Liquid crystal optical device, image display apparatus, and drive device

摘要

A liquid crystal optical device (211) includes a liquid crystal optical unit (111) and a drive unit (77). The liquid crystal optical unit (111) includes a first substrate unit (10u), a second substrate unit (20u), and a liquid crystal layer (30). The first substrate unit (10u) includes a first substrate (10), a plurality of first electrodes (11), and a second electrode (12). The second substrate unit (20u) includes a second substrate (20) and a first opposing electrode (21). The drive unit (77) applies a first voltage between the first opposing electrode (21) and the first electrodes (11) and applies a second voltage between the first opposing electrode (21) and the second electrode (12) in a refractive index distribution (31) forming operation. The drive unit (77) applies a third voltage between the first opposing electrode (21) and the first electrodes (11) and applies a fourth voltage between the first opposing electrode (21) and the second electrode (12) in a first preliminary operation prior to the refractive index distribution forming operation, so as to prevent the occurence of disclinations in the liquid crystal layer (30) above the first electrodes (11).