Wire Grid Polarizer Resonance Shift High Transmittance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire grid polarizers fail to achieve a sufficient degree of polarization in the short-wavelength region of visible light and struggle to maintain high transmittance across a wide visible spectrum, particularly when used as diffraction gratings.
Innovation Solution
A wire grid polarizer is designed with a resin substrate having grid-shaped convex portions, a dielectric layer with a higher refractive index than the resin substrate, and metal wires deposited at an angle, allowing for efficient polarization and transmittance across the visible spectrum, with pitches of the grid-shaped convex portions set at 120 nm or less.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a wire grid polarizer uses a conventional structure with conductive elements on convex portions of a glass substrate, then it can achieve polarization function, but it fails to obtain a sufficient degree of polarization in the short-wavelength region of visible light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the refractive index parameter by introducing a dielectric layer with higher refractive index than the resin substrate. This parameter change shifts the resonance point to shorter wavelengths, enabling sufficient polarization degree in the short-wavelength region while maintaining high transmittance across the visible spectrum
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining resin substrate, dielectric layer with higher refractive index, and metal wires. This composite material approach allows optimization of optical properties for both polarization degree and transmittance in the visible region, particularly in the short-wavelength range
2Measurement precision
If a wire grid polarizer is designed to achieve high degree of polarization in short-wavelength region, then polarization performance improves, but transmittance across the wide visible spectrum deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By adjusting the refractive index parameter through the dielectric layer and optimizing the pitch of grid-shaped convex portions to 120 nm or less, the patent achieves resonance characteristics that simultaneously provide high polarization degree and high transmittance across the entire visible spectrum
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different materials with specific properties to different regions: the dielectric layer with higher refractive index is positioned where it can most effectively shift the resonance point, while the metal wires are arranged with specific pitch to achieve both polarization and transmittance optimization in their respective functional zones
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
The solution achieves a high degree of polarization (99.9% or more) and excellent transmittance over the entire visible region, enabling effective use in large-area applications such as liquid crystal display devices.
Implementation Method 1
it is possible to shift to a short-wavelength region a resonance point of causing a resonance phenomenon such that transmission and reflection characteristics of the light rapidly change
Implementation Method 2
the wire grid reflects almost all the electric field vector component of the light vibrating in parallel with the wires, while allowing almost all the electric field vector component of the light perpendicular to the wires to pass through the grid
Implementation Method 3
The wire grid polarizer reflects the light which is not passed through to be reused
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
There is disclosed herein a wire grid polarizer (12) comprising: a resin substrate (1) having grid-shaped convex portions (1a); a dielectric layer (2) provided to cover the grid-shaped convex portions (1a) of the resin substrate (1) and at least part of the side faces of the portions (1a); and metal wires (3) provided on the dielectric layer (2).