Wire-Grid Polarizer Edge Protection via Peripheral Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical elements with wire-grid polarizers face issues such as deformation, nicking, and deteriorated portions due to shape abnormalities and water ingress, which affect their performance and longevity, especially in applications like liquid crystal projectors.
Innovation Solution
The optical element features a substrate with a wire-grid region and a peripheral region, where the wires are spaced apart from the substrate edges, and protruding portions are used in the peripheral region to prevent water ingress and deformation, employing a nanoimprint method for precise manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal wires are arranged on the substrate to form a wire-grid polarizer, then optical functionality is improved, but shape abnormalities such as deformation and nicking occur at the wire ends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic wire ends from the substrate surface by spacing them apart, removing the source of deformation and nicking while preserving the functional wire-grid structure in the first region
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different structural characteristics to different regions: the first region contains the functional wire-grid pattern while the second region contains only protruding portions without continuous wires, creating local quality differences to prevent abnormalities
2Ease of manufacture
If wire ends extend to the substrate edge, then manufacturing is simplified, but water ingress and deteriorated portions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the wire ends from the substrate edge by introducing spacing, thereby eliminating the pathways for water ingress while maintaining ease of manufacture through the protruding portion structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming protruding portions in the second region before final assembly, which prevents water ingress in advance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If protruding portions are added in the peripheral region, then water ingress is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding protruding portions only in the second region (peripheral area) while maintaining the wire-grid structure in the first region, thereby preventing water ingress without unnecessarily complicating the entire device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the substrate into two distinct regions with different functions: the first region for optical functionality and the second region for protection, allowing targeted complexity only where needed
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 configuration enhances the optical element's performance by preventing deformation, nicking, and water ingress, leading to improved durability and image quality in devices like liquid crystal projectors.
Implementation Method 1
a wire-grid structure in which a plurality of metal thin wires are repeatedly arranged at predetermined intervals, only polarized light having a polarization direction matching a transmission direction can pass through the polarizing filter
Implementation Method 2
an electromagnetic wave is incident on a periodic concave and convex portion
Data Source
AI summary
In order to improve a characteristic of an optical element, an optical element (polarizing filter) including a substrate 1S having a wire-grid region 1A and a peripheral region 2A positioned on an outer periphery thereof is made to have the following configuration. A wire-grid in which a plurality of line-shaped wires P10 made of Al and extending in a y direction are arranged at spaces S in an x direction is provided in the wire-grid region 1A of the substrate 1S, and a pattern (repetitive pattern) in which a plurality of protruding portions P20 made of Al are arranged is provided in the peripheral region 2A. This pattern is, for example, a checkerboard pattern. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the plurality of wires P10 can be arranged so that their respective ends are spaced apart from an end of the substrate 1S, so that the wires P10 can be prevented from being deformed and nicked. Also, by the plurality of protruding portions P20 in the peripheral region 2A, it is possible to prevent water from entering the wire-grid region 1A.