. the total number of each of the first layers and the second layers is less than 400 and more than 100, and for each pair of adjacent first and second layers: In the plane of the first layer, the first layer has a maximum refractive index n1x along the x direction; the second layer has a refractive index n2x along the x-direction; The difference between n1x and n2x is greater than 0.24; The optical film of claim 1 or 2, wherein the maximum angular extent of the first layer in the x-direction is less than 2 degrees.

6. 3. The optical film of claim 1 or 2, wherein the total number of the first layers and the second layers is greater than 300, and the optical power per interference layer of the optical film is greater than 0.

7.

7. 3. The optical film of claim 1, wherein the optical power per layer of the plurality of first layers and second layers is greater than −0.0012*N+1.46, where N is the total number of alternating high refractive index first layers and low refractive index second layers, and N is greater than 200 and less than 1000.

8. 3. The optical film of claim 1, comprising: 100 or more and 400 or less consecutively arranged unit cells, each unit cell comprising a first layer of low refractive index and an adjacent second layer of high refractive index belonging to alternating layers of first layers of high refractive index and second layers of low refractive index, a difference between the high refractive index of the first layer and the low refractive index of the second layer for each unit cell is greater than 0.24, each unit cell has a total optical thickness equal to half of a distinct central wavelength in a predetermined wavelength range, and for at least 80% of pairs of adjacent unit cells in the consecutively arranged unit cells, a ratio of the difference in the central wavelengths of adjacent unit cells to an average of the central wavelengths of adjacent unit cells is less than 2%.

9. 3. The optical film of claim 1, wherein a maximum difference between the refractive indexes of the first layer and the second layer is Δn, and a fitted curve is a least squares linear regression applied to the layer thickness of the optical film as a function of the number of layers, the fitted curve having an average slope K in a region extending across the plurality of interference layers, and Δn / K is greater than 1.

2.

10. 1. A display assembly comprising: A light source; a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source; one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly; 13. A display assembly comprising: a reflective polarizer that is the optical film of claim 1 disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer, the reflective polarizer having an average light transmission for the second polarization state of less than 0.2%, no absorbing polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer, and the contrast ratio of the display assembly is at least twice that of a comparative display assembly having the same structure, except that the average transmission of the reflective polarizer of the comparative display assembly for the second polarization state is greater than 1.0%.

11. 1. A display assembly comprising: A light source; a liquid crystal layer configured to be illuminated by the light source; one or more brightness enhancing films disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer to increase brightness in an axial direction of the display assembly; and the optical film of claim 1 disposed between the one or more brightness enhancing films and the liquid crystal layer, wherein for substantially normally incident light within the predetermined wavelength range, the optical film transmits less than 0.2% of light having the second polarization state, and no absorbing polarizer is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal layer.

12. 13. A reflective polarizer that is the optical film of claim 1, the reflective polarizer having a light transmission of less than 0.1% for the second polarization state; an absorptive polarizer coupled to the reflective polarizer and substantially coextensive therewith, wherein for substantially normally incident light having the predetermined wavelength, the absorptive polarizer has a first optical transmittance for the first polarization state, an optical absorptance for the second polarization state that is greater than 50%, and a second optical transmittance for the second polarization state, wherein a ratio of the second optical transmittance to the first optical transmittance is greater than 0.

001.

13. 1. An optical system for displaying an object to an observer centered on an optical axis, comprising: at least one optical lens having a non-zero optical power; a reflective polarizer that is the optical film of claim 1 disposed on and conforming to a first major surface of the optical lens; a partial reflector disposed on and conforming to a different second major surface of the optical lens, the partial reflector having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% for a predetermined wavelength range, and an average optical transmittance of the optical system for light incident along the optical axis having the second polarization state being less than 0.1%.

14. A polarizing beam splitter (PBS), comprising: First and second prisms; a reflective polarizer, the optical film of claim 1 , disposed and bonded between the first prism and the second prism, wherein incident light having a predetermined wavelength enters the PBS at an input side of the PBS and exits the PBS at an output side of the PBS after encountering the reflective polarizer at least once, and a ratio of an average intensity of the exiting light to an average intensity of the entering light is: a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) that is greater than 90% when the incident light has the first polarization state and less than 0.2% when the incident light has the second polarization state.

Images