High transmittance optical films based on quantum dot doped nanoscale polymer dispersed liquid crystals

•Highly transparent nano-PDLC films are fabricated.•Incident angle dependent optical transmittance of nano-PDLC films is measured using lasers and LEDs.•Doping nano-PDLC films with 0.1% InP/ZnS quantum dots (QD) results in a higher optical transmittance.•These films may be used for light extraction in emissive displays.

We propose a simple way to fabricate highly transparent nanoscale polymer dispersed liquid crystal (nano-PDLC) films between glass substrates and investigate their incident angle dependent optical transmittance properties with both collimated and Lambertian intensity distribution light sources. We also demonstrate that doping nano-PDLC films with 0.1% InP/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QD) results in a higher optical transmittance. This work lays the foundation for such nanostructured composites to potentially serve as roll-to-roll coatable light extraction or brightness enhancement films in emissive display applications, superior to complex nanocorrugation techniques proposed in the past.