IMAGE STABILIZATION AND SHIFTING IN A LIQUID CRYSTAL LENS

摘要

Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device can be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and can be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable.

主权项

1. A tunable lens optical device for controlling the propagation of light passing through the device using a dynamically-configured effective electrode geometry, said optical device comprising:
a liquid crystal layer configured to pass through which said light therethrough, optical properties of the liquid crystal layer controlling said light propagation; an electrode system arranged to generate an electric field acting on said liquid crystal layer the electrode system including a segmented ring electrode; and an electrical signal generator for generating a drive signal at a plurality of different frequencies and applying the drive signal to the electrode system to generate said electric field, the electrical signal generator being further configured to apply a separate drive signal component of the drive signal to each electrode segment of the segmented ring electrode, each drive signal component having a corresponding frequency; wherein: said electrode system comprises a frequency dependent material with interacting with the electric field, the frequency dependent material having a charge mobility therein that varies with a frequency of the drive signal such that a spectral content of said drive signal dynamically configures an effective electrode geometry of said electrode system whereby a spatial profile of the electric field varies as a function of said spectral content to alter the optical properties of the liquid crystal layer; said signal generator is configured to apply a drive signal that prevents disclinations of liquid crystal in said liquid crystal layer; and said electrode system is configured to controllably move an optical axis of the lens created in said liquid crystal layer by said electric field, driving said segmented ring electrode providing a parametric lens.