TW201425982A - Composite optical structure and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composite optical structure and its manufacturing method. The composite optical structure mainly comprises a substrate and a light-curable adhesive layer. The substrate comprises an optical structural surface, which includes a plurality of optical structures thereon. In addition, the light-curable adhesive layer is laminated on the optical structural surface of the substrate, and at least partially covers the plurality of optical structures. Accordingly, this invention mainly uses a light-curable resin to constitute optical components of different functions or different refractive indexes so that it can simultaneously integrate at least two optical components into an integral composite optical structure. Meanwhile, it can lower the cost of raw materials and reduce the manufacturing processes, volume and thickness.

Description

Composite optical structure and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention relates to a composite optical structure and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly to a bulk optical structure that provides two or more different refractive indices, such as a reflector, a diffuser, a visor, a polarizer, a light guide, and the like.

Prior art optical members, such as reflectors, diffusers, visors, polarizers, light guides, etc., mostly use a single function (refractive index) of a single component, and then assembled.

Taking a backlight module as an example, please refer to FIG. 1 together. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional backlight module. A side-lit backlight module 9 is shown, which mainly includes a light guide plate 91, a diffuser plate 92, a reflector plate 93, and a light source 90, and a lower surface of the light guide plate 91 is formed with a plurality of micro-reflective structures. 910. The reflector 93 is located below the light guide plate 91, the diffusion plate 92 is located above the light guide plate 91, and the light source 90 receives light from the side of the light guide plate 91.

Accordingly, as shown in the figure, in the conventional backlight module, all the optical members such as the light guide plate 91, the diffusion plate 92, and the reflection plate 93 have their respective functions and are individual components, and only These components are stacked and assembled through an assembly process.

However, it is well known that when such a backlight module is to be produced, each optical member needs to be separately purchased, the raw material cost is relatively high, and assembly is required, and the process is complicated. Therefore, how to achieve a composite optical structure and a manufacturing method thereof that can effectively reduce the cost of raw materials and reduce the assembly process, and more importantly, can integrate a plurality of optical components into one body has become an urgent need in the industry.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a composite optical structure and a manufacturing method thereof, which mainly use a photo-curable resin to form optical members having different functions or different refractive indexes, and can simultaneously integrate at least two kinds of optical members into an integrated composite type. The optical structure can reduce the cost of raw materials and the process, while reducing the volume and thickness.

To achieve the above object, a composite optical structure of the present invention mainly comprises a substrate and a photo-curable adhesive layer. Wherein, the substrate comprises an optical structural surface, and the optical structural surface comprises a plurality of optical structures. In addition, the photo-curable layer is laminated on the optical structural surface of the substrate, and the photo-curable layer is at least partially coated with the plurality of optical structures. Wherein, the photo-curable adhesive layer is formed by curing a gel by light; and the substrate and the photo-curable adhesive layer have different refractive indexes.

Accordingly, the photo-curable layer of the present invention can be used to form a photo-curable layer composition or to add micro-particles according to actual needs, thereby forming an optical member such as a light-reflecting layer, a diffusion layer, a brightness-enhancing layer, a light-shielding layer, or a polarizing layer. Further, the single optical structure has the function of at least two kinds of optical members at the same time, and becomes an integrated composite optical structure.

Preferably, the photo-curable layer of the present invention can completely cover a plurality of optical structures, the photo-solid adhesive layer is doped with a plurality of micro-particles, and the plurality of micro-particles have different refractive indices from the photo-curable layer and the substrate. Accordingly, the photo-curable layer of the present invention can be formed by doping different particles to form a reflective layer. Wherein, if the reflective layer is to be formed, titanium dioxide (TiO ₂ ), mica powder, zirconium oxide powder (ZrO ₂ ), strontium oxide powder (Ta ₂ O ₅ ), zinc oxide powder (ZnO), and hollow glass microspheres may be doped. Wait for the particles. Preferably, the particles of the present invention have a particle size which is less than one tenth of the wavelength of visible light, and generally has a particle size of less than 25 nm to avoid the occurrence of Rayleigh Scattering.

Moreover, the substrate of the present invention may include a light-emitting surface, and the light-emitting surface corresponds to the optical structure surface, and another light-solid adhesive layer may be laminated on the light-emitting surface, and a plurality of light diffusion layers may be formed on the other light-solid adhesive layer. microstructure. Accordingly, the effect of light diffusion can be achieved by the plurality of light-diffusing microstructures on the other photo-curing layer, thereby enabling uniform light emission to replace the conventional diffusion plate. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the purpose of diffusing uniform light can be achieved by changing the composition of the other photo-curable layer or adding particles.

Furthermore, the photo-curable layer of the present invention may not completely cover the plurality of optical structures, and the plurality of optical structures may be exposed from the photo-curable layer to form a brightness-enhancing layer, a light-shielding layer, or a polarizing layer. For example, the light-shielding layer can be used as a light-shielding layer, that is, a light-shielding coloring agent is blended in the light-shielding layer, so that the light-solid adhesive layer is partially shielded from light, and the optical structure is not formed. The part is light and transparent.

In addition, another aspect of the present invention, that is, a method of manufacturing a composite optical structure, mainly includes the following steps. First, a substrate is provided, and the substrate includes an optical structural surface, and the optical structural surface includes a plurality of optical structures. Next, a photo-curable resin is coated on the optical structural surface of the substrate, and the photo-curable resin at least partially coats the plurality of optical structures. Furthermore, a light source is provided to illuminate the photo-curable resin to cure the photo-curable resin to form a photo-curable layer. Accordingly, the present invention provides an extremely simple process for preparing a single optical structure that simultaneously functions as at least two optical members to form an integrated, composite optical structure.

Of course, in the manufacturing method of the composite optical structure provided by the present invention, after the step of irradiating the light source to cure the photocurable resin to form a photo-curable layer, the photo-curable layer can be processed. For example, a portion of the photo-curable layer and a plurality of optical structures of the substrate are processed, and the surface of the photo-solid layer is exposed to expose a plurality of optical structures of the substrate to form a light-shielding layer.

Furthermore, the present invention can also pre-doped the photo-solid resin to be coated with a microparticle, doped with a coloring agent, or change the composition before the step of coating a photo-curable resin on the optical structural surface of the substrate. The photo-solid resin is used to form a photo-solid layer of different refractive index or different optical functions.

Two embodiments are provided below, wherein the first embodiment is a composite optical structure having a light guide plate, a reflective layer, and a diffusion layer, and the second embodiment is a composite optical structure having both a light guide plate and a light shielding layer. . However, the present invention is not limited to the two embodiments, and a member having at least two optical functions (refractive index) formed by using a photo-curable resin and becoming an integrated composite optical structure is within the scope of the present invention. .

Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the substrate 1 is a light guide plate, which includes an upper surface 101 and a lower surface 102. The upper surface 101 is a light-emitting surface, and the upper surface 101 is laminated with a diffusion layer 3, which is a light-solid layer. Adhesive layer 2. That is, the photo-curable adhesive layer 2 is composed of a photosensitive gel which is cured by irradiation, and the gel is a UV curable resin. In this embodiment, the upper surface of the diffusion layer 3 is patterned by the microstructure, so that it has The light diffusing microstructure 31 of the light is uniformly refracted. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the purpose of diffusing uniform light can be achieved by changing the composition of the cured resin or adding fine particles.

Furthermore, the lower surface 102 of the substrate 1 is an optical structural surface 11, and the optical structural surface 11 includes a plurality of optical structures 111, which mainly serve to provide light refraction, that is, the main purpose thereof is to destroy light inside the substrate 1. The total reflection condition of the transmission allows light to exit toward the exit surface. In the present embodiment, the optical structure 111 herein is a circular dot arranged in a matrix. Further, the photo-curable layer 2 is laminated on the optical structural surface 11 of the substrate 1, and the photo-curable layer 2 completely covers the plurality of optical structures 111. The photo-curable adhesive layer 2 is also formed by curing a gel by light, and the substrate 1 and the photo-curable adhesive layer 2 have different refractive indexes.

However, in the present embodiment, in order to constitute the reflective layer 5, the photo-solid adhesive layer 2 is doped with a plurality of fine particles 21, and the fine particles 21 may be titanium dioxide (TiO ₂ ), mica powder, or zirconia powder (ZrO _{2 ).} ), nano powder of cerium oxide powder (Ta ₂ O ₅ ), zinc oxide powder (ZnO), and hollow glass microspheres. However, in order to avoid the Rayleigh Scattering phenomenon, the particle size of the fine particles 21 is preferably one tenth of the wavelength of the visible light, and preferably less than 25 nm. Accordingly, the fine particles 21 and the photo-curable layer 2 can sufficiently reflect the light to the light-emitting surface to form a reflective layer 5.

Referring to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C, FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are cross-sectional views showing a process of the first embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturing process of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the upper surface 101 of the substrate 1 is coated with an ultraviolet curing resin 30 which is permeable to printing coating, roller coating, spray coating, curtain coating, spin coating, or the like. Equivalent process or technique Surgery. Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, a rolling wheel 4 is used to roll the ultraviolet curable resin 30. Wherein, the outer surface of the rolling wheel 4 is imprinted with the corresponding grain 41 of the light-diffusing microstructure, so that when the rolling wheel 4 rolls over, the light-diffusing microstructure 31 is formed correspondingly on the ultraviolet-curable resin 30. Immediately thereafter, the ultraviolet light source 42 is irradiated, and the ultraviolet curable resin 30 is solidified to form a diffusion layer 3.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, the ultraviolet curable resin 30 is applied onto the lower surface 102 of the substrate 1, and the ultraviolet curable resin 30 is preliminarily doped with the fine particles 21. Then, a reflective layer 5 is formed by direct light curing. In the present embodiment, the diffusion layer 3 is formed first, and then the reflective layer 5 is formed. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and vice versa, that is, the reflective layer 5 is formed first, and then the diffusion layer 3 is formed.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention. A second embodiment of the present invention is a composite optical structure having a light guide plate and a light shielding layer. As shown in the figure, the substrate 1 includes an optical structural surface 11 and the optical structural surface 11 includes a plurality of optical structures 111. In the present embodiment, the plurality of optical structures 111 are ladder-shaped strip structures. Further, the photo-curable layer 2 does not completely cover the plurality of optical structures 111, and the plurality of optical structures 111 are exposed from the photo-curable layer 2.

In other words, the grooves 112 between the ladder-like strip structures are filled with a photo-curable resin. However, in this embodiment, the photo-curable adhesive layer 2 is a light-shielding adhesive layer which is doped with a light-blocking coloring agent, so that the light-solid adhesive layer 2 is partially shielded from light and cannot be emitted, and the optical structure portion is light-exposed and transparent. Light. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, light is emitted from the optical structure 111 exposed from the photo-adhesive layer 2, thereby forming a strip-shaped light-shielding mask.

Referring to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D again, FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D are cross-sectional views showing a process of the second embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturing process of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. First, a substrate 1 is provided which includes an optical structural surface 11 and the optical structural surface 11 includes a plurality of optical structures 111. In the present embodiment, the optical structure 111 is a prismatic structure as shown in FIG. 5A. Next, a photo-curable resin 20 is coated on the optical structural surface 11 of the substrate 1, and the photo-curable resin 20 completely coats the plurality of optical structures 111 as shown in FIG. 5B. Here, the photo-curable resin 20 has been previously doped with a light-blocking coloring agent and is incapable of transmitting light. Furthermore, a light source L is provided on the photo-curable resin 20 to cure the photo-curable resin 20 to form a photo-curable layer 2, as shown in FIG. 5C. Finally, a portion of the photo-curable layer 21 and the plurality of optical structures 111 of the substrate 1 are planarly removed in the thickness direction, and the removed surface 22 exposes the plurality of optical structures 111 of the substrate 1, that is, the optical structure 111 forms a ladder. Strip structure.

The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples for convenience of description, and the scope of the claims is intended to be limited to the above embodiments.

1‧‧‧Substrate

101‧‧‧ upper surface

102‧‧‧lower surface

11‧‧‧Optical structural surface

111‧‧‧Optical structure

112‧‧‧ trench

2‧‧‧Light solid adhesive layer

20‧‧‧Photosetting resin

21‧‧‧Microparticles

22‧‧‧ Surface

3‧‧‧Diffusion layer

30‧‧‧UV curing resin

31‧‧‧Light diffusion microstructure

4‧‧‧Rolling wheel

41‧‧‧ lines

42‧‧‧UV light source

5‧‧‧reflective layer

9‧‧‧Side-in backlight module

90‧‧‧Light source

91‧‧‧Light guide plate

92‧‧‧Diffuser

93‧‧‧reflector

L‧‧‧Light source

1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional backlight module.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing a process of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

5A to 5D are cross-sectional views showing a process of a second embodiment of the present invention.

1‧‧‧Substrate

101‧‧‧ upper surface

102‧‧‧lower surface

111‧‧‧Optical structure

2‧‧‧Light solid adhesive layer

21‧‧‧Microparticles

3‧‧‧Diffusion layer

31‧‧‧Light diffusion microstructure

5‧‧‧reflective layer

Claims (10)

A composite optical structure comprising: a substrate comprising an optical structural surface, the optical structural surface comprising a plurality of optical structures; and a photo-curable layer laminated on the optical structural surface of the substrate, and The photo-curable adhesive layer at least partially coats the plurality of optical structures; wherein the photo-curable adhesive layer is cured by irradiation of a gel; the substrate has a different refractive index from the photo-curable adhesive layer. The composite optical structure according to claim 1, wherein the photo-adhesive layer completely covers the plurality of optical structures, the photo-solid adhesive layer is doped with a plurality of micro-particles, and the plurality of micro-particles and the light-solid The glue layers have different refractive indices. The composite optical structure of claim 2, wherein the plurality of microparticles are selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, mica powder, zirconia powder, cerium oxide powder, zinc oxide powder, and Hollow glass beads. The composite optical structure of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a light-emitting surface corresponding to the optical structure surface, and another light-solid adhesive layer is laminated on the light-emitting surface, A plurality of light-diffusing microstructures are formed on the other photo-curable layer. The composite optical structure of claim 1, wherein the photo-curable layer does not completely cover the plurality of optical structures, and the plurality of optical structures are exposed from the photo-solid layer. The composite optical structure of claim 5, wherein the photo-curable layer is a light-shielding layer mixed with a light-blocking colorant. A method of fabricating a composite optical structure, comprising the steps of: (A) providing a substrate comprising an optical structural surface, the optical structural surface comprising a plurality of optical structures; and (B) coating a photo-curable resin on the substrate The photo-curable resin at least partially covers the plurality of optical structures; and (C) providing a light source to illuminate the photo-curable resin to cure the photo-curable resin to form a photo-curable layer. The method for manufacturing a composite optical structure according to claim 7, wherein in the step (B), the photo-curable resin completely coats the plurality of optical structures, and the photo-curable resin is pre-doped with a plurality of micro-particles. The plurality of fine particles have a different refractive index from the photo-curing layer. The method for manufacturing a composite optical structure according to claim 7, wherein the photocurable resin is pre-doped with a light-blocking coloring agent to make it impossible to transmit light. The method for manufacturing a composite optical structure according to claim 9 , further comprising a step after the step (C): (D) removing a portion of the photo-curable layer, and the plurality of optical structures of the substrate Wherein the surface of the photo-solidified layer is exposed to expose the plurality of optical structures of the substrate.