| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal optical device that can effectively use a range of applied voltages capable of efficiently driving a liquid crystal element having transparent electrode patterns formed on both sides of a liquid crystal layer.SOLUTION: The liquid crystal optical device includes a liquid crystal element 2 and a control circuit. A first transparent electrode 13 is provided on one surface of a liquid crystal layer 10 of the liquid crystal element 2 and a second transparent electrode 14 is provided on the other surface of the liquid crystal layer 10. The control circuit applies a voltage between the first transparent electrode 13 and the second transparent electrode 14 such that a minimum value of a voltage difference between a first voltage distribution generated in the liquid crystal layer 10 by applying a voltage to the first transparent electrode 13 and a second voltage distribution generated in the liquid crystal layer 10 by applying a voltage to the second transparent electrode 14 is lower than a first applied voltage at which a change in retardation provided to light beams passing through the liquid crystal layer 10 is maximum relative to a change in a voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 10 and such that a maximum value of a voltage difference between the first voltage distribution and the second voltage distribution is higher than the first applied voltage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2 |
