Electro-optical devices using dynamic reconfiguration of effective electrode structures

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 drive signal source uses pulse-width modulation to set a frequency and an amplitude of the drive signal.

主权项

1. A tunable optical device comprising:
at least one liquid crystal layer; and an electrode structure having a planar electrode, a hole-patterned electrode and a weakly conductive material extending across an aperture of the hole-patterned electrode, said planar electrode and said hole-patterned electrode being arranged on opposite sides of said layer; a signal generator comprising a pulse-width modulation circuit; wherein said circuit a voltage of a drive signal provided to said electrode structure; and a controller connected to said pulse-width modulation circuit and configured to set an amplitude and a frequency of said drive signal as a function of a desired tunable optical property.