Polarizers
“A polarizer is a device that converts a beam of electromagnetic waves (light) of undefined or mixed polarization into a beam with well-defined polarization. The common types of polarizers are linear polarizers and circular polarizers. Polarizers are used in many optical techniques and instruments, and polarizing filters find applications in photography and liquid crystal display technology.” (Wikipedia, Polarizers, 1/26/2011)
Electromagnetic waves consist of oscillating magnetic and electric fields. These waves are described in terms of electric and magnetic vectors perpendicular to the propagation direction. A normal light wave consists of many photons which have these vectors randomly oriented with respect to the propagation direction. If for some reason, these vectors have a fixed or non-random direction with respect to the propagation direction, the light is polarized. Polarization (waves), refers to the the orientation of oscillations in the plane perpendicular to a transverse wave's direction of travel. (RDC 1/26/2011) (Wikipedia, Polarization, 1/26/2011)
Recent US Patents
11/30/2010
7,842,337
Method of nano-patterning block copolymers and method of manufacturing polarizer and color filter using the same
Kim et al of Samsung, South Korea have developed a polarizer based on nanopatterns of block copolymers. This is done by coating block copolymers on a substrate and aligning self-assembled block copolymers in a direction of the thickness gradient by heat-treating the block copolymers. (RDC 4/19/2011)