Multiple cell liquid crystal optical device with coupled electric field control

摘要

A liquid crystal optical device is provided. The optical device includes a liquid crystal cell controlling optical properties of light passing therethrough and has: a liquid crystal layer, a planar electrode located to one side of said liquid crystal layer; an electric field control structure located to the opposite side of the liquid crystal layer; and a wavefront adjustment structure configured to provide optical phase front adjustment. In some embodiments the wavefront adjustment structure is a conductive floating electrode. In other embodiments the wavefront adjustment structure is a weakly conductive structure having spatially variable sheet resistance. In other embodiments the wavefront adjustment structure a weakly conductive structure having spatially variable sheet resistance having a frequency dependent characteristic.

主权项

1. A liquid crystal optical device of the type having at least one liquid crystal layer provided between substrates bearing alignment layers, and a hole-patterned electrode arrangement with a weakly conductive material within an aperture of the arrangement to provide a spatially modulated electric field, characterized in that the hole-patterned electrode arrangement is structured to change a phase front in the liquid crystal layer by having:
an electrically floating electrode structure external to the electrode arrangement over the aperture.