A new polarizing metal thin film (MTF) material is proposed for use as a high efficiency polarizer in Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCDs). The MTF polarizers will replace the pair of plastic polarizers currently used. Back-light must pass through a AMLCD package consisting of a pair of polarizers, two glass cell walls, thin film transistor, liquid crystal, diffuser and color filters. The total transmission of back-light is 2% to 5%, and a high efficiency polarizer pair will improve the light through-put and AMLCD brightness. The MTF polarizing material is a new and novel non-organic sheet polarizer which utilizes polarizing metal thin film technology recently developed by Polatomic, Inc., for NASA. A contrast (k1/k2) in excess of 1,400 at 600 nm was demonstrated for a single layer film. The Phase I technical effort will include a review of current AMLCD polarizers to define the metal film structure which meets this specification. In Phase I we will identify a design concept for the high efficiency MTF polarizer and prepare a Phase II Process Development Plan describing the fabrication methods for building a high performance AMLCD polarizer which will be demonstrated in Phase II.
