Electroluminescent Illumination System

Dirk J. Broer, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
David Braun, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Antonius H.J. Venhuizen, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
Christianne R.M. De Witz, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands

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Abstract

An illumination system has an active layer which includes an electroluminescent material, the active layer being located between an optically transparent electrode layer and a reflective electrode layer. A reflective polarizer is present at a side of the transparent electrode layer facing away from the active layer. A sub-beam incident on the polarizer and having an unwanted polarization is reflected back to the active layer, where it is again partially depolarized to recover a component having the desired state of polarization. The invention also relates to a flat-panel picture display device which includes such an illumination system.