Abstract A light transmissive device which will rotate the plane of polarized light and will also depolarize plane polarized light passed through the device, said device comprising a pair of directionally oriented supporting surfaces, such as unidirectionally rubbed glass or plastic plates, rotatable relative to each other and separated by a thin film of a nonoptically active nematic liquid crystal material, the device acting to rotate the plane of the polarized light when the directionally oriented surface first contacted by the entering light is either parallel or perpendicular to the plane of polarization of the entering light and the remaining directionally oriented surface is rotated so as to bring its oriented surface to the desired plane of polarization for the exiting light, the device also acting to convert plane polarized light to nonpolarized light when the oriented surface first contacted by the entering light lies at an angle of 45* with respect to the plane of polarization of the entering light and the directionally oriented surfaces are parallel to each other.
The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said film of liquid crystal material has a thickness of from 0.0005 to 0.015 inch.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device claimed in claim 2 including a polarizing filter mounted to the outside of one of said supporting plates.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device claimed in claim 3 wherein at least one of said supporting plates is rotatable relative to said polarizing filter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device claimed in claim 1 including means for spacing apart the said supporting plates by a distance equal to the desired thickness of said film of nematic liquid crystal material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device claimed in claim 5 wherein said last-named means comprises a gasket or mask interposed between the marginal edges of said supporting plates, the said liquid crystal material lying within the confines of said gasket or mask.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device claimed in claim 5 wherein said last-named means comprises essentially uniform particles of an inert material dispersed in said liquid crystal material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
165 words
A light transmissive device which will rotate the plan of polarized light and will also depolarize plane polarized light, said device comprising a pair of unidirectionally oriented essentially planar surfaces rotatable relative to each other, said surfaces being separated by a thin film of a nonoptically active nematic liquid crystal material in contact with the said surfaces, the device serving to rotate the plane of the polarized light when the unidirectionally oriented surface first contacted by light entering the device is either parallel or perpendicular to the plane of polarization of the entering light and the remaining unidirectionally oriented surface is rotated so as to bring its oriented surface to the desired plane of polarization for the exiting light, the device serving to convert plane polarized light to nonpolarized light when the unidirectionally oriented surface first contacted by the entering light lies at an angle of 45* with respect to the plane of polarization of the entering light and both unidirectionally oriented surfaces are parallel.