DIFFUSELY REFLECTING POLARIZING ELEMENT INCLUDING A FIRST BIREFRINGENT PHASE AND A SECOND PHASE

摘要

AN OPTICAL FILM IS PROVIDED WHICH COMPRISES A DISPERSE PHASE OF POLYMERIC PARTICLES DISPOSED WITHIN A CONTINOUS BIREFRINGENT MATRIX. THE FILM IS ORIENTED, TYPICALLY BY STRETCHING, IN ONE OR MORE DIRECTIONS. THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE DISPERSE PHASE PARTICLES, THE VOLUME FRACTION OF THE DISPERSE PHASE, THE FILM THICKNESS, AND THE AMOUNT OF ORIENTATION ARE CHOSEN TO ATTAIN A DESIRED DEGREE OF DIFFUSE REFLECTION AND TOTAL TRANSMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF A DESIRED WAVELENGTH IN THE RESULTING FILM.