Enhancement of the contrast ratio of optical flat panel displays by
integrating an array of corner-cube retroreflectors into the front face
of the optical display, said integration involving mutual adaptation of
both the display and the corner-cube retroreflector geometry to unite the
two disparate optical systems. The light emission from the display passes
through the truncated vertex of the corner-cubes to the observer. The
display directs its emitted light through the vertex apertures (either as
a natural behavior, or by interposing a registered array of light
concentrators between the display and the corner-cube array). The
improvement in contrast ratio arises due to the corner-cube
retroreflectors' ability to direct incident ambient light directly back
to its source, rather than the viewer's eyes. Ambient light reflections
are not attenuated but maximized; this maximization is directed away from
the viewer, causing the array to appear dark even in direct sunlight.