Photo-alignable object

Abstract

A photo-alignable object has a thickness of more than 2 μm. The photo-alignable object can be in the form of a free standing film. Also, the photo-alignable object can have a topographical surface structure. The depth of the topographical surface structure can be larger than 100 nm, and preferably the depth of the topographical surface structure is larger than 1 μm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Method for the production of a photo-alignable object comprising a topographical surface structure, the method comprising the steps
 providing a material composition comprising a photo-alignable material   generating an object with a topographical surface structure from the material composition.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object is generated by 3D-printing. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material composition comprises a photo-alignable material and another substance, which does not comprise photo-alignable moieties. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 3 , wherein the percentage by weight of the sum of the photo-alignable materials in the composition is less than 50%. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 3 , wherein the photo-alignable material and the other substance are phase separated. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 3 , wherein the photo-alignable material comprises fluorinated moieties. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the photo-alignable material is any of polymer structures (i), (ii) or (iii) below or a co-polymer (iv) of 6-[4-[(E)-3-oxo-3-(4,4,4-trifluorobutoxy)prop-1-enyl]phenoxy]hexyl 2-methylprop-2-enoate and 6-[4-[(E)-3-methoxy-3-oxo-prop-1-enyl]phenoxy]hexyl 2-methylprop-2-enoate: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the object is larger than 500 nm. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the topographical surface structure comprises structure elements which are lenses, Fresnel lenses, lenticular lenses, lens arrays, microlenses, prisms, gratings or structures with rectangular or triangular cross-sections. 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the topographical surface structure is larger than 100 nm. 
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the photo-alignable object is subsequently exposed to aligning light to form a photo-aligned object. 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 11 , wherein a slave material is applied on at least part of the photo-aligned object. 
     
     
         13 . Photo-alignable object comprising a topographical surface structure, which has been manufactured according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . Photo-alignable object according to  claim 13 , which has a thickness of more than 2 μm. 
     
     
         15 . Photo-alignable object according to  claim 13 , wherein the depth of the topographical surface structure is larger than 100 nm. 
     
     
         16 . Photo-alignable object according to  claim 13 , wherein the topographical surface structure comprises microelements. 
     
     
         17 . Photo-aligned object, manufactured by exposing a photo-alignable object according to  claim 13  to aligning light. 
     
     
         18 . Device containing a slave material, which has been aligned by a photo-aligned object according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         19 . Device according to  claim 18 , wherein the slave material has the function of anisotropic lenses. 
     
     
         20 . Autostereoscopic 3D display comprising a device according to  claim 19 .