Global Patent Index - EP 1161706 A4

EP 1161706 A4 20040707 - ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLABLE LIQUID CRYSTAL MICROSTRUCTURES

Title (en)

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLABLE LIQUID CRYSTAL MICROSTRUCTURES

Title (de)

ELEKTRISCH STEUERBARE FLÜSSIGKRISTALLMIKROSTRUKTUR

Title (fr)

MICROSTRUCTURES A CRISTAUX LIQUIDES ELECTRIQUEMENT REGLABLES

Publication

EP 1161706 A4 20040707 (EN)

Application

EP 00914593 A 20000216

Priority

  • US 0003866 W 20000216
  • US 12050599 P 19990217

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO0049452A1] This invention relates to methods of building rigid or flexible arrays of electro-optic devices. A phase separated composite structure technique yields adjacent regions of polymer and liquid crystal (LC) of specific architecture instead of a random dispersion of LC droplets. The above devices can be prepared by producing volumes of LC structure (56) next to a polymer area (58) using anisotropic phase separation of LC from a photopolymer, initial by UV exposure. The shape, size and placement of these regions inside a cell becomes easily controllable with using optical mask or laser beam. The boundaries of LC volume can be controlled by controlling the chemical composition of the polymer and using an alignment layer (28).

IPC 1-7

G02F 1/1333; G02F 1/1334

IPC 8 full level

G02B 3/00 (2006.01); G02B 5/18 (2006.01); G02F 1/1334 (2006.01); G02F 1/29 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

G02B 3/0006 (2013.01); G02B 3/0081 (2013.01); G02B 5/1828 (2013.01); G02F 1/1334 (2013.01); G02F 1/29 (2013.01); G02B 3/0056 (2013.01); G02F 1/294 (2021.01); G02F 2203/28 (2013.01)

Citation (search report)

  • [PX] WO 9930208 A1 19990617 - UNIV KENT STATE OHIO [US]
  • [X] US 5668651 A 19970916 - YAMADA NOBUAKI [JP], et al
  • [A] US 5386308 A 19950131 - MICHEL CLAUDE [FR], et al
  • [X] WEN-TAO HE ET AL: "Novel liquid crystal grating with a relief structure by a simple UV irradiation process", JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, PART 1 (REGULAR PAPERS, SHORT NOTES & REVIEW PAPERS), JULY 1998, PUBLICATION OFFICE, JAPANESE JOURNAL APPL. PHYS, JAPAN, vol. 37, no. 7, pages 4066 - 4069, XP002279333, ISSN: 0021-4922
  • See references of WO 0049452A1

Designated contracting state (EPC)

DE FR GB

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 0049452 A1 20000824; AU 3596300 A 20000904; EP 1161706 A1 20011212; EP 1161706 A4 20040707; JP 2002537580 A 20021105

DOCDB simple family (application)

US 0003866 W 20000216; AU 3596300 A 20000216; EP 00914593 A 20000216; JP 2000600135 A 20000216