Applications of multidirectional reflective light-control films on reflective polymer-dispersed liquid crystal displays for enhancement in image quality at lower viewing angles

Abstract

In this paper, multidirectional light-control reflective (LCR) films are developed in order to create an active reflective structure that will enhance the image brightness and contrast ratio of reflective dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (D-PDLC) displays at lower viewing angles. Advantages of LCR films are that their production is low cost and they require a simple photolithographic fabrication method. The optimum design prism-type light-control reflective film succeeded in minimising the surface scattering effect; thus, the contrast ratio is much enhanced. The symmetric and asymmetric LCR films produced multidirectional scattering that enhances the reflectance at lower viewing angles, which has importance in future display applications. In particular, the prism LCR film has been found to be more influential on the reflectance of D-PDLC films due to multidirectional scattering of light by non-symmetric arrays. The improvement in contrast ratio has been confirmed by the enhancement of optical properties for reflective D-PDLC displays at lower viewing angles below 30°. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.