Optical device and display operating in two dimensional and autostereoscopic three dimensional modes

摘要

An optical device comprises an input polariser 4 , a patterned retarder 5 and an output polariser 12 . The retarder 5 has regions 8 and 9 , at least one of which alters the polarisation of light from the input polariser 4 . The output polariser 7 has a transmission axis 12 such that light passing through the regions 8 and 9 of the retarder 5 and through the output polariser 7 is matched in amplitude, phase and polarisation. Such a device may be used as a switchable parallax barrier with an LCD 2 to provide a display which is switchable between an autostereoscopic 3D mode and a 2D mode with the 2D mode having more uniform intensity across the display.