Illumination system for a colour image projection device and circular polarizer suitable for use in such a system
Abstract
The invention relates to an illumination system (7) for a color image projection device (1). The illumination system (7) contains a radiation source (3) for generating an unpolarized radiation beam (5) and at least one cholesteric mirror (9,10,11,12,13,14) for the wavelength selective splitting of the radiation beam (5) into at least two partial beams of different wavelength. In the way of the unpolarized radiation beam (5) between the radiation source (3) and the cholesteric mirror (9) there is a composite circular polarizer (35) for directly converting the unpolarized radiation beam (5) into circularly polarized partial beams, which together form one bundle. The assembled circular polarizer (35) consists of a polarization-sensitive beam splitter (43) that splits the unpolarized radiation beam (5) into two mutually perpendicularly linearly polarized sub-beams and further of a polarization converter (51.53; 59.61). The circularly polarized monochrome subbeams are then modulated, with or without passage through a 1/4 plate (63,65,67), by a corresponding number of ...

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11 claims: 2 independent, 9 dependent
- 1Conclusies:1. Belichtingsstelsel voor een kleurenbeeldprojectie-inrichting bevattende in volgorde een stralingsbron voor het leveren van een stralingsbundel en tenminste een cholesterische spiegel voor het splitsen van de stralingsbundel in tenminste twee deelbundels met een andere golflengte, met het kenmerk, dat zich in de weg van de 5 stralingsbundel tussen de stralingsbron en de cholesterische spiegel een samengestelde circulaire polarisator bevindt voor het rechtstreeks omzetten van de ongepolariseerde straling in circulair gepolariseerde deelbundels, welke polarisator bevat een polarisatiegevoelige bundeldeler voor het splitsen van de stralingsbundel in twee onderling loodrecht lineair gepolariseerde deelbundels en een polarisatie-omzetter, 10 waarbij de uit de polarisator tredende circulair gepolariseerde deelbundels samen een bundel vormen.
- 2Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 1, met het kenmerk, dat de polarisatiegevoelige bundeldeler twee doorzichtige elementen bevat waartussen zich een polarisatiescheidende laag bevindt en dat de polarisatie-omzetter bestaat uit twee λ/415 platen die elk op een verschillend uittreevlak van de polarisatiegevoelige bundeldeler in diagonaalstand zijn aangebracht.
- 3Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 1, met het kenmerk, dat de polarisatiegevoelige bundeldeler twee doorzichtige elementen bevat waartussen zich een polarisatiescheidende laag van vloeibaar kristallijn materiaal bevindt waarvan de 20 moleculen onder een azimuthale hoek van nagenoeg 45° met het vlak van inval en onder een tilthoek die gelijk is aan de invalshoek a van de ongepolariseerde stralingsbundel op die laag georiënteerd zijn en dat de polarisatie-omzetter bestaat uit een derde en een vierde doorzichtig element, elk voor het geleiden van een door de bundeldeler geleverde lineair gepolariseerde deelbundel en die elk tenminste een 25 reflectievlak bevatten, waaraan bij reflectie van de betreffende deelbundel tussen de deelbundel component met een polarisatierichting evenwijdig met en de deelbundelcomponent met een polarisatierichting loodrecht op het vlak van inval een faseverschuiving optreedt, waarbij de totale faseverschuiving in zowel het derde als het vierde element 90° bedraagt. 30
- 4Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 3, met het kenmerk, dat het derde en het vierde element Fresnel prisma’s, elk met een eerste reflectievlak en een tweede reflectievlak die respectievelijk een hoek Bi en een hoek ß2 insluiten met de 093014 polarisatiescheidende laag, waarbij geldt dat:tgr ij _ cos ö^sin 2 #, i -nZ 2 sin 2 #, j S 2 _ cos# {2 ^sin 2 # {2 -n 2 2 sin 2 #,· 'i,2 met ô t en δ 2 de faseverschuivingen tussen de component met polarisatierichting
- 55 evenwijdig met en de component met polarisatierichting loodrecht op het vlak van inval van de in het derde respectievelijk vierde element binnentredende lineair gepolariseerde deelbundel tengevolge van de totale interne reflecties aan de respectieve reflectievlakken, n de relatieve brekingsindex van de Fresnel prisma’s, #u»a- de invalshoek voor de eerste totale interne reflectie en #^=0-2/3^ de invalshoek voor de 10 tweede totale interne reflectie, waarbij α de invalshoek van de ongepolariseerde stralingsbundel op de polarisatiescheidende laag van de bundeldeler is. 5. Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 4, met het kenmerk, dat het eerste en het tweede doorzichtige element elk met een Fresnel prisma geïntegreerd zijn een enkel element. 15
- 6Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 3, met het kenmerk, dat tenminste het derde of het vierde element tenminste aan een reflectievlak voorzien is van een reflecterende laag.
- 7Belichtingsstelsel volgens één der conclusies 1 tot en met 6, met het kenmerk, dat een van de uittreevlakken van de polarisator voorzien is van een polarisatiedraaiend 20 element.
- 8Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 7, met het kenmerk, dat het polarisatiedraaiend element een λ/2-plaat is.
- 9Belichtingsstelsel volgens conclusie 7, met het kenmerk, dat het polarisatiedraaiend element een dubbel Fresnel prisma is. 25
- 10Circulaire polarisator die voldoet aan een of meer van de kenmerken van de conclusies 1 tot en met 9 en die betrekking hebben op deze polarisator. 093014
- 11Beeldprojectie-inrichting bevattende een belichtingsstelsel met een stralingsbron voor het leveren van een stralingsbundel, een beeldweergeefstelsel bevattende tenminste een beeldweergeefpaneel voor het opwekken van een te projecteren beeld door modulatie van de polarisatierichting van de stralingsbundels en een projectielenzenstelsel 5 voor het projecteren van het door het beeldweergeefstelsel gevormde beeld, met het kenmerk, dat het beEchtingsstelsel een belichtingsstelsel is volgens één der conclusies 1 tot en met 9. 093 ouï 4 1/6 Ü Fl 6.1 09301412 2/6^
Independent claims11
130 paragraphs in 5 sections, as filed
SUBMISSION NUMBER
Internat, classif. Date of grant
09301412
H04N G02B
December 1995
The Minister of Economic Affairs
Having regard to the Law of 28 March 1984 on inventive patents, in particular Article 22;
Having regard to the Royal Decree of 2 December 1986, concerning the filing, granting and maintenance of inventive patents, in particular article 28;
Having regard to the official report drawn up by the Industrial Property Office on December 17, 1993 in LOOO
DECISION
ARTICLE 1.- The following will be awarded to: PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV Groenewoudseweg 1, NL-5621 BA EINDHOVEN (THE NETHERLANDS) represented by: STEENBEEK L., INTERNATIONAL PATENT OFFICE, PO Box 220 NL 5600 AE EINDHOVEN.
an invention patent for a term of 20 years, subject to the payment of the annual fees for: EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR A COLOR IMAGE PROJECTION DEVICE AND CIRCULAR POLARIZER SUITABLE FOR APPLICATION IN SUCH EXPOSURE SYSTEM AND COLOR IMAGE PROPERTY IRREGULAR PROPERTY.
INVENTOR (S): Heynderickx Ingrid EJR; Brother Dirk J., both: Groenewoudseweg 1, NL-5621 BA Eindhoven (NL)
ARTICLE 2.- This patent has been granted without prior examination of its patentability, without warranty of its value or the correctness of the description of the invention and at the applicant's own risk.
Brussels. December 05, 1995
BY SPECIAL AUTHORIZATION:
Director
093014 i
Illumination system for a color image projection device and circular polarizer suitable for use in such an illumination system and color image projection device containing such an illumination system with circular polarizer.
The invention relates to an illumination system for a color image projection device comprising, in sequence, a radiation source for supplying a radiation beam and at least one cholesteric mirror for splitting the radiation beam into at least two subbeams of a different wavelength.
The invention also relates to a circular polarizer suitable for use in such an illumination system for directly converting unpolarized radiation into circularly polarized subbeams.
The invention further relates to a color image projection device with such an illumination system provided with a circular polarizer.
The term "door image projection device" is to be interpreted broadly and can be used for a device for displaying a video image, a graphic image, numerical information or a combination thereof.
An illumination system suitable for use in a color image projection apparatus of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from the article "New Liquid Crystal Polarized Color Projection Principle by M. Schadt and J. Fünfschilling in Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 29, no. 10, October 1990, pp. 1974-1984. The image display panels of the illumination system used in the known device are transmission panels with a layer of liquid crystalline material as the image-forming element. This layer modulates the polarization state of incident radiation according to the image information contained therein. To this end, the beam supplied by the illumination system must be linearly polarized in a given direction or have a certain polarization direction of rotation, depending on whether the image display panel is suitable for modulating linear or circularly polarized radiation. Image display panel is to be understood to mean the combination of the liquid crystalline layer with a polarization and an analyzer.
The illumination system described in the article uses cholesteric mirrors to split the radiation emitted by the radiation source
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white, unpolarized radiation beam in a number of colored sub-beams according to the number of image display panels and with a specific polarization state. The cholesteric mirrors thus have a twofold function, on the one hand color selection and, on the other hand, polarization selection.
A cholesteric mirror contains an optical layer of liquid crystalline material with a spiral or helical structure with pitch p. When a white, unpolarized radiation beam falls on such a mirror, a circularly polarized radiation component having a direction of rotation corresponding to the direction of rotation of the molecular helix and having a wavelength matched to the pitch p of the helix will be reflected, while a component having the opposite direction of rotation and / or with a wavelength not matched to the mirror.
In the known illumination system, the color separation and the polarization take place as follows. Unpolarized, white light strikes a first cholesteric mirror oriented at 45 ° to the beam. The blue, left-turning circularly polarized sub-beam is reflected to a flat mirror. On the mirror, the direction of rotation is inverted in clockwise rotation, so that the direction of rotation of this sub-beam is no longer adapted to the helix of the cholesteric mirror, and therefore the sub-beam will be transmitted in the direction of the blue image display panel. The remainder of the radiation beam is transmitted to a second cholesteric mirror that selects the blue clockwise circularly polarized radiation component and reflects directly toward the blue image display panel. The green and the red partial beam are selected in an analogous manner with further cholesteric mirrors.
A drawback of the known illumination system is that the selectivity for left and right rotating circularly polarized radiation is not always sufficiently great, so that the efficiency of the conversion of unpolarized into circularly polarized radiation is not optimal.
The object of the invention is to provide an illumination system for a color image projection device whose conversion efficiency of unpolarized radiation into circularly polarized radiation emitted by the radiation source is optimal and, moreover, this conversion can be realized in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner.
0930141 turn into.
To that end, the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that in the path of the radiation beam between the radiation source and the cholesteric mirror there is a composite circular polarizer for directly converting the unpolarized radiation into circularly polarized partial beams, the polarizer comprising a polarization-sensitive beam splitter for splitting the radiation beam into two mutually perpendicularly linearly polarized subbeams and a polarization converter, the circularly polarized subbeams emerging from the polarizer together forming a beam.
By using such a new polarizer in an illumination system for a color image projection apparatus in which the color separation takes place with the help of cholesteric mirrors, the radiation presented to the cholesteric mirrors is already circularly polarized without absorption of a part of the radiation emitted by the radiation source occurs. Moreover, this conversion is done directly using only a single component, and the conversion efficiency of unpolarized radiation to circularly polarized radiation does not depend on the quality of the cholesteric levels. In this way, the conversion efficiency of linear to circularly polarized radiation is optimized, so that the intensity of the radiation beam emitted by the radiation source can be utilized to the maximum. In addition, six cholesteric mirrors which are only half the size of the six cholesteric mirrors in the said article are now sufficient, simplifying their manufacture and significantly reducing the price. Furthermore, the flat mirrors can be omitted. In both the aforementioned articles and in the present invention, there are two beam sections per color that run through different path lengths between the radiation source and the projection lens system. Because the flat mirrors have been eliminated in the arrangement according to the invention, the path length difference between two beam parts of the same color has become considerably smaller, so that the illumination of the LCDs is improved.
An embodiment of the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that the polarization-sensitive beam splitter comprises two transparent elements between which a polarization-separating layer is located and the polarization converter consists of two λ / 4 plates, each on a different exit surface of the polarization-sensitive beam splitter are arranged in a diagonal position.
093014 î
Diagonal position means that the axis of the λ / 4 plate and the linear polarization direction make an angle of 45 ° with each other.
A conventional λ / 4 plate converts linearly polarized radiation to circularly polarized radiation or vice versa, but is wavelength dependent. Therefore, a broadband or achromatic λ / 4 plate is used. This is a transparent element composed, for example, of a number of layers and which for all wavelengths in the visible wavelength range achieves such phase rotation in a beam that linearly polarized radiation is converted into circularly polarized radiation or vice versa. It should be noted that achromatic λ / 4 plates are known per se from, for example, the publication: Retardation Film for STNLCD's 'NRF' by Nitto Denko in SID * 92 Exhibit Guide, Society for Information Display, May 17-22, 1992, Boston , Massachusetts, USA.
The polarization-sensitive beam splitter splits the unpolarized radiation beam emitted by the radiation source into two mutually perpendicularly linearly polarized subbeams. Both sub-beams then each enter a λ / 4 plate and are converted into circularly polarized beams. The λ / 4 plates can be oriented in such a way that both subbeams are circularly polarized in the same direction of rotation.
A preferred embodiment of the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that that the polarization-sensitive beam splitter comprises two transparent elements between which there is a polarization-separating layer of liquid crystalline material whose molecules are at an azimuthal angle of approximately 45 ° with the plane of incidence and at a tilt angle equal to the angle of incidence α of the unpolarized radiation beam at which are oriented low and the polarization converter consists of a third and a fourth transparent element, each for guiding a linearly polarized sub-beam supplied by the beam splitter and each of which contains at least one reflection plane, to which, upon reflection of the respective sub-beam, between the sub-beam component having a polarization direction parallel to and the sub-beam component with a polarization direction perpendicular to the incident plane phase shift occurs, the total phase shift in both the third and fourth elements being 90 °.
In optics it is known that with total internal reflection of a radiation beam a relative phase shift occurs between the component of the
093014!
beam with a polarization direction parallel to and the beam component perpendicular to the beam incident plane. The relative phase shift δ = δ<sub>B</sub> - δ 1 that occurs is, as known, given by
<img file="BE1007993A3_D0001.tif" />
where n is the relative refractive index at the interface between the optical rave and the optically dense medium and the incident angle. By now orienting the molecules of the polarization separating layer in the beam splitter such that the polarization direction of the linearly polarized sub-beams supplied by the beam splitter makes an angle of 45 ° with the incident plane of that linearly polarized beam, the amplitudes of the polarization components will be parallel to and perpendicular to that incident plane are equal to each other. Furthermore, using the formula given, the desired 90 ° phase shift between the two polarization components required to convert linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light can be achieved by adjusting the relative refractive index n and the incident angle. This requires at least two total internal reflections.
A further embodiment of the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that the third and the fourth element have Fresnel prisms, each with a first reflection plane and a second reflection plane which have an angle ß<sub>X </sub>and enclose an angle Ô2 with the polarization-separating layer, where *.
<img file="BE1007993A3_D0002.tif" />
sin<sup>2</sup>#, j
<img file="BE1007993A3_D0003.tif" />
sin<sup>2</sup>0<sub>you</sub> with en y and 63 the phase shifts between the polarization component parallel to and the polarization component perpendicular to the incident plane
0930141Σ of the linearly polarized sub-beam entering the third and fourth element respectively due to the total internal reflections on the respective reflection planes, n the relative refractive index of the Fresnel prisms, θ, ^ α-βι the angle of attack for the first total internal reflection and en ^ α-Ίβ ^ the angle of incidence for the second total internal reflection, where α is the angle of incidence of the unpolarized radiation beam on the polarization separating layer of the beam divider.
In a Fresnel prism, the incident beam experiences two total internal reflections successively, causing a relative phase shift of 90 ° between the polarization component parallel to and the polarization component perpendicular to the incident plane. In the first reflection, the linearly polarized beam is elliptically polarized, and in the second reflection, the elliptically polarized beam is converted into a circularly polarized beam, provided that the amplitudes of both components of the incident beam are equal. However, for this conversion to take place, the refractive index ratio n of the polarizer and the angle of incidence of the radiation beam to be converted must satisfy the above relationship.
In the present invention it is proposed to combine a per se known beam splitter which converts unpolarized radiation into linearly polarized radiation with Fresnel prisms in an illumination system for a color image projection device such that using a single element, which is furthermore achromatic in a relatively large wavelength range , unpolarized radiation can be converted directly into circularly polarized radiation. For this, however, the shapes of the Fresnel prisms and the beam divider must be adapted to each other.
It is noted that Fresnel prisms are known per se for converting linearly polarized radiation into circularly polarized radiation, including from the book Principles of Options by M. Bom and E. Wolf, 6th edition, Pergamon Press, p. 47-51.
An embodiment of the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that the first and the second transparent element are each integrated with a Fresnel prism into a single element.
By combining the Fresnel prisms with the beam divider, the direct conversion from linear to circularly polarized radiation is achieved using
093014 a single element. This greatly simplifies the construction of the polarizer.
A. an alternative embodiment of the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that at least the third or the fourth element is provided with a reflective layer at least on a reflection surface.
A 90 ° wavelength-independent phase shift between the polarization component parallel to and the polarization component perpendicular to the incident plane can also be realized by a single reflection of one of the linearly polarized subbeams on a metallic mirror. The realization of a certain phase shift by means of a reflection on a metallic layer is known per se and is described, for example, in the aforementioned book Principles of Options, p. 615-618. In this way, the number of reflections can be significantly reduced.
In the embodiments of the illumination system of the present invention described heretofore, in order to achieve total conversion to radiation suitably polarized for modulation by the image display panels, two cholesteric mirrors are required for each color to be separated. This results in a relatively large number of separate components, which moreover have to be aligned in order to obtain the most efficient conversion possible.
However, an embodiment of the illumination system according to the invention is characterized in that one of the exit surfaces of the polarizer is provided with a polarization-rotating element.
In the known illumination system, the beam circularly polarized by the polarizer is partly clockwise and partly counterclockwise circularly polarized. By now providing the polarizer on one of its exit surfaces with a polarization rotating element which rotates the polarization direction of the respective sub-beam 180 ° relative to the polarization direction of the other sub-beam, both sub-beams will be circularly polarized with the same direction of rotation when leaving the polarizer. The advantage of this is that only three cholesteric mirrors can suffice in the illumination system.
As a polarizing rotating element there are several options. To this end, a first embodiment of the color image projection device according to the invention is characterized in that the polarization rotating element is a λ / 2 plate.
0930141
A λ / 2 plate is known per se as a polarizing rotating element.
An alternative embodiment of the color image projection device according to the invention is characterized in that the polarization rotating element is a double Fresnel prism.
A double Fresnel prism is to be understood as a prism in which four total internal reflections take place successively.
By passing one of the circularly polarized subbeams through such a prism, a phase shift of 180 ° will be achieved, such that the direction of rotation of the respective subbeam is now equal to the direction of rotation of the other circularly polarized subbeam.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing.
Figure 1 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a color image projection device according to the prior art;
Figure 2 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a color image projection device according to the invention;
Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a composite circular polarizer for use in an illumination system for a color image projection device according to the invention;
Figure 4 shows the phase shift between the component perpendicular to and the component parallel to the normal perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the radiation beam as a function of the angle of incidence of the linearly polarized sub-beam on the air-prism separation plane;
Figures 5a and 5b show two embodiments of a composite circular polarizer according to the invention, wherein a 90 ° phase shift is obtained by means of two different reflections;
Figure 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a composite circular polarizer according to the invention, which is at least partly provided with a metallic layer;
Figures 7 and 8 show two exemplary embodiments of a composite circular polarizer according to the invention providing two partial beams with the same circular polarization direction of rotation;
0930 Μ
Fig. 9 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a color image projection device with a polarizer supplying two sub-beams circularly polarized in the same direction of rotation; and
Figure 10 schematically shows an embodiment of a black and white or monochrome image projection device.
The door image projection device 1 schematically represented in figure 1 comprises an illumination system 7 consisting of a radiation source 3, a mirror system 8 and three image display panels 27, 29 and 31, one for each of the primary colors red, blue and green. Each of these image display panels is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, further referred to as an LCD panel in combination with a polarizer and an analyzer. An LCD panel contains a layer of liquid crystalline material that is enclosed between two transparent plates and which layer is divided into picture elements or pixels. The panel can be controlled both actively and passively. Both types of directly controlled image display panels are described, for example, in European patent application EP 0 266 184. By driving a pixel, by applying a local electric field, a change is caused in the effective refractive index of the liquid crystalline material at that pixel, such that the radiation passing through this pixel undergoes a change of polarization direction. By controlling or not controlling the picture elements of the panel, according to a specific pattern determined by the information presented, a polarization image is formed which is converted into a visible image by the analyzer.
The radiation incident on the image display panels must therefore be polarized. There are both image display panels that modulate linearly polarized radiation and panels that modulate circularly polarized radiation, depending on the choice of polarizer and analyzer. However, the radiation source provides unpolarized radiation which, therefore, must be converted to radiation of the desired polarization state before incident on the image display panels. To this end, the illumination system known from the article by M. Schadt and J. Fünfschilling and shown in Figure 1 contains cholesteric mirrors. A cholesteric mirror contains an optical layer of liquid crystalline polymer material with a spiral or helical structure with pitch p. When a white, unpolarized
09301412 If radiation beams incident on such a mirror, a circularly polarized radiation component with a direction of rotation corresponding to the direction of rotation of the molecular helixes with a wavelength tuned to the pitch p of the helix will be reflected, while a component with the opposite direction of rotation and / or transmitted with a wavelength not matched to the mirror.
The known illumination system 7 is formed by a radiation source 3, which emits a white, unpolarized radiation beam 5, and further by a series of, for example, six cholesteric mirrors 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and three flat mirrors 15, 17, 19 for splitting the radiation beam 5 into, for example, three colored subbeams 21, 23, 25 according to the number of image display panels 27, 29, 31.
In the known illumination system, the color separation and the polarization take place as follows. Unpolarized white light enters the first cholesteric mirror 9 positioned at 45 ° to beam 5. The blue, left-turning circularly polarized sub-beam is reflected to a flat mirror 15. At the mirror 15, the polarization direction is inverted in clockwise rotation, so that the direction of rotation of this beam is no longer matched to that of the helix of the cholesteric mirror 9, and this beam will therefore be transmitted in the direction of the blue image display panel 27. The rest of the radiation beam is transmitted to a second cholesteric mirror 10 containing the blue clockwise radiation component 1 \<sub>Γ</sub> and reflects directly toward the blue image display panel 27. The green partial bundles b<sub>ï> r</sub>, b<sub>rl</sub> and the red partial beams b,<sub>it</sub> and B<sub>r> 1</sub> selected. The cholesteric mirrors therefore have a twofold function here: color separation and polarization. The mirror can be made suitable for polarization within a certain wavelength band by adjusting the width and position of the reflecting band of the mirror.
The already known cholesteric mirrors act as a polarizer within a limited wavelength band, for example 50 nm. Radiation with a wavelength outside that wavelength band is transmitted. The wavelength bandwidth of the entire visible light region is about 380 nm, which means that for a color image projection system, as described here, a width of, for example, 100 to 150 nm per color is very suitable.
The width of the reflection wavelength band Δλ of the mirror becomes
093014 b given by Δλ = \> Δη / η, where Δη = n<sub>e</sub> - n <, is the birefringence, where n<sub>e</sub> and 1¼, respectively, are the extraordinary and ordinary refractive index of the cholesteric material and n = (¾ + nJ / 2 is the mean refractive index. Xq is the central wavelength of the selective reflection wavelength band at perpendicular incident of the radiation and is given by
X _ TTn - <sup>(n</sup>«<sup>+ n</sup>0> n àq - np - - = - p, where p is the pitch of the molecular helix of the mirror.
However, since the shift of the reflection wavelength band as a function of the incident angle is, for example, 2 nm per degree, a wider reflection wavelength band than necessary to cover the full visible wavelength range of 380 nm should be taken into account in the manufacture of the mirror.
By now using a polymer as a liquid crystalline layer, the pitch p of the molecular helix can be varied over the relevant layer, so that the wavelength band can be broadened. A method of manufacturing such a mirror is described in detail in Unpublished European Patent Application No. 93203057.0 (PHN 14,629).
By broadening the reflection band per mirror, the total light intensity can be increased, since the three mirrors can now cover the wavelength band required for the visible wavelength range together.
A drawback of the current cholesteric levels is that the selectivity between left and right rotating circularly polarized light is not yet optimal. Therefore, it is proposed in the present invention to convert the unpolarized radiation beam 5 emitted by the radiation source 3 into circularly polarized radiation before offering it to the cholesteric mirrors. This conversion is accomplished using a new composite circular polarizer.
The beams modulated by the image display panels 27, 29 and 31 are then combined by a set of three cholesteric mirrors 69, 71 and 73 into one beam 6 incident on the projection lens assembly 33. For simplicity, the projection lens system 33 is represented by a single lens. The image is projected on a projection screen 34.
The advantage of using color separation
093014 Cholesteric mirrors instead of using dichroic mirrors is that cholesteric mirrors can be made in a single layer, which is simpler and cheaper. Dichroic mirrors are made up of a number of consecutive thin layers with differing refractive indexes, which makes such mirrors relatively technologically expensive.
The radiation beams from the cholesteric mirrors are thus circularly polarized. Then, image display panels 27, 29 and 31 suitable for modulating circularly polarized radiation can be used. However, if the polarizer and analyzer of the image display panels 27, 29 and 31 are tuned to modulate linearly polarized radiation, a λ / 4 plate 63, 65, 67 must be fitted in each sub-beam between the relevant cholesteric mirror and the image display panel. to convert the circularly polarized radiation into linearly polarized radiation. Before the subbeams modulated by the image display panels 27, 29 and 31 can be combined again into one beam 8 by the cholesteric mirrors 69, 71 and 73, the subbeams must first be converted into circularly polarized beams by a second set of λ / 4 plates 75, 77 and 79. The λ / 4 plates are each shown in dotted lines since, in the case that the image display panels modulate circularly polarized radiation, they can be omitted.
Figure 2 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a color image projection device according to the invention. Before a set of six relatively small cholesteric mirrors 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 which now form the mirror system 8, a composite circular polarizer 35 is arranged which directly converts the unpolarized radiation beam 5 from the radiation source 3 into circularly polarized radiation . Since circular polarized light is already being applied to the cholesteric mirrors, two relatively small cholesteric mirrors per color, one for each direction of rotation, suffice and the flat mirrors can be omitted. Such small cholesteric mirrors are relatively easy to manufacture in a relatively inexpensive manner.
Figure 3 shows in detail an embodiment of the composite circular polarizer 35. The polarizer 35 comprises a beam splitter 43 which converts the unpolarized radiation from the radiation source 3 into two mutually perpendicularly linearly polarized radiation beams. Such a polarization sensitive beam splitter
093014 is known per se from US patent US-A 5,042,925 to the same applicant. The beam splitter 43 consists of two glass prisms 45 and 47, between which there is a layer 49 of birefringent material, the extraordinary refractive index of which is equal to the refractive index of the material of the prisms. The ordinary refractive index of the birefringent layer 49 is smaller than the extraordinary refractive index, and therefore also smaller than that of prisms.
An incoming light beam 5 is split into an extraordinary light beam 5b, which goes straight ahead according to the exemplary embodiment, and into an ordinary light beam 5a, which is totally reflected at the interface with the polarization-separating layer 49. The light rays 5a and 5b are linearly polarized in mutually perpendicular directions . Unlike polarizers that rely on absorption of one of the principal light rays, no light is lost. It is also important that no heating due to such absorption occurs in the polarization-sensitive beam splitter 43.
Suitable birefringent adhesive compositions are liquid crystalline acrylates, epoxides and vinyl ethers, as described, for example, in Dutch patent application NL 8802683. In particular, network-forming monomer compositions are suitable, for example diacrylates, as described in the above-mentioned US patent. For further information regarding this beam splitter, reference is made to the relevant patent specification.
In the present invention, the beam splitter 43 is extended to a circular polarizer such that direct conversion of unpolarized radiation to circularly polarized radiation occurs. To accomplish this, a transparent element 51 and 53 is added to each of the prisms 45 and 47 which converts a linearly polarized subbeam into a circularly polarized subbeam. In this way, the circular polarizer 35 directly converts the unpolarized radiation beam 5 from the radiation source 3 into two circularly polarized subbeams 2 and 4 which together form a beam. In Fig. 2, the transparent elements are represented as λ / 4 plates, each of which is arranged on an exit surface 55 and 57 of the beam splitter 43 facing the modulation system 7. A λ / 4 plate is a transparent element composed, for example, of a number of layers which, together for all wavelengths in the visible wavelength range, effect phase rotation in a beam such that linearly polarized radiation is converted into circularly polarized radiation or
09301412 other way around. A conventional λ / 4 plate converts linearly polarized radiation to circularly polarized radiation or vice versa, but is wavelength dependent. That is why broadband λ / 4 plates are used here. For example, achromatic or broadband λ / 4 plates are known from the publication: Retardation Film for STN-LCDs 'NRF' by Nitto Denko in SID '92 Exhibit Guide, Society for Information Display, May 17-22, 1992, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The λ / 4 plates 51 and 53 can be oriented such that the two subbeams 2 and 4 are circularly polarized with the same direction of rotation.
For the transparent elements 51 and 53, however, Fresnel prisms are preferably used. With such elements it is possible to realize a wavelength-independent polarization conversion in an inexpensive manner.
Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a composite circular polarizer 35 in which the transparent elements are Fresnel prisms 59 and 61. For the sake of clarity, only the main rays of the entering beam 5 are shown, the subbeams 5a and 5b and the exiting subbeams 2 and 4 are shown.
A Fresnel prism is an element known per se and is described in detail, for example, in the book Principles of Options by M. Bom and E. Wolf, 6th edition, Pergamon Press, p. 47-51. A Fresnel prism is understood to mean a prism in which a beam successively undergoes two total internal reflections. If the direction of polarization of the beam makes an angle of 45 ° with the incident plane of the beam at the location of the first reflecting prism plane 58a, 60a, and at a certain angle of incidence of this beam on this prism plane, the two successive reflections together cause a phase shift of 90 ° between the components of the incident beam which have a polarization direction perpendicular to or parallel to said incident plane. This plane is the plane of the drawing in figure 3.
Such a phase shift amounts to a conversion from linearly polarized radiation to circularly polarized radiation. The phase shift δ that occurs per reflection is given by:
0930141
S cos0, i / sin<sup>2</sup>0, -n<sup>2 </sup>ter - -_ — ___ <sup>y</sup> 2 sin<sup>2</sup>0.
with 11 = ¾ ^ where n<sub>2</sub> is the refractive index of the medium surrounding the prism and n<sub>t</sub> the refractive index of the prism. From the condition that a phase shift of 45 ° occurs per reflection and from the refractive indices and n<sub>2</sub> the angle 0j can then be determined. Θ, the angle of incidence of the linearly polarized subbeams generated by the beam splitter 43 on the prism-air interface 58a or 60a.
Figure 4 shows in case the prism is in air, n<sub>2</sub> = 1, the phase shift δ as a function of the angle of incidence 0<sub>h</sub> From the figure it follows that, for example for a prism with refractive index 1.7, the desired phase shift of 45 ° can be obtained for two values of the incident angle, namely 0; = 39.2 ° and Θ = 60.5 °.
The polarization direction of the linearly polarized subbeams 5a, 5b should be at an angle of 45 ° to their incident plane at the reflective surfaces 58a and 60a. This can be achieved by orienting the molecules of the liquid crystalline layer 49 in the boundary layer such that they make an azimuthal angle of 45 ° with the incident plane of the beam 5 and have a tilt angle equal to the incident angle α of the radiation beam 5 on the birefringent layer 49. The molecules can thus be oriented by, for example, applying an orientation layer to the surfaces of the prisms that come into contact with the birefringent layer 49. The surfaces are rubbed with a cloth, after which the molecules of the birefringent layer orient themselves in the rubbing direction. If desired, the orientation can also be obtained by placing the prism assembly in a magnetic field. Light polarized in a direction parallel to the molecules does not see refraction, while light with a polarization direction perpendicular to the direction of the molecules undergoes total reflection. In order that the partial beams linearly polarized by the beam splitter 43 are at angle 0<sub>;</sub> on an air-prism interface, given the attainable values for the refractive indices, the reflection planes of the Fresnel prisms should be at a certain angle to the birefringent layer. This angle is determined by ß - α - 0<sub>b</sub> where a is the angle of incidence on the birefringent layer and is determined by the refractive index
09301412 of the material of the beam splitter 43.
Thus, the polarizer 35 directly converts the unpolarized radiation beam 5 from the radiation source 3 into a left and a right circularly polarized subbeam 2 and 4 which together form one beam. In this way, the efficiency of the conversion of unpolarized to circularly polarized radiation can be considerably increased and the intensity of the radiation source is optimally utilized. As already mentioned, six relatively small cholesteric levels will suffice. In addition, the difference in path length between the oppositely circularly polarized subbeams 2 and 4, measured between the radiation source 3 and the projection lens system 33, is reduced, so that the LCDs are exposed more uniformly.
The circular polarizer shown in Figure 3 can be further optimized in shape. Preferably, the circular polarizer 35 consists of as few separate blocks as possible. To this end, the angles of attack α and must be adapted to each other. The angle α can be varied by the choice of material of both the prisms 45, 47 and the birefringent layer 49. The angle hoek; can be adjusted by adjusting the shape of the refractive index of the Fresnel prisms. In the latter case, the boundary angle for critical reflection, and thus the value of α, is also influenced.
The following numerical example is given for illustrative purposes. When the ratio of the ordinary refractive index of the separating layer 49 to the refractive index of the prism 45 is 0.87, a critical reflection occurs at an incident angle α of 67 °. This means that the ordinary linearly polarized sub-beam leaves the birefringent layer at an angle of 67 °, while the extraordinarily linearly polarized sub-beam must see no difference in refractive index and enter the other prism straight through the layer 49. This means that the birefringent material must be chosen to also equal 0.87. Since for most liquid crystalline materials the ordinary refractive index is in the vicinity of 1.52, in addition to the extraordinary refractive index ΐζ of the liquid crystalline material, the refractive index of the material of the prisms must also be approximately 1.75.
However, it is not necessary to realize the total phase shift of 90 ° from two reflections that cause the same phase shift.
The two reflections can also trigger two different phase shifts
0930141 together provide a total phase shift of 90 °. This is the case, for example, in the embodiments of the composite circular polarizer shown in Figures 5a and 5b. The geometry is determined by the requirement that for a given angle of attack a, the angle ß must be chosen such that for the internal reflections under the angles 0<sub>YOU</sub> and 0<sub>i> 2</sub> applies:
with ft, = a - ß tg.
cos sin<sup>2</sup>0
i.2 with 0<sub>W.</sub> = 0<sub>YOU</sub> - ß = a - 2ß and where ôj + = 90 °.
For the circular polarizer according to figure 5a it holds that for an angle of incidence a = 67 ° the angle becomes ß = 4.45 °. The first internal reflection at an angle 0<sub>YOU</sub> = 62.55 ° yields a phase shift of 42 °, while the second internal reflection is at an angle of 0<sub>ii2</sub> = 58.1 ° gives a phase shift of 48 °.
For the circular polarizer according to figure 5b it holds that for an angle of incidence a = 67 ° two values are possible for the angle ß, namely 15.0 ° and 24.8 °. For the first internal reflection, 0<sub>YOU</sub> = a resulting in a phase shift of 35.9 '. The residual phase shift of 54.1 ° is obtained by a second internal reflection at an angle 0<sub>i2</sub> = 52 ° or 42.2 °. From the graph of Figure 4 it follows that an angle of 42.2 ° is the best choice in terms of wavelength and incident angle dependence.
Alternatively, both the first reflecting surface 58a, 60a of the polarizer 35 and the second reflecting surface 58b, 60b of the polarizer can be inclined relative to the birefringent layer 49 so that the angle β is distributed over the two surfaces.
Figure 6 shows yet another exemplary embodiment of a composite circular polarizer according to the invention. In this circular polarizer, each of the polarization transducers contains only one reflecting surface which is constructed as a specular reflecting surface. A specularly reflecting surface can be obtained by
093014 for example, to at least partially provide one of the surfaces of the polarizer with a metallic layer 50. It is known per se, for example from the book Principles of Options by M. Bom and E. Wolf, p. 615-618, that by speculate reflection on a specular surface a phase shift of 90 ° can be realized between the polarization component perpendicular to and the polarization component parallel to the incident plane of the incident radiation beam, provided θ<sub>;</sub> is adapted to the refractive indices of the prism and the metallic layer. θ<sub>;</sub> can be adjusted, for example, by having the reflection surfaces 58a and 60a enclose an angle ß with the polarization-separating layer 49. In this way, the number of reflections is reduced and the circular polarizer can thus be made more compact.
As previously described, the Fresnel prism composite circular polarizer provides a beam of which substantially half is counterclockwise circularly polarized and substantially the other half is clockwise circularly polarized. Both sub-beams can be circularly polarized in the same direction of rotation by causing a phase shift of 180 ° in one of the two sub-beams between the polarization component perpendicular to and the polarization component parallel to the incident plane of the respective sub-beam. This can be done by applying an additional optical delay plate or λ / 2 plate to one of the exit surfaces of the circular polarizer. In figures 3, 5a, 5b and 6 a λ / 220 plate 81 is indicated in dotted line. Another possibility is to extend one of the two Fresnel prisms with a double Fresnel prism 83 in which four internal reflections occur on reflection surfaces 58a, 58b and thus together cause a phase shift of 180 °. Figure 7 shows an embodiment thereof. The two sub-beams 2 and 4 are now circularly polarized in the same direction of rotation. The resulting asymmetry of the circular polarizer can be overcome at least in part by choosing a material with a different refractive index for the extended prism 45, 59, 83 or for part thereof. Yet another possibility, which overcomes the asymmetry of the polarizer, is to combine a difference in refractive index of one of the prism portions of the polarizer 35 with metallic layers 85, 87 applied to the reflection surfaces 58a, 58b. An exemplary embodiment of a circular polarizer which is the case, is shown in Figure 8. For example, a total internal reflection on an air-prism separating surface 58a, 58b, 60a, 60b causes a
093014 phase shift of 45 °. The reflections on the metallic layers each cause a phase shift of 90 °. In this way, according to Figure 8, a phase shift of 180 ° is created between the two subbeams 2 and 4, which means that the two subbeams are circularly polarized in the same direction of rotation.
Then, when both partial beams 2 and 4 are circularly polarized in the same direction, a mirror system 8 containing only three cholesteric mirrors 89, 91 and 93 instead of six will suffice, as shown in Figure 9.
By a combination of refractive index variation of the material of one of the two prisms and the application or not of metallic layers on the reflection surfaces of the Fresnel prisms, an almost symmetrical polarizer can be obtained which converts an unpolarized radiation beam directly into a circularly polarized radiation beam within which beam. only one circularly polarized direction of rotation is present.
The circular polarizer according to the invention, in particular in the embodiments which supply two circularly polarized partial beams with the same direction of rotation, can also be used in black and white or monochrome image projection devices, such as monitors, for example. Figure 10 shows the principle of such a device.
The unpolarized radiation beam 5 from the radiation source 3 is converted by the composite circular polarizer 35 into two circularly polarized partial beams 2 and 4, whether or not circularly polarized in the same direction of rotation, depending on the application of a polarizing rotating element on the polarizer 35. The using a black and white or a monochrome
LCD panel 86 modulated radiation is then projected through a projection lens system 33 onto an image projection screen 34. When the LCD panel modulates linearly polarized light, there is another λ / 4 plate 95, 97 in front and behind the LCD panel, which in the case of a monochrome LCD panel need not be broadband.
09301L
Contents5
9 sheets
Sheet 1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Sheet 4 Sheet 5 Sheet 6 Sheet 7 Sheet 8 Sheet 9
Every citation, both ways
| Document | Relation | Office | Category | Cited during | Relevant claims |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0407830A2 | Cites | European Patent Office (EPO) | A | Search report | 1,11 |
| EP0428213A1 | Cites | European Patent Office (EPO) | YD | Search report | 1,2,7,8,10,11 |
| EP0467447A1 | Cites | European Patent Office (EPO) | YA | Search report | 1,2,7,8,10,11 |
| US5221982A | Cites | United States of America | A | Search report | 1,11 |
9 members in 7 offices
Members9
| Document | Office | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP0659024A1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A1 | |
| KR950023045A | Republic of Korea | A | |
| JPH07199120A | Japan | A | |
| CN1112688A | China | A | |
| BE1007993A3This record | Belgium | A3 | |
| US5626408A | United States of America | A | |
| EP0659024B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| DE69417174D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| DE69417174T2 | Germany | T2 |
1 legal event, as the office reported them to INPADOC
Events
| Event | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Patent lapsedLapsedRE | RE |
Numbers
- Application
- 9301412
Titles2
- Dutch
- BELICHTINGSSTELSEL VOOR EEN KLEURENBEELDPROJECTIE-INRICHTING EN CIRCULAIRE POLARISATOR GESCHIKT VOOR TOEPASSING IN EEN DERGELIJK BELICHTINGSSTELSEL EN KLEURENBEELDPROJECTIE-INRICHTING BEVATTENDE EEN DERGELIJK BELICHTINGSSTELSEL MET CIRCULAIRE POLARISATOR.
- English
- EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR A COLOR IMAGE PROJECTION DEVICE AND CIRCULAR POLARIZER SUITABLE FOR USE IN SUCH AN EXPOSURE SYSTEM AND COLOR IMAGE PROJECTION DEVICE CONTAINING SUCH EXPOSURE SYSTEM WITH CIRCULAR POLARIZATIONAL.
Classification
- CPC, 9
- G02F1/13362
- H04N9/31
- G02B5/3016
- G02B27/283
- G02B27/285
- G02F1/133536
- H04N9/3105
- H04N9/3167
- G02F1/13355
- IPC, 6
- G02F1 13
- G02B5 30
- G02B27 28
- G02F1 1335
- G02F1 13357
- H04N9 31