Display Panel With Liquid Crystal Fresnel Lens for Light Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technologies suffer from low light utilization efficiency due to excessive light energy loss through polarizers, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer conflicts with the trend of making displays lighter and thinner.
Innovation Solution
A display panel design featuring a first and second substrate with a liquid crystal layer in between, including black matrices and an optical device, such as a liquid crystal Fresnel lens, that refracts light when a voltage difference is applied across the liquid crystal layer, eliminating the need for external polarizers and reducing the liquid crystal cell thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If two polarizers are used in the LCD to control light emission, then the display function is achieved, but light energy loss exceeds 80% and light utilization efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes one of the two polarizers from the traditional LCD structure, extracting the unnecessary component that causes excessive light energy loss. By using the liquid crystal lens to control light direction instead of the second polarizer, the system achieves display function with significantly reduced light energy loss (from over 80% to much lower levels).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the optical filtering mechanism (polarizer) with a liquid crystal lens-based light deflection mechanism. Instead of using polarizers to control light emission, the system uses voltage-controlled liquid crystal molecules to refract and direct light, substituting a mechanical/optical control system for a passive filtering system.
2Loss of energy
If a liquid crystal lens is formed to control light deflection, then light utilization efficiency is enhanced, but the liquid crystal layer thickness must be relatively great which conflicts with the trend for light and thin displays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the liquid crystal layer, specifically the thickness, to achieve a balance between light utilization efficiency and display thinness. By carefully controlling the liquid crystal layer thickness and adjusting other related parameters (such as liquid crystal material properties and voltage conditions), the system achieves effective light control without requiring excessive thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic liquid crystal lens system where the refractive index and focal length can be adjusted in real-time by changing the applied voltage. This dynamic control allows the system to achieve effective light deflection with optimized thickness, as the liquid crystal molecules can be electrically controlled to provide the necessary optical power without requiring a fixed thick structure.
3Weight of moving object
If the liquid crystal layer thickness is reduced to make displays thinner, then the display panel becomes lighter and thinner, but the ability to form an effective liquid crystal lens is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material approaches by combining the liquid crystal layer with specific electrode structures and optimizing the liquid crystal material composition. This composite structure allows the thin liquid crystal layer to still form effective lenses by leveraging the combined properties of the materials and the electrical field distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary design and optimization to the liquid crystal layer structure and material selection before manufacturing. By pre-calculating and pre-optimizing the layer thickness, material properties, and electrode configurations, the system ensures that even a thin liquid crystal layer can form effective lenses under the designed voltage conditions, maintaining reliability while achieving thinness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances light utilization and luminous efficiency by controlling gray scales through voltage differences, reducing light energy loss and allowing for thinner displays while maintaining high display reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the optical device is configured to refract incident light when there is a voltage difference across the liquid crystal layer
Implementation Method 2
controlling signals and voltages of the respective thin film transistors, the rotation direction of the liquid crystal molecules is controlled so as to control emission of polarized light at each pixel
Data Source
AI summary
A display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and further comprises: a first black matrix disposed on a side of the first substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer; a second black matrix disposed on a side of the second substrate away from the liquid crystal layer, a sum of an orthogonal projection of the second black matrix on the first substrate and an orthogonal projection of the first black matrix on the first substrate completely covers the first substrate; an optical device at least partially located in the liquid crystal layer and located in a hollow region of the first black matrix, the optical device configured to refract incident light when voltages are applied across the liquid crystal layer, and have the refracted light emitted from a gap between adjacent second black matrixes.