Claims
- 1. A method for producing a liquid crystal device, the method comprising:
assembling two substrates to form at least one liquid crystal cell; and removing material from a first one of the assembled substrates to produce a first region of the first substrate that is thinner than a second region of the first substrate.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the cell with liquid crystals.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cell is filled with liquid crystals before the material is removed from the first substrate.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein removing material from the first substrate comprises grinding the first region of the first substrate.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein removing material from the first substrate further comprises polishing the first region of the first substrate.
- 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the temperature of the first substrate is maintained to within 5° C. of a nominal temperature during the removal of the material from the first substrate.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein assembling the two substrates comprises forming an array of liquid crystal cells.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising dividing the array of liquid crystal cells into separate liquid crystal cells, and wherein removing material from the first substrate comprises removing material from the first substrate of at least one of the separated liquid crystal cells.
- 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the array of liquid crystals is a two-dimensional array and the method further comprises dividing the two-dimensional array into separate one-dimensional strips of liquid crystal cells, and wherein removing material from the first substrate comprises removing material from the first substrate of at least a first one of the strips of liquid crystal cells.
- 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising dividing the first strip of liquid crystal cells into separate liquid crystal cells after removing the material from the first substrate.
- 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising dividing the array of liquid crystal cells into separate liquid crystal cells after removing the material from the first substrate.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the array of liquid crystal cells is a one-dimensional strip of liquid crystal cells.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the array of liquid crystal cells is a two-dimensional strip of liquid crystal cells.
- 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second regions of the first substrate extend across multiple ones of the liquid crystal cells in the array.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the two substrates are planar substrates prior to the assembly of the liquid crystal cell.
- 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising patterning each substrate with at least one electrode for use with the liquid crystal cell.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first region of the first substrate is sufficiently thin relative to the second region of the first substrate to relieve stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of liquid crystals in the liquid crystal cell over a range of operating temperatures.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the range of operating temperatures spans at least 30° C.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the range of operating temperatures is from about 520 C. to at least 70° C.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the second region of the first substrate is at least 20% thicker than the first region of the first substrate.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second region of the first substrate is twice as thick as the first region of the first substrate.
- 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal of the material introduces a wedge to the first substrate.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the wedge comprises the thinner first region and the thicker second region.
- 24. The method of claim 22, wherein wedge defines a wedge angle of at least 0.20°.
- 25. The method of claim 22, wherein the wedge reduces interference effects caused by an undesired reflection from the first substrate during use of the liquid crystal cell.
- 26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first region of the first substrate is sufficiently thin relative to the second region of the first substrate to relieve stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of liquid crystals in the liquid crystal cell over a range of operating temperatures.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the wedge extends over at least a portion of the second region.
- 28. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing material from the second assembled substrate to produce a first region of the second substrate that is thinner than a second region of the second substrate.
- 29. The method of claim 1, further comprising securing an optical component to the liquid crystal cell in series with an optical aperture of the liquid crystal cell.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the optical component is secured to the cell adjacent the second substrate prior to removing the material from the first substrate.
- 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the optical component is secured to the cell after removing the material from the first substrate.
- 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the optical component is a retarder.
- 33. The method of claim 29, wherein the optical component is a polarizer.
- 34. The method of claim 29, wherein the optical component is another liquid crystal cell.
- 35. The method of claim 29, wherein the optical component is an optical window.
- 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the optical window stiffens at least a portion of the liquid crystal cell.
- 37. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a stiffening component to at least a portion of the liquid crystal cell.
- 38. The method of claim 7, further comprising securing an optical component to be in optical series with the array of liquid crystal cells.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical component is secured to the array adjacent the second substrate prior to removing the material from the first substrate.
- 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical component is secured to the array after removing the material from the first substrate.
- 41. The method of claim 38, further comprising dividing the array of cells and the secured optical component into separate liquid crystal devices.
- 42. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical component is a retarder.
- 43. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical component is a polarizer.
- 44. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical component is another array of liquid crystal cells.
- 45. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical component is an optical window.
- 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the optical window stiffens at least a portion of the liquid crystal cell.
- 47. The method of claim 38, further comprising attaching a stiffening component to at least a portion of the array of liquid crystal cell.
- 48. The method of claim 1, wherein the first region of the first substrate has a thickness less than 1.2 mm.
- 49. A method for producing a liquid crystal device, the method comprising:
assembling two substrates to form at least one liquid crystal cell; and removing material from a first one of the assembled substrates to produce a wedge along the first substrate.
- 50. A method for producing a liquid crystal device, the method comprising:
assembling two substrates to form at least one liquid crystal cell; and removing material from a first one of the assembled substrates to produce a first region of the first substrate that is thinner than a second region of the first substrate, wherein the first region of the first substrate is sufficiently thin relative to the second region of the first substrate to relieve stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of liquid crystals in the liquid crystal cell over a range of operating temperatures.
- 51. A method for producing multiple liquid crystal devices, the method comprising:
providing two substrates; removing material from a first one of the substrates to produce a first region of the first substrate that is thinner than a second region of the first substrate; assembling the substrates to form an array of liquid crystal cells; and after the substrate material is removed from the first substrate, dividing the array of liquid crystal cells into separate liquid crystal cells.
- 52. The method of claim 51, wherein the removal of the material occurs before the assembly of the substrates into the array liquid crystal cells.
- 53. The method of claim 51, wherein the removal of the material occurs after the assembly of the substrates into the array liquid crystal cells.
- 54. A liquid crystal device comprising:
two unitary substrates sandwiching a layer of liquid crystals, wherein each substrate supports at least one electrode, wherein a first one of the substrate has a first region that is thinner than a second region of the first substrate, and wherein the first region of the first substrate has a thickness less than 1.2 mm.
- 55. The device of claim 54, wherein the first region of the first substrate is sufficiently thin relative to the second region of the first substrate to relieve stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the liquid crystals over a range of operating temperatures.
- 56. The device of claim 55, wherein the range of operating temperatures spans at least 30° C.
- 57. The device of claim 56, wherein the range of operating temperatures is from about 5° C. to at least 70° C.
- 58. The device of claim 55, wherein the second region of the first substrate is at least 20% thicker than the first region of the first substrate.
- 59. The device of claim 58, wherein the second region of the first substrate is twice as thick as the first region of the first substrate.
- 60. The device of claim 54, wherein the first substrate comprises a wedge.
- 61. The device of claim 60, wherein wedge comprises the thinner first region and the thicker second region.
- 62. The device of claim 61, wherein wedge defines a wedge angle of at least 0.25°.
- 63. The device of claim 60, wherein the wedge reduces interference effects caused by an undesired reflection from the first substrate during use of the liquid crystal device.
- 64. The device of claim 60, wherein the first region of the first substrate is sufficiently thin relative to the second region of the first substrate to relieve stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the liquid crystals over a range of operating temperatures.
- 65. The device of claim 64, wherein the wedge extends over at least a portion of the second region.
- 66. The device of claim 54, wherein the second substrate comprises a first region that is thinner than a second region of the second substrate.
- 67. The device of claim 54, wherein the first region of the first substrate has a thickness less than 1.0 mm.
- 68. The device of claim 54, further comprising an optical component secured in optical series with at least a portion of the liquid crystal layer.
- 69. The device of claim 68, wherein the optical component is a retarder.
- 70. The device of claim 68, wherein the optical component is a polarizer.
- 71. The device of claim 68, wherein the optical component is another liquid crystal cell.
- 72. The device of claim 71, wherein the optical component is an optical window.
- 73. The device of claim 54, further comprising a stiffening component secured to at least a portion of one of the substrates.
- 74. A liquid crystal device comprising:
two unitary substrates sandwiching a layer of liquid crystals, wherein each substrate supports at least one electrode, wherein a first one of the substrates has a wedge and a thickness less than 1.2 mm.
- 75. A liquid crystal device comprising:
two unitary substrates sandwiching a layer of liquid crystals, wherein each substrate supports at least one electrode, wherein the first substrate has a first region that is thinner than a second region of the first substrate, and wherein the first region of the first substrate is sufficiently thin relative to the second region of the first substrate to relieve stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the liquid crystals over a range of operating temperatures.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from the following U.S. provisional patent applications: Serial No. 60/346,329, entitled “Method for fabricating liquid crystal cells with wedged outer faces” by Randy Deary and Peter J. Miller, filed Jan. 7, 2002, and Serial No. 60/290,366, entitled “Stress-relief of Liquid Crystal Cells” by Randall J. Deary, filed May 11, 2001. The contents of both provisional application are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60346329 |
Jan 2002 |
US |
|
60290366 |
May 2001 |
US |