Performance comparison of laser-etched microstructures on K9 glass and PMMA light guide plate

• Published in: Optik (Stuttgart) Vol. 242; p. 167213
• Main Authors: Liu, Li, Wang, Jin, Wang, Xi, Zhang, Feng-Yun, Wang, Ping-Ping, Zhang, Yun-Long, Sun, Shu-Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01.09.2021
• Subjects: Femtosecond laser etched microstructures; Glass light guide plate; Incubation effect; Luminance uniformity; Surface damage feature; Surface damage feature; Luminance uniformity; Glass light guide plate; Femtosecond laser etched microstructures; Incubation effect
• ISSN: 0030-4026; 1618-1336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijleo.2021.167213

PMMA is widely used to make light guide plates (LGP) of backlight module (BLM), but it is easy to deform at high temperatures, which makes the display effect worse. Due to K9 glass has similar optical properties with PMMA and high temperature-resistance, it is proposed to replace PMMA to make LGP. In this paper, femtosecond laser-etched microstructures and BLM optical performances of K9 glass and PMMA were compared, and it provides that it is feasible to use K9 glass LGP in BLM. The microstructures of LGP are obtained by laser percussion and rotary cutting respectively. It was found that K9 glass has a higher laser-induced damage threshold, ablation threshold, and desired micro-holes morphology than PMMA. Then, the luminance uniformity of K9 glass LGP is 90% by simulation, which is greater than that of PMMA LGP. In the future, this research of K9 glass LGP will improve the quality of liquid crystal display and provide a reference for the development of glass LGP. •Femtosecond surface damage features of K9 glass and PMMA are investigated.•The incubation effect of PMMA is stronger than that of K9 glass.•For K9 glass, desired ablation morphology can be obtained by concentric circle rotary cutting method.•The K9 glass light guide plate (LGP) is proven to have higher luminance uniformity than PMMA LGP.