Fabrication of engineered particle-doped light diffuser with a soft transparent mold of UV-curable polymer

A novel light diffuser based on the combined morphology of polymer networks and polymer balls in a polymer dispersed liquid crystals film

“…Optical diffusers are essential lms that can spatially scatter light sources to prevent light sources from directly being seen by viewers, which are primarily applied in LCDs, LED displays, solar cells and other optical-electrical devices. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Recently, two kinds of optical diffusers have been achieved in the LCD eld: volumetric types and surface-relief types. 1,2 The former type is prepared by coating optically transparent substrates with a homogeneous solution, and this solution is made of organic or inorganic particles such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ), polystyrene (PS), etc., polymers and an optimum solvent.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] Recently, two kinds of optical diffusers have been achieved in the LCD eld: volumetric types and surface-relief types. 1,2 The former type is prepared by coating optically transparent substrates with a homogeneous solution, and this solution is made of organic or inorganic particles such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ), polystyrene (PS), etc., polymers and an optimum solvent. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] However, the fatal problem that exists in this type is the dispersion of particles, which depends on the complex preparation of the particles.…”

“…1,2 The former type is prepared by coating optically transparent substrates with a homogeneous solution, and this solution is made of organic or inorganic particles such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ), polystyrene (PS), etc., polymers and an optimum solvent. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] However, the fatal problem that exists in this type is the dispersion of particles, which depends on the complex preparation of the particles. 1 To overcome the difficulties, optical diffusers based on boehmite hollow microspheres, 1 hollow silica nanoparticles, 3 core-shell-like scatterers, 5 strawberry-like polymethyl methacrylate/SiO 2 composite microspheres, 7 nano(ZnO-CeO 2 )@polysiloxane core-shell microspheres, 10 hybrid polysiloxane@CeO 2 @PMMA, 11 and ZnO@polysiloxane microspheres 12 have been explored in detail and their optical properties have been greatly improved.…”

A novel optical diffuser based on polymer micro-balls-filled nematic liquid crystal composite film

“…Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are widely applied in cell-phones, laptops and computers, and optical diffusers are essential constituents of LCDs that enable high performance light management with independent control of light distribution patterns. [1][2][3][4][5] Transmission and haze are two main indices used to characterize optical diffusers, and two broad types of optical diffusers in the LCDs are the top diffuser lm and the bottom diffuser lm. In general, the top diffuser lm requires high transmission and low haze, 6 while the bottom diffuser needs high transmission and high haze, which have been focused and investigated recently.…”

“…9,10 Recently, polymer/liquid crystal (LC) composite lms have been focused on in order to avoid the abovementioned problems. 11 First, the preparation of the polymer/LC composite lms is simple, diversied and cost-effective. Additionally, the polymer/ LC composite lms can be phase separated and are tunable.…”