Light Guide Panel Research Articles

A strategy to maximize astaxanthin production from Haematococcus pluvialis in a cost-effective process by utilizing a PBR-LGP-PBR array (PLPA) hybrid system using light guide panel (LGP) and solar cells

This study evaluated economic feasibility through production efficiency, return on investment (ROI) and payout time of a hybrid system using a photobioreactor (PBR)-light guide panel (LGP)-PBR array (PLPA) and solar cells developed for astaxanthin and ω-3 FA simultaneous production of Haematococcus pluvialis. The economic feasibility of the PLPA hybrid system (8 PBRs) and the PBR-PBR-PBR array (PPPA) system (8 PBRs) was evaluated for producing high-value products while effectively reducing CO2. Introducing a PLPA hybrid system has increased the amount of culture per area by 1.6 times. Also, the shading effect was effectively suppressed with an LGP placed between each PBR, increasing biomass and astaxanthin productivity by 3.39-fold and 4.79-fold, respectively compared to the untreated H. pluvialis cultures. In addition, ROI increased by 6.55 and 4.71 times, and the payout time was reduced by 1.34 and 1.37 times, respectively in 10 and 100-ton scale processes.

(Invited) Recent Advances in Research and Development of Quantum Dots in Lighting and Displays

Quantum dots (QDs) are considered a key material in next-generation lighting and displays. They have various application forms such as polymer/QDs thin film, QD light emitting diodes (QD-LEDs), QD color filter photo resist (QD CFPR), light guide panel (LGP), and electroluminescence (EL) devices. Currently, QDs are being widely introduced to enhance the energy efficiency and color quality of the lighting and display in the industries, where QDs are used a wavelength-convertor to increase the color rendering of light sources or the color gamut of displays. However, the material properties and engineering processes are encountering various technical challenges and issues in the industries. For example, quantum yield (QY), emission band width, thermal stability, photo stability, process compatibility, long term reliability, color fluctuation, batch consistency, and so on, still need to be researched and further improved. This report will be focused on the recent advances in research and development of QD materials applications and challenges in lighting and displays. Keywords: Quantum dots, QD-LED, QD Film, QD PR

Study on the Design and Optical Characteristics of LED Emergency Exit Lighting with Flameproof Enclosure

In the hazardous areas, it is essential to use of electrical equipment of explosion-proof. In this paper, the prototype of LED explosion-proof emergency exit lighting with flameproof enclosure using light guide panel (LGP) was designed and fabricated, and then lighting characteristics of the prototype were compared to those of the commercial products. The weight and interal volume of the designed prototype in this study were reduced 46% and 54%, respectively compared to commercial products. The measured average luminance of the prototype of LED explosion-proof emergency exit lighting was 400.5㏅/㎡. Using of LGP, the uniformity of light of the prototype was enhanced compared to that of the commercialized products and hence the visibility of pictogram was improved. The prototype was endured until 5.2 atmosphere under the hydraulic testing for flameproof enclosure.

Optical characteristics of LGP depending on the scattering pattern orientation for flat-type LED lighting

In flat-type light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting systems, a planar light is formed using a luminance source positioned on the side of the system and light guide panel (LGP) or reflecting plates. Thus, such systems are favorable for their thinness, which allows a relatively small number of LEDs to be used. However, the application of a high-power LED light to a large-area lighting system yields Lambertian luminaires; therefore, a point or a discomfort glare is produced, which generally causes degradation of the luminance efficiency and uniformity. In this study, we solved the problems of luminance non-uniformity and inefficiency by adjusting the orientation of an applied LGP scattered pattern and removing the remaining glare. Through computer simulation, optical characteristics that increase the efficiency even in the case of low-output LEDs were found. Specifically, a scattered pattern vertically oriented relative to the direction of the incident light improves the luminance uniformity at the side of the system, while a scattered pattern oriented parallel to the direction of the incident light plays the role of a waveguide. We implemented a flat-type LED lighting system by fabricating a large-area LGP based on the computer-simulation results and using an extremely sensitive laser. The optical characteristics observed using the laser-processed LGP were identical to those obtained in the computer simulation. Therefore, for large-area flat-type LED lighting systems, we confirmed that adjusting the orientation of the LGP scattered pattern can increase the luminance efficiency and uniformity.

Optimization of the Reflector and the Light Guide Panel for Improving the Uniformity of Large-area Flat-type LED Lighting

Optimization of the Reflector and the Light Guide Panel for Improving the Uniformity of Large-area Flat-type LED Lighting

도광판의 고속 진동절삭 특성에 관한 연구

폴리메틸메타클릴레이트(PMMA)는 광 관련 부품제조에 있어 중요한 재료로 많이 사용되고 있다. 특히 TV, 모니터, 휴대폰 등에 쓰이고 있는 디스플레이의 도광판(Light Guide Panel)에 적용되고 있어 현재까지는 매우 큰 상업적인 수요가 있다. PMMA 도광판의 가공은 일반적으로 고속밀링에 의해 이루어지는데 부품에 대한 높은 정밀도 요구특성에도 불구하고 가공표면의 굴곡, 균열 등에 대한 불량이 적지 않게 발생하고 있다. 이러한 문제점을 해결하기 위하여 PMMA 진동을 부가하는 고속선삭의 적용이 시도되었으며 절삭공구에 진동을 부가하기 위한 장치와 최적 조건이 조사되었다. 도광판용 PMMA의 진동절삭은 일반적인 밀링가공법에 비해 절삭력의 현저한 감소, 열변형영역의 축소 등을 유도하였다. 가공면에 있어서는 가공방법이 엔드 밀링에서 단인공구를 사용하는 선삭으로 변경되었음에도 불구하고 진동절삭법에 의해 가공표면의 균일성이 크게 향상되어 가공면의 표준편차 <TEX>$1.0{\sim}6.0{\mu}m$</TEX>, 평균거칠기 <TEX>$0.3{\mu}m$</TEX>가 달성되었다. PMMA (Polymethyle-methacrylate) optical components have recently been increasingly used as one of the important part of the high precision equipments. This research presents comparatively the surface preparation of light incident plane, LIP (Light Incident Plane) of LGP (Light Guide Panel) by end milling, high speed shaping, and vibration assisted high speed shaping. From several experiments, the results show that the surface quality was improved in high speed shaping and the vibration assisted HSS show not only decreasing waviness and breakage also raising the straightness property. For applying high speed shaping and vibration assisted HSS, an additional tool post was developed and experimentally used.

Effect of Wavelength-dependent Scattering on the Color Chromaticity of the LCD Backlight

The effect of the wavelength-dependent scattering on the change of the color chromaticity in the lightguide panel of a liquid crystal display is examined. The white light emitted from the white LEDs located at the edge of the lightguide propagates in the lightguide and is scattered by the patterned dots that are placed on the bottom of the lightguide. The scattered lights that are far from the LEDs showed reddish color compared to the bluish color that is scattered from the near area from the LEDs. The color difference was between 0.01 to 0.06 depending on the resin and the thickness of the lightguide.

Micro Reverse-pyramid Array를 이용한 일체형 Sheetless LCD Backlight의 광학적 특성

LCD backlight unit (BLU)에서 도광판 상부에 micro reverse-pyramid array (MRPA) 또는 micro reverse-cone array (MRCA)을 설치함으로써 기존의 확산 시트와 프리즘 시트를 없애고 구조를 단순화하였으며, 광학적 시뮬레이션을 통하여 새로운 도광판의 최적 조건을 얻었다. MRPA와 MRCA의 측면각과 높이, 윗변의 반지름이나 윗변의 길이에 따라 휘도와 시야각의 변화를 구하였다. MRPA와 MRCA 구조물의 최적의 형상은 측면각이 각각 59도와 57도이었으며, 시야각은 68도와 64도이었다. 구조물의 높이는 큰 영향을 주지 않았다. The structure of an LCD backlight unit (BLU) was simplified by installing a micro reverse-pyramid array (MRPA) or a micro reverse-cone array (MRCA) on the top surface of the light guide panel (LGP) in order to eliminate the conventional diffuser sheet and the prism sheet. The optimum conditions of the MRPA and the MRCA in the new light guide panel were obtained through optical simulation. The change of the luminance and view angle that depend on the side angle, the height, and the length at the top of the MRPA and MRCA were studied. The optimized side angle and the view angle of the MRPA and MRCA were 59 and 57 degrees for the side angles and 68 and 64 degrees for the view angles, respectively.

Improvement of luminance and uniformity of light guide panel using scatterer pattern by laser processing

Light guiding panel (LGP) is major device in back light unit (BLU) of liquid crystal display (LCD) and determines the optical property of the LCD in terms of average luminance and uniformity. Previously proposed scatterer patterns had problem of non-uniform luminance such as high concentration of luminance near an entrance of a light source. In this paper, V-groove based scatterer patterns were proposed to improve the performance of the LGP. With changing interval between V-grooves and depth of V-groove itself, various patterns were prepared. The feasibility of the designed model was checked with simulation, which calculates luminance value over the LGP surface based on ray tracing technique, and the obtained results were analyzed to determine optimized fabrication conditions in experimental implementation. In modeling of the scatterer patterns, two different kinds of the patterns were considered: one is the pattern composed with regular V-groove interdistance at the same depth along the LGP length, and the other has regular arrangement along the length but different depth. From the results of simulation, experimental inscription with CO2 laser was done. The implemented pattern consisting of V-grooves with linearly increasing depth of the slope of 3.2° has proved good possibility. The proposed LGP pattern is expected to be a good alternative to expensive and time consuming fabrication process, which could be a good solution for highly efficient LGP for LCD in the near future.

레이저 가공 산란패턴의 유형에 따른 도광판의 휘도 및 균일도 향상에 관한 전산모사

레이저로 가공된 평면산란패턴을 가지는 도광판은 도광판 상부로 방출되는 광이 광원과 가까운 부분에 편중되는 문제로 인해서 전체적인 휘도 분포가 균일하지 않은 문제점을 가지고 있었다. 이를 해결하기 위해 도광판 후면에 레이저를 이용하여 도광판 내부에서 특징적인 기울기를 가지는 산란패턴을 만듬으로써 도광판 상부로 방출되는 광의 균일도를 향상시키고자 하였다. 본 논문에서는 도광판 후면의 산란패턴을 간격과 가공 깊이를 다르게 조절하여 설계하고 이에 따른 도광판의 성능의 차이점을 가공전에 분석하고자 전산모사를 수행하였다. 본 논문에서 제안한 산란패턴을 가지는 도광판은 기존의 도광판의 휘도와 균일도에 비해 높은 향상을 가질 것으로 예상되는 바이다. Laser-induced scatterer patterns in a light guide panel(LGP) have provided partially concentrated light distribution, especially near the light entrance of the LGP. Additional treatments for enhancing performance of the LGP, such as gradually increased processing depth, were also developed, but minor improvement was observed in the fabricated LGP. To solve this problem, we designed a revised scatterer pattern to be inscribed into the LGP using different laser processing depths and different separation distances between patterns. Performance feasibility of the proposed pattern was analyzed with simulation before laser inscription in the LGP. The LGP inscribed with the proposed scatterer patterns contributes improvements in luminance and uniformity of the LGP.

Laser marking system for light guide panel using design of experiment and web-based prototyping

A light guide panel (LGP) is an element of the liquid crystal display (LCD) back light unit (BLU), which is used for display devices. In this study, the laser marking process is applied to the fabrication of light guide panels as the new fabrication process. In order to obtain a light guide panel which has high luminance and uniformity, four principal parameters such as power, scanning speed, ratio of line gap, and number of line were selected. A web-based design tool was developed to generate patterns of light guide panel via the network, and the tool may assist the designer to develop various prototype patterns. Topcon-BM7 was used for luminance measurement of each specimen with 100 mm×100 mm area. By Taguchi method, optimized levels of each parameter were found, and luminance of 3523 cd/cm 2 and uniformity of 92% were achieved using the laser machined BLU.

Design optimization for optical patterns in a light-guide panel to improve illuminance and uniformity of the liquid-crystal display

Design of an optical pattern in a light-guide panel (LGP) has relied on empirical methods. However, the characteristics of developing liquid-crystal display (LCD) products such as frequent design modifications, various design conditions, and a short development period make it difficult for the empirical design approach to cope with various design requirements for size, shape, and optical performance of the LCD products. The most important tasks for the design of LGPs are improving average illuminance and the uniformity of the backlight unit. To meet these requirements, a design for an incoupling and an outcoupling part of the LGP is presented. These two parts can be designed in two separate phases: the first for the incoupling part and the second for the outcoupling part. The shape of serration in the incoupling part was first determined by design of experiments, and the dot patterns in the outcoupling part were subsequently determined by a density-based approach with progressive quadratic response surface modeling. Using this design approach, the illuminance was increased from 2241 lx in the initial design to 2299 lx in the optimal design, and its uniformity also increased from 38% to 82%.

전열가열방식을 이용한 휴대전화용 복합기능 도광판 제작 및 전사성 평가

본 논문에서는 전열(마이크로 히터, 센서)을 이용해 금형의 표면을 가열하는 E-MOLD 특허기술을 적용하여 휴대전화용 복합기능 도광판(Prismless LGP)을 제작하고, 전사성을 평가하였다. 이를 위하여 MEMS 공정을 이용하여 복합기능 도광판용 니켈 스탬퍼를 제작하였고, E-MOLD 기술의 핵심인 이동가열코어(movable heated core)가 설치된 금형을 설계, 제작하였다 이를 이용하여 성형조건 중 금형온도를 변화시키면서 복합기능 도광판을 사출성형으로 제조 하였고, 금형온도가 성형품의 전사성에 미치는 영향에 대하여 알아보았다. 또한, 전산모사 프로그램(CAE)을 이용하여 금형온도와 사출시간에 따른 수지의 유동성을 해석하였다. 금형온도에 따른 도광판의 전사성은 <TEX>$100^{\circ}C$</TEX>(25.0nm), <TEX>$140^{\circ}C$</TEX>(48.4nm), <TEX>$180^{\circ}C$</TEX>(52.1nm)로 나타났고, 스탬퍼(52.1nm)와 비교했을 때 <TEX>$180^{\circ}C$</TEX>에서 전사성이 가장 우수했다. 전산모사 해석결과에 따르면, 수지의 유동성은 금형온도(<TEX>$50{\sim}180^{\circ}C$</TEX>)가 증가할수록 향상되었다. 사출시(<TEX>$1{\sim}2sec$</TEX>)이 길수록 유동성이 감소하는 경향을 <TEX>$160^{\circ}C$</TEX>에서 확인하였다. 따라서 수지의 전사성과 유동성은 금형온도에 따라 증가하고, 특히 유리전이 온도(<TEX>$140^{\circ}C$</TEX>) 이상에서 크게 상승하였다. In this paper, we adopted E-MOLD patent technology in order to fabricate Prismless LGP(Light Guide Panel) fur cellular phone and estimate the transcription of injection-molded parts. Then, we manufactured the Ni stamper fur Prismless LGP using MEMS process. And the stamper was installed in the movable heated core which is the key part of a patented mold. Using this mold, we manufactured injection-molded plastic LGP parts with different mold temperatures so that we investigate effect of the temperature on the transcription of the parts. The CAE analysis was also conducted in order to compare with the experimental results. The transcription of LGP parts with various mold temperature displayed <TEX>$100^{\circ}C$</TEX>(25.0nm), <TEX>$140^{\circ}C$</TEX>(48.4nm), <TEX>$180^{\circ}C$</TEX>(52.1nm) and when compared with stamper(521Inm), transcription was superior at <TEX>$180^{\circ}C$</TEX>. According to the CAE results, moldability was improved as mold temperature (<TEX>$50^{\circ}C{\sim}180^{\circ}C$</TEX>) increased, but when filling time(<TEX>$1{\sim}2sec$</TEX>) increases, it decreased at <TEX>$160^{\circ}C$</TEX>. And transcription and moldability were improved markedly at glass transition temperature(<TEX>$140^{\circ}C$</TEX>).

Micro Dot Patterning on the Light Guide Panel Using Powder Blasting.

This study is to develop a micromachining technology for a light guidepanel(LGP) mold, whereby micro dot patterns are formed on a LGP surface by a singleinjection process instead of existing screen printing processes. The micro powder blastingtechnique is applied to form micro dot patterns on the LGP mold surface. The optimalconditions for masking, laminating, exposure, and developing processes to form the microdot patterns are first experimentally investigated. A LGP mold with masked micro patternsis then machined using the micro powder blasting method and the machinability of themicro dot patterns is verified. A prototype LGP is test- injected using the developed LGPmold and a shape analysis of the patterns and performance testing of the injected LGP arecarried out. As an additional approach, matte finishing, a special surface treatment method,is applied to the mold surface to improve the light diffusion characteristics, uniformity andbrightness of the LGP. The results of this study show that the applied powder blastingmethod can be successfully used to manufacture LGPs with micro patterns by just singleinjection using the developed mold and thereby replace existing screen printing methods.

Analysis of the laser patterning inside light guide panel

The objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of the internal patterning in the light guide panel (LGP) by applying laser engraving. LGP fabricated by the internal patterning is proposed as it offers better efficiency than is provided by bottom surface patterning. The patterns fabricated by laser engraving system could improve efficiency by approximately 40%, requiring less energy consumption in average brightness and uniformity than required by bottom surface patterned devices. Internal scatters were fabricated by Q-switched 2nd harmonic Nd:YAG laser engraving system. The performance of the fabricated LGPs was measured and its results analyzed. Modification of the shape of the LGP patterns from the simple geometry has been investigated to control the uniformity. The proposed internal scatter embedded LGP with laser engraving could provide an alternative method to conventional bottom surface scatters type with optimized patterns and geometry.

V-그루브 미세가공에서의 공구 및 공작물 셋업 해석

As the requirement of LCD products which are large screen and have high brightness increases, the role of light guide panel (LGP) of which micro-features diffuse the light uniformly on surface is getting important. In general, there are many errors in machining like machine tool error, process error, setup error and etc. The amount of setup error in general machining is not so big in comparison with the others, so it is mostly neglected. But, especially in v-groove micromachining, setup error has a significant effect on micro-features. Low quality product and high cost are resulted from setup error. In v-groove micromachining, to confirm the effect of setup error, it is identified and then setup error synthesis model is derived from analysis of tool and workpiece setup. In addition, to predict the micro-features affected by setup error and enhance the production efficiency, the setup condition satisfying the tolerance of micro-features is geometrically analyzed and presented.

압축효과를 가미한 도광판의 전사성과 복굴절 향상에 관한 실험적 연구

It is necessary to improve the pattern replication and birefringence in LGP(Light guide panel) for better optical performance. In the present paper, the effects of injection-compression and injection-press mode with normal injection mold on the distribution of transcription of pattern and birefringence were studied. It was found that the values of pattern replication was improved and the birefringence was reduced for the cases of low initial clamping force in injection-compression mode and for the cases of longer mold opening length in injection-press mode, repectively.

프리즘 패턴의 기계적 절삭 가공

In recent, various shapes of pattern in micron or nano scale are adapted in many applications due to their good mechanical or optical properties. Light guide panel (LGP) of the LCD is one of important applications for micro pattern and micro prism shape is one of the typical patterns. The size of the surface patterns in most applications is decreasing to the order of micron or even under micron. On the other hand, the area to be patterned keeps enlarging. These two trends in patterned products require tooling micro patterns on large surface, which has still many technical problems to be solved mainly due to pattern size and the tooling area. In this study, we fabricated prism shape of patterns using diamond cutting tool on some metal core and plastic core like PMMA. Some cutting conditions were investigated including cutting force, cutting depth and speed for different core materials.

LCD 백라이트 도광판의 광학 특성에 대한 연구

LGP(Light-Guide Panel) of LCD backlight is one of the major componets which affect on the product quality of LCD. The optical relation between brightness and pattern has been investigated for LGP with the uniform distribution of brightness. When given the brightness distribution as target, the solutions of pattern distribution is not unique. Each solution of pattern designs shows the different brightness intensity even though they have the same brightness distribution with target's one. The manufacturing condition of pattern has an influence on the possibly-maximum-brightness intensity among the solutions of pattern design. The present study has examined the effects of LGP thickness, pattern shape errors, and reflection film on the optical characteristics of LGP.