Volume 154, Issue 1 pp. 59-72
Article

Polymer films derived from aligned and polymerised reactive liquid crystals

David Coates

David Coates

Merck R&D UK, Building 35, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO 17 1BJ, United Kingdom

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Owain Parri

Owain Parri

Merck R&D UK, Building 35, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO 17 1BJ, United Kingdom

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Mark Verrall

Mark Verrall

Merck R&D UK, Building 35, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO 17 1BJ, United Kingdom

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Kim Slaney

Kim Slaney

Merck R&D UK, Building 35, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO 17 1BJ, United Kingdom

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Shirley Marden

Shirley Marden

Merck R&D UK, Building 35, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO 17 1BJ, United Kingdom

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Abstract

The principles and methods of fabricating thin polymer films with particular optical properties via the process of in-situ photopolymerisation of reactive liquid crystals are described. The optical properties of these films are described in terms of their retardation profile. Some possible applications, such as compensation films for improving the viewing angle of a TN-TFT liquid crystal display are discussed. A novel way of combining the properties of a quarter wave foil and a compensation film for a broad band cholesteric brightness enhancement film is also described.

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