Volumetric light shaping polymer dispersed liquid crystal films for mini LED backlights
ABSTRACT Volumetric light shaping polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films for mini LED backlit liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are proposed and experimentally demonstrated. With proper material engineering and good vertical alignment of liquid crystals, passive PDLC films with angle selective scattering properties can be achieved. Such films only respond to angles rather than spatial locations. By directly adhering the PDLC films onto a LED, angular intensity distribution of light can be tailored from Lambertian like to batwing like. Further simulation shows that by engineering the angular distribution, a fewer number of LEDs or equivalently a shorter light spreading distance should be required to maintain good uniformity. Such a PDLC film would find widespread applications in emerging mini LED backlit LCDs and shed light on designing other light shaping films in the future. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT