Optical layer, display device including the same and backlight unit

Abstract

An optical layer may include a barrier. The barrier may include slits arranged in the barrier so that vertically neighboring slits from among the slits are connected to each other. The slits are configured to transmit light through the barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A backlight unit comprising:
 a light source; and   a light guide plate comprising a diffusion pattern configured to emit light from the light source to a panel, the diffusion pattern comprising pattern elements in which vertically neighboring pattern elements are connected to each other by overlapping a portion of sides of the vertically neighboring pattern elements in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         2 . The backlight unit of  claim 1 , wherein a size of the overlapping portion in the step structure is based on an angle at which the step structure tilts and a ratio of a pattern element width to a pixel width of a pixel of the panel. 
     
     
         3 . The backlight unit of  claim 1 , wherein sizes of the pattern elements are based on a size of a pixel of the panel. 
     
     
         4 . The backlight unit of  claim 3 , wherein widths of the pattern elements are narrower than a width of a subpixel comprised in the pixel. 
     
     
         5 . The backlight unit of  claim 3 , wherein heights of the pattern elements are identical to or exceed a pixel height of a pixel of the panel.