Laminate structure with embedded cavities and related method of manufacture

Abstract

An integrated laminate structure adapted for application in the context of solar technology, wafer technology, cooling channels, greenhouse illumination, window illumination, street lighting, traffic lighting, traffic reflectors or security films, includes a first carrier element such as a piece of plastic or glass, optionally having optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough, a second carrier element provided with at least one surface relief pattern including a number of surface relief forms and having at least one predetermined optical function relative to incident light, the second carrier element optionally including optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough, the first and second carrier elements being laminated together such that the at least one surface relief pattern has been embedded within the established laminate structure and a number of related cavities have been formed at the interface of the first and second carrier elements. An applicable method of manufacture is presented.

1 . An integrated laminate structure adapted for application in the context of solar technology, wafer technology, cooling channels, greenhouse illumination, window illumination, street lighting, traffic lighting, traffic reflectors or security films, comprising
 a first carrier element, such as a piece of plastic or glass, optionally comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,   a second carrier element provided with at least one surface relief pattern comprising a number of surface relief forms and having at least one predetermined optical function relative to incident light, said second carrier element optionally comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,   the first and second carrier elements being laminated together such that the at least one surface relief pattern has been embedded within the established laminate structure and a number of related, optically functional cavities have been formed at the interface of said first and second carrier elements.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a cavity formed within the laminate comprises fluid or solid different from the material of the second and optionally first carrier element, preferably with different refractive index relative to either or both the carrier elements. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a cavity formed comprises substantially air or other gaseous medium, preferably with a refractive index different from the one of surrounding material such as the material of said second and/or first carrier elements. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a cavity formed comprises liquid or gel, preferably with a refractive index different from the one of surrounding material. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein said second carrier element is a substantially a film, preferably substantially thinner than said first carrier element, optionally being a bendable film. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a functional, optionally optically functional, film. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising an indicative element, such as a film or layer, provided with a visually indicative surface such as a visually indicative sign, a poster or plate surface to exhibit a visual message, wherein the visually indicative surface optionally comprises a picture printed thereon and/or a number of printed symbols, letters, and/or numbers. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a number of optionally embedded surface relief forms are configured to establish a visual message when cooperating with incident light, wherein the message may exhibit a picture and/or a number of symbols, numbers and/or letters. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , configured to exhibit informative and/or commercial visual message. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of: an embedded surface relief pattern or form configured to collimate incident light, an embedded surface relief pattern or form configured for internal light trapping by back-coupling and/or redirecting light substantially back to the direction it arrived at the pattern or form from, and an embedded surface relief pattern or form configured for internal light coupling and/or redirecting optionally without reflective function. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising at least partially embedded multilayer pattern of surface relief forms with a common function or at least jointly designed multiple functions, wherein the multilayer pattern may be established by one or more elements laminated together in the laminate structure. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the preferably optical function of the embedded surface relief pattern includes at least one function selected from the group of: light directing function, light trapping function, reflective function, transmissive function, transreflective function, coupling function, incoupling function, outcoupling function, polarizing function, diffractive function, refractive function, anti-glare function, anti-clear function, anti-reflection function, collimating function, pre-collimation function, lens function, converging function, diverging function, wavelength modifying function, scattering function, coloring function, medium distribution function, and diffusing function. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second or a further carrier element comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: plastic, elastomer, polymer, glass, semiconductor, silicon, adhesive, resin, and ceramic material. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising a functional coating and/or surface structure such as a surface relief pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 14 , wherein the coating and/or surface structure has at least one function selected from the group consisting of: antireflection function, hydrophobic function, hydrophilic function, and self-cleaning function. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising a number of forms in the embedded surface relief pattern of sub-micron size. 
     
     
         17 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the surface relief pattern comprises at least one form selected from the group consisting of: a groove, a protrusion, a ridge, a recess, a binary form, a slanted form, a rectangular form, a quadratic form, a triangular form, a grating pixel form, a trapezoidal form, an isosceles trapezoidal form, and a lens form. 
     
     
         18 . An indicative structure for visually indicating data, such an advertisement or informative data, comprising the integrated laminate structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . The indicative structure of  claim 18 , comprising an indicative element configured to visually exhibit a message cooperatively with light, wherein the indicative element optionally comprises a printed picture and/or a number of printed symbols, letters, and/or numbers, and/or comprises a number of preferably embedded surface relief forms configured to establish a visual message when cooperating with light incident thereon, wherein the message may indicate a picture and/or a number of symbols, numbers and/or letters. 
     
     
         20 . The indicative structure of  claim 19 , comprising, as embedded therein, a surface relief pattern positioned substantially closer to the indicative element than the opposite surface of the structure to enhance the contrast of the visually indicated data. 
     
     
         21 . A light coupling or transmission element, such as incoupling or outcoupling element, comprising the integrated laminate structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         22 . A light collimation, diffusion or diverging element, comprising the integrated laminate structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . A window structure, such as an illumination window or an advertising window, comprising the integrated laminate structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         24 . A green house illumination element comprising the integrated laminate structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         25 . An element comprising the integrated laminate structure of  claim 1  and having at least one function selected from the group consisting of: light directing function, light trapping function, reflective function, transmissive function, transreflective function, coupling function, incoupling function, outcoupling function, polarizing function, diffractive function, refractive function, anti-glare function, anti-clear function, anti-reflection function, collimating function, pre-collimation function, lens function, converging function, diverging function, wavelength modifying function, scattering function, coloring function, medium distribution function, and diffusing function. 
     
     
         26 . An integrated laminate structure adapted for application in the context of solar technology, wafer technology, cooling channels, greenhouse illumination, window illumination, street lighting, traffic lighting, traffic reflectors or security films, said integrated laminate structure comprising at least two elements laminated together such that at least one surface relief pattern of either element has been embedded within the laminate structure. 
     
     
         27 . A method for constructing an integrated structure for optical applications in the context of solar technology, wafer technology, cooling channels, greenhouse illumination, window illumination, street lighting, traffic lighting, traffic reflectors or security films, comprising
 obtaining a first carrier element, such as a piece of plastic or glass, preferably   comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,   obtaining a second carrier element provided with at least one surface relief pattern comprising a number of surface relief forms and having at least one predetermined optical function relative to incident light, said second carrier element preferably comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,   laminating, optionally in a roll-to-roll fashion, the first and second carrier elements together such that the at least one surface relief pattern is embedded within the established laminate structure and a number of cavities are formed at the interface of said first and second carrier elements.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein during manufacturing a master for surface relief production a pre-master with a pattern of surface relief forms is established and the pattern is modulated to generate the master by inclusion of preferably removable material, such as ink, in the pattern to fill a number of forms thereof and to therefore prevent their introduction in the master. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein a surface relief form is produced using at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: embossing, imprinting, lithography, molding, micro-molding, and casting. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein adhesive and/or curing is applied during the lamination and/or forming of the surface relief pattern. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second carrier element comprises or is provided with curable material such as curable lacquer that is adapted to host the surface relief pattern.