Development
of a fabrication method that uses optical nanostructures as artificial materials
that match refractive indices of a wide range of transparent substrates. The
resulting surface is optically transparent and exhibits qualities required to
see images and text clearly on an electronic display screen in a wide variety of
light conditions.
Electronic
display screens are difficult to see when light reflects off their surface.
Glare caused from reflected light reduces the quality of displayed text and
images on screens made of glass or plastic. Currently anti-reflection (AR)
screens are made by using a MgF2 coating that reduces reflected light by
lowering the refractive index of the surface of the display screen to a
refractive index closer to that of air.
This process
is known as index matching. This coating process has several drawbacks
including:
- There are very few
transparent substrates that produce an AR surface with this coating limiting a
manufacturer’s ability to optimize substrate selection for cost or
durability
- Adhesion issues
often arise between the substrate and coating restricting substrate selection to
even fewer candidates
- Coating material (MgF2) cost and deposition
processing cost time and complexity.
Wayne State
University researchers have developed a fabrication method that uses optical
nanostructures as artificial materials that match refractive indices of a wide
range of transparent substrates. The resulting surface is optically transparent
and exhibits qualities required to see images and text clearly on an electronic
display screen in a wide variety of light conditions.
Commercial
Applications
•
Electronics including display screens for TVs, computer monitors, cell phones
and optical sensors
• Military,
industrial and medical applications
• Solar
panels
Competitive
Advantages
• Produces
excellent reflection of light across a wide range of transparent
substrates
• Reduces
fabrication cost due to a faster simpler process
• Eliminates
adhesion issues
Patent
Status
Patent
published