Optical retarder

Abstract

A display including a first-order optical retarder and a method for assembling the same is disclosed. A display includes a first display screen operable to display a first image using a first plurality of pixels. A second display screen is operable to display a second image using a second plurality of pixels, wherein the first and second display screens overlap. The display also includes a first-order optical retarder disposed between the first and second display screens.

1 . A display comprising:
 a first display screen operable to display a first image using a first plurality of pixels;   a second display screen operable to display a second image using a second plurality of pixels, wherein said first and second display screens overlap; and   a first-order optical retarder disposed between said first and second display screens.   
   
   
       2 . The display of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an optical component disposed between said first and second display screens.   
   
   
       3 . The display of  claim 2 , wherein said optical component is operable to perform at least one light processing operation other than retardation of light. 
   
   
       4 . The display of  claim 2 , wherein said first-order optical retarder and said optical component are integrated into a common component. 
   
   
       5 . The display of  claim 2 , wherein said optical component is physically separate from said first-order optical retarder. 
   
   
       6 . The display of  claim 2 , wherein said optical component is adhered, by adhesive, to a display screen selected from a group consisting of said first display screen and said second display screen. 
   
   
       7 . The display of  claim 6 , wherein said adhesive comprises a predetermined thickness. 
   
   
       8 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said optical component comprises a diffuser, wherein said diffuser comprises a surface with at least one diffusive effect, and wherein said diffusive effect is selected from a group consisting of a chemical etching, an embossing, an impressing, and a calendered surface structure. 
   
   
       9 . The display of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a light source operable to illuminate said first and second display screens.   
   
   
       10 . The display of  claim 9 , wherein said light source comprises a backlight operable to illuminate said first and second images. 
   
   
       11 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a linear displacement of a type selected from a group consisting of a linear displacement equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a linear displacement of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display. 
   
   
       12 . The display of  claim 11 , wherein said wavelength of light is approximately 560 nanometers. 
   
   
       13 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a phase angle retardation selected from a group consisting of a phase angle retardation equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a phase angle retardation of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display. 
   
   
       14 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises a clear flexible film. 
   
   
       15 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises biaxial polypropylene. 
   
   
       16 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of said first-order optical retarder comprises at least one diffusive effect, said diffusive effect is selected from a group consisting of a chemical etching, an embossing, an impressing, and a calendered surface structure. 
   
   
       17 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second display screens each comprise a liquid crystal display. 
   
   
       18 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein said first display screen further comprises a first polarizer, and wherein said first-order optical retarder is further disposed between said first polarizer and said second display screen. 
   
   
       19 . The display of  claim 18 , wherein said second display screen further comprises a second polarizer, and wherein said first-order optical retarder is further disposed between said first polarizer and said second polarizer. 
   
   
       20 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each of said first plurality of pixels comprises a respective red color filter, a respective green color filter and a respective blue color filter. 
   
   
       21 . A method of assembling a display, said method comprising:
 positioning a first display screen and a second display screen in an overlapping arrangement, wherein said first display screen is operable to display a first image using a first plurality of pixels; and   disposing a first-order optical retarder between said first and second display screens.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 disposing an optical component between said first and second display screens.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said optical component is operable to perform at least one light processing operation other than retardation of light. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said first-order optical retarder and said optical component are integrated into a common component. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said optical component is physically separate from said first-order optical retarder. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 adhering said optical component, using adhesive, to a display screen selected from a group consisting of said first display screen and said second display screen.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said adhesive comprises a predetermined thickness. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said optical component comprises a diffuser, wherein said diffuser comprises a surface with at least one diffusive effect, and wherein said diffusive effect is selected from a group consisting of a chemical etching, an embossing, an impressing, and a calendered surface structure. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 disposing a light source behind a display screen selected from said first and second display screens.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said light source comprises a backlight operable to illuminate said first and second images. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a linear displacement of a type selected from a group consisting of a linear displacement equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a linear displacement of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said wavelength of light is approximately 560 nanometers. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a phase angle retardation selected from a group consisting of a phase angle retardation equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a phase angle retardation of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises a clear flexible film. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises biaxial polypropylene. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 creating at least one diffusive effect on a surface of said first-order optical retarder using an operation selected from a group consisting of chemical etching, embossing, impressing, and calendaring; and   wherein said at least one diffusive effect is operable to diffuse light passing through said first-order optical retarder.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first and second display screens each comprise a liquid crystal display. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first display screen further comprises a first polarizer, and further comprising:
 disposing said first-order optical retarder between said first polarizer and said second display screen.   
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said second display screen further comprises a second polarizer, and further comprising:
 disposing said first-order optical retarder between said first polarizer and said second polarizer.   
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of said first plurality of pixels comprises a respective red color filter, a respective green color filter and a respective blue color filter.