WAVE FRONT CURVATURE MODULATOR AND IMAGE DISPLAY UNIT

摘要

A wave front curvature modulator which modulates the wave front curvature of light using an electro-optical effect, and which provides a technique of modulating light wave front curvature at high speed. In the wave front curvature modulator (22), an optical wageguide forming member (150) for forming a light traveling path is used to produce an electro-optical effect that changes a light refrective index according to an electric field intensity. Changing an electric field intensity to be applied to the optical wageguide forming member (150) modulates the wave front curvature of light incident to the optical wageguide forming member (150) according to that electric field intensity. In addition, the shape of a refractive index changing area (180) formed on the optical wageguide forming member (150) by an electric field to be applied to the optical wageguide forming member (150) is formed so as to curve with respect to a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of light on at least one of a light incident side (182) and an incident light outgoing side (184).