Light controlling apparatus and method of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016154259-A1
Application number	US-201514837090-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided are a light controlling apparatus and a method of fabricating the same. The light controlling apparatus comprises: a first electrode unit and a second electrode unit facing each other; a liquid crystal unit between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit, the liquid crystal unit including: a liquid crystal; a network having a first polymer polymerized from a first monomer having a similar shape as the liquid crystal and a second polymer polymerized from a second monomer having a shape different from the first monomer; and a wall having the first polymer and the second polymer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light controlling apparatus comprising:
a first electrode unit and a second electrode unit facing each other; a liquid crystal unit between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit and the liquid crystal unit including:
a liquid crystal;
a network having a first polymer polymerized from a first monomer having a similar shape as the liquid crystal and a second polymer polymerized from a second monomer having a shape different from the first monomer; and
a wall having the first polymer and the second polymer.

2 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a spacer on at least one among the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit.

3 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first monomer and the second monomer are UV-hardened monomers.

4 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein UV wavelengths of the UV-hardened monomers include same wavelength range.

5 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first monomer includes a RM (reactive mesogen)-based monomer.

6 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second monomer includes a Bisphenol A Dimethacrylate-based monomer.

7 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first monomer assists in vertical alignment of the liquid crystal and the second monomer assists in random alignment of the liquid crystal.

8 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the liquid crystal is one among a negative type liquid crystal or a DFLC (dual frequency liquid crystal), each of the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit includes a common electrode.

9 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein if the liquid crystal is the negative type liquid crystal, each of the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit is configured to apply a vertical electric field to the liquid crystal unit.

10 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a transparent mode with the liquid crystal in a homeotropic state when a voltage is not applied, and wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a light shielding mode with the liquid crystal in a random state when a voltage is applied.

11 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the liquid crystal includes one among a positive type liquid crystal or a DFLC (dual frequency liquid crystal), at least one among the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit includes a plurality of patterned electrodes.

12 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a horizontal electric field is applied to the patterned electrodes.

13 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a transparent mode with the liquid crystal in a homeotropic state when a voltage is not applied, and wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a light shielding mode with the liquid crystal in a random state when a voltage is applied.

14 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the liquid crystal includes one among a positive type liquid crystal or a DFLC, at least one among the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit includes a plurality of patterned electrodes and a common electrode.

15 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein a horizontal electric field is applied to the patterned electrode and the common electrode.

16 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a transparent mode with the liquid crystal in a homeotropic state when a voltage is not applied, and wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a light shielding mode with the liquid crystal in a random state when a voltage is applied.

17 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an alignment unit configured to align the liquid crystal in a homeotropic state.

18 . The light controlling apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the alignment unit is on or under the liquid crystal unit.

19 . A method of fabricating a light controlling apparatus, comprising:
laminating a first electrode unit to a second electrode unit; forming a liquid crystal unit between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit, the liquid crystal unit including a mixed liquid crystal having a first monomer, a second monomer and a liquid crystal; forming a wall corresponding to a pattern of a mask on the first electrode unit or on the second electrode unit by polymerizing the first monomer and the second monomer; and forming a network by polymerizing the first monomer and the second monomer with a lower irradiation energy than the forming of the wall.

20 . The method of fabricating a light controlling apparatus, further comprising disposing of a spacer on at least one among the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit.

21 . The method of fabricating a light controlling apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the first monomer and the second monomer are polymerized with a light having the same wavelength range.

22 . The method of fabricating a light controlling apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein each of the forming of the wall and the forming of the network includes polymerizing the first monomer and the second monomer by irradiation with UV rays.

23 . The method of fabricating a light controlling apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the first monomer includes a RM (reactive mesogen)-based monomer.

24 . The method of fabricating a light controlling apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the second monomer includes a Bisphenol A Dimethacrylate-based monomer.

25 . A mixed liquid crystal in which a liquid crystal, a first monomer and a second monomer are present, wherein the first monomer has a similar shape as the liquid crystal and the second monomer has a shape different from the first monomer, and wherein the first monomer and the second monomer are configured to have both a network and a wall in a light controlling apparatus.

26 . The mixed liquid crystal according to claim 25 , wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a transparent mode with the liquid crystal in a homeotropic state when a voltage is not applied, and wherein the light controlling apparatus exhibits a light shielding mode with the liquid crystal in a random state when a voltage is applied.

27 . The mixed liquid crystal according to claim 25 , wherein the first monomer and the second monomer are cured by UV irradiation at the same wavelength range.

28 . The mixed liquid crystal according to claim 25 , wherein the first monomer includes an RM (reactive mesogen)-based monomer.

29 . The mixed liquid crystal according to claim 25 , wherein the second monomer includes a Bisphenol A Dimethacrylate-based monomer.

30 . The mixed liquid crystal according to claim 25 , wherein the first monomer and the second monomer are polymerized by irradiation with UV rays.

31 . The mixed liquid crystal according to claim 25 , wherein the liquid crystal includes one among a positive liquid crysta

Assignees

• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Kihan
• Ahn Jiyoung
• Lee Moonsun
• Kim Pureum
• Ji Seokwon

Classifications

• G02F2001/133726

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F1/134363

  for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS] · CPC title

• G02F1/1334

  based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals · CPC title

• G02F2001/133742

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F2001/13756

  Physics · mapped topic