A reflective polarizer includes a plurality of first layers disposed on a plurality of polymeric second layers. Each of at least 30% of the first layers includes at least 30% by weight of an inorganic material. For an incident light incident in a plane and a first incident angle, the reflective polarizer and the first layers have respective average optical reflectances R3v and R1v in a visible wavelength range and respective average optical reflectances R3ir and R1ir in an infrared wavelength range, R1v<R3v and (R1ir−R3ir)>10%, when the incident light is polarized along a first direction; and for the visible wavelength range and for a second incident angle, the plurality of polymeric second layers has an average optical reflectance R2v(x) when the plane includes the first direction and an average optical reflectance R2v(y) when the plane includes a second direction, 5%<R2v(y)<R2v(x)<60%.

The present disclosure relates to display systems and, more particularly, to augmented reality display systems. A diffraction grating includes a plurality of different diffracting zones having a periodically repeating lateral dimension corresponding to a grating period adapted for light diffraction. The diffraction grating additionally includes a plurality of different liquid crystal layers corresponding to the different diffracting zones. The different liquid crystal layers have liquid crystal molecules that are aligned differently, such that the different diffracting zones have different optical properties associated with light diffraction.

A projection display apparatus includes a projection lens unit that projects image light and on which external light including the image light reflected by a projection target is incident, an optical path separation prism, a narrowband retarder plate and an imaging element. The optical path separation prism includes the first prism having first and second surfaces, the second prism having a third surface disposed on a side of projection lens unit, a fourth surface facing the second surface and a fifth surface, and the polarization separation coating being disposed between the second surface and the fourth surface. The narrowband retarder plate aligns the image light into a first polarization state. Light in a second polarization state in the external light is reflected by the polarization separation coating, is totally internally reflected by the third surface, is emitted from the fifth surface, and is received by the imaging element.

A polarizing plate includes a substrate and a plurality of projections which protrude with respect to the substrate, in which the plurality of projections are formed by periodically arraying projections extending in a first direction in plan view, each of the projections includes a reflective layer and a tip end portion, the tip end portion is arranged at a position further away from the substrate than the reflective layer, the tip end portion is continuously widened from a first end portion, which is a tip end, to a second end portion on a side close to the substrate in a first cut plane perpendicular to the substrate and the first direction, and a first surface of the tip end portion includes a continuous first curved surface.

A reflective wire grid polarizer (WGP) can include an array of wires 12 on a face of a substrate 11, with channels 15 between adjacent wires 12. The wires 12 can have certain characteristics for WGP performance, such as index of refraction, alternating high/low index continuous thin films, thickness of layer(s), duty cycle, reflective rib shape, a curved side of transparent ribs 21 or 32, aspect ratio, or combinations thereof.

A display device is provided. The display device comprises a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a first polarizing layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and including first line grid patterns, a light scattering layer disposed between the first polarizing layer and the second substrate, and color filter layers disposed between the light scattering layer and the second substrate.

A flexible device includes a first layer including a plurality of first patterns and a second layer including a plurality of second patterns. Two adjacent ones of the plurality of first patterns have a first pitch. The second layer overlaps with the first layer. Two adjacent ones of the plurality of second patterns have a second pitch. The plurality of first patterns comprise gate lines, and the plurality of second patterns comprise conductive lines, wherein a ratio of the first pitch to the second pitch is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 200. One of the plurality of first patterns has a first width, one of the plurality of second patterns has a second width, and a ratio of the first width to the first pitch is less than a ratio of the second width to the second pitch.

The present disclosure relates generally to techniques for improving the performance and efficiency of optical systems, such as optical systems for using head-mounted display system. The optical systems of the present disclosure may include polarized catadioptric optics, or “pancake optics,” which utilize a wire grid polarizer as a reflective polarizer. Wire grid polarizers may not perform uniformly over wavelength or over varying angles of incidence. To improve performance, a spatially varying polarizer is provided in the optical system that operates to provide polarization compensation for the wire grid polarizer so that the wire grid polarizer performs more uniformly over wavelength and/or over incidence angles (e.g., on-axis and off-axis). The spatially varying polarizer may be formed of a liquid crystal material, such as a multi-twist retarder.

A flexible display device is disclosed. The flexible display device includes a first layer and a second layer overlapping with the first layer. The first layer includes a plurality of first patterns, and the plurality of first patterns has a first pitch. The second layer includes a plurality of second patterns, and the plurality of second patterns has a second pitch. A ratio of the first pitch to the second pitch is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 200.

Polarizing optical devices described herein, and polarizing optical devices resulting from methods described herein, can be small and can have high heat tolerance. Wires of wire grid polarizers can be attached directly to prisms of the polarizing optical devices, allowing for small size. Multiple polarizing optical devices can be attached by adhesive-free bonding techniques, allowing high heat tolerance.