Arrays of integrated analytical devices and their methods for production are provided. The arrays are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The integrated devices allow the highly sensitive discrimination of optical signals using features such as spectra, amplitude, and time resolution, or combinations thereof. The arrays and methods of the invention make use of silicon chip fabrication and manufacturing techniques developed for the electronics industry and highly suited for miniaturization and high throughput.

Arrays of integrated analytical devices and their methods for production are provided. The arrays are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The integrated devices allow the highly sensitive discrimination of optical signals using features such as spectra, amplitude, and time resolution, or combinations thereof. The arrays and methods of the invention make use of silicon chip fabrication and manufacturing techniques developed for the electronics industry and highly suited for miniaturization and high throughput.

A polarizing film cutting knife includes a body portion extending in a first direction, and a knife portion connected to the body portion. The knife portion includes a first surface and a second surface. The first and second surfaces form a first angle. The first angle is about 21.8 to 22.2 degrees.

A coextruded multilayered thermoplastic article including: a first layer with a first surface texture, wherein the first layer comprises a first transparent thermoplastic polymer having a first stress optical coefficient (C.sub.m1) measured at 20 C. above the glass transition temperature of the first polymer; a second layer located comprising a second transparent thermoplastic polymer having a second stress optical coefficient (C.sub.m2) measured at 20 C. above the glass transition temperature of the second matrix; wherein a relation between the first stress optical coefficient and the second stress optical coefficient is C.sub.m2>4(C.sub.m1) (Formula A) wherein the thickness of the first layer measured from the highest peaks of the first surface texture to the second side of the first layer is greater than 1.5 times Rz of the first surface texture but less than or equal to 75% of the total thickness of the article.

There are provided a thin film polarizer having superior optical properties and a method of manufacturing the same. The thin film polarizer includes: forming a film laminate by attaching a non-stretched polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based film to at least one surface of a thermoplastic polyurethane film, using attractive force therebetween or using an adhesive; stretching the film laminate at a temperature of 45 C. to 55 C.; and separating the PVA-based film from the thermoplastic polyurethane film.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin polarizer, the method including: a step of preparing an unstretched polyvinyl alcohol-based film having a thickness of 20 m or less, in which a strength applied to stretch the film by 6 times is 4 N or more; and a single stretching step of forming a stretched polyvinyl alcohol-based film having a thickness of 10 m or less by stretching the unstretched polyvinyl alcohol-based film solely, and a thin polarizer manufactured by using the same.

A composition of an optical film contains silica-based hollow microparticles, a matrix precursor, a nonvolatile liquid, and a volatile solvent. The nonvolatile liquid has a vapor pressure of 500 Pa or less, a boiling point of 250 C. or higher, and a refractive index in a range from 1.4 to 1.5, inclusive. The volatile solvent is more volatile than the nonvolatile liquid. The content of the nonvolatile liquid is in the range from 5 to 30 parts by mass, inclusive, per 100 parts by mass of the sum of the silica-based hollow microparticles and the matrix precursor.

The present invention provides a polarizing plate that includes a polarizer, and an optical film including an alignment layer, an optically anisotropic layer, and an optically isotropic acrylic polymer layer on at least one surface of the polarizer, in which the optically anisotropic layer is a layer formed by irradiating a polymerizable composition including a liquid crystal compound that is directly applied to the alignment layer with light to polymerize the liquid crystal compound, the acrylic polymer layer is a layer formed by curing a polymerizable composition including (meth)acrylate that is directly applied to a surface of the layer formed from the polymerizable composition including a liquid crystal compound, and the thickness of the acrylic polymer layer is larger than the thickness of the optically anisotropic layer. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a polarizing plate having a small thickness.

A method of drawing a material into sheet form includes forming a preform comprising at least one material as a large aspect ratio block wherein a first transverse dimension of the preform is much greater than a second transverse dimension substantially perpendicular to the first transverse dimension. A furnace having substantially linearly opposed heating elements one spaced from the other is provided and the heating elements are energized to apply heat to the preform to create a negative thermal gradient from an exterior surface along the first transverse dimension of the preform inward toward a central plane of the preform. The preform is drawn in such a manner that the material substantially maintains its first transverse dimension and deforms across its second transverse dimension.

Arrays of integrated analytical devices and their methods for production are provided. The arrays are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The integrated devices allow the highly sensitive discrimination of optical signals using features such as spectra, amplitude, and time resolution, or combinations thereof. The arrays and methods of the invention make use of silicon chip fabrication and manufacturing techniques developed for the electronics industry and highly suited for miniaturization and high throughput.