US 12,189,218 B2
Thermal activated switching polarizer
Jasmine Soria Sears, Kirkland, WA (US); and Scott Charles McEldowney, Redmond, WA (US)
Assigned to Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/526,706.
Prior Publication US 2023/0152609 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 5/30 (2006.01); G02B 27/01 (2006.01); G02F 1/01 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/0136 (2013.01) [G02B 27/0172 (2013.01); G02F 1/0147 (2013.01); G02B 2027/0118 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A switchable polarizer comprising:
a transparent layer;
a switchable material layer including strips of a switchable material that are arranged to polarize incident light propagating through the transparent layer when the switchable material is heated to a threshold switching temperature, and wherein the incident light propagating through the transparent layer is unpolarized by the strips of the switchable material when the switchable material is below the threshold switching temperature; and
a transparent conductor layer disposed between the transparent layer and the switchable material layer, wherein the transparent conductor layer is configured to impart the threshold switching temperature to the strips of the switchable material.