Optical device, optical device controller, and method for manufacturing optical device

• US 10,527,875 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuka, Yuko, Ota, Masuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Beatty, Collin X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gagnon, Grant A
• Application Number:
  US15/504,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20170235175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 359245
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133302 Rigid substrates, e.g. inorganic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13345 Network or three-dimensional gels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133504 Diffusing, scattering, diffracting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133606
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13398 Spacer materials; Spacer properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13476 in which at least one liquid crystal cell or layer assumes a scattering state
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/137 characterised by the electro-optical or magneto-optical effect, e.g. field-induced phase transition, orientation effect, guest-host interaction or dynamic scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection

Abstract

An optical device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a refractive index adjustment layer, and a textured layer. The first electrode is light-transmissive. The second electrode is light-transmissive and electrically paired with the first electrode. The refractive index adjustment layer is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and has a refractive index that is adjustable in an arbitrary wavelength band from the visible light range to the near-infrared range. The textured layer gives the refractive index adjustment layer an uneven surface and is in the form of a film. The refractive index adjustment layer is variable between a transparent state and a state of distributing incident light.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising:

a first electrode that is light-transmissive;

a second electrode that is light-transmissive and electrically paired with the first electrode;

a refractive index adjustment layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and having a refractive index that is adjustable in an arbitrary wavelength band from a visible light range to a near-infrared range; and

a textured layer in the form of a film that gives the refractive index adjustment layer an uneven surface,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer is variable between a transparent state and a light distribution state in which light passing through the optical device is bent in a specific direction, and

wherein, in the light distribution state, incident light that obliquely enters the optical device is bent and a direction of travel of the incident light is changed to a backward direction.

2. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer is variable to a state of being opaque.

3. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising

a transparency variable portion that is variable between a state of being transparent and a state of being opaque,

wherein the first electrode is provided between the transparency variable portion and the refractive index adjustment layer.

4. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is split into a plurality of portions.

5. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrode is provided between the textured layer and the refractive index adjustment layer, and

the first electrode has a textured surface.

6. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes an electrode connection portion extending beyond the textured layer in plan view.

7. A method for manufacturing the optical device according to claim 1, the method comprising:

forming the first electrode and a resin layer on a first substrate;

forming the textured layer from the resin layer by imprinting peaks and valleys into a surface of the resin layer after the formation of the resin layer;

forming the second electrode on a second substrate;

applying a material of the refractive index adjustment layer onto either one of (i) one of the textured layer and the first electrode and (ii) the second electrode; and

bonding the first substrate and the second substrate together with the first electrode and the second electrode opposite each other.

8. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein a difference in refractive index between the textured layer and the first electrode is 0.2 or less.

9. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein a difference in refractive index between the refractive index adjustment layer and the textured layer is 0.2 or less.

10. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the refractive index of the refractive index adjustment layer in the visible light range is adjustable.

11. The optical device according to claim 10,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer is adjustable to (i) a refractive index close to a refractive index of the textured layer in the form of the film and (ii) a refractive index significantly different from the refractive index of the textured layer in the form of the film.

12. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer has light scattering properties that are variable.

13. The optical device according to claim 12,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer is able to exhibit the light scattering properties in a state in which incident light is distributed.

14. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer contains macromolecules.

15. The optical device according to claim 14,

wherein the macromolecules form a polymer structure inside the refractive index adjustment layer,

the polymer structure includes a plurality of reaching points reaching a textured layer-side surface of the refractive index adjustment layer, the textured layer-side surface being one of surfaces of the refractive index adjustment layer that is nearest to the textured layer, and

an average distance between the plurality of reaching points is greater than an average peak-valley pitch of the textured layer.

16. The optical device according to claim 14,

wherein the macromolecules in the refractive index adjustment layer increase in number in a direction away from the textured layer.

17. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising

a light emitter.

18. The optical device according to claim 17,

wherein light emitted from the light emitter is guided through the refractive index adjustment layer.

19. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the textured layer is provided between the first electrode and the refractive index adjustment layer.

20. The optical device according to claim 19,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer includes a spacer, and

the spacer is larger than a pitch of peaks and valleys of the textured layer and defines a thickness of the refractive index adjustment layer.

21. The optical device according to claim 19,

wherein the textured layer includes a plurality of columns, and

the plurality of columns penetrate the refractive index adjustment layer, are in contact with the second electrode, and define a thickness of the refractive index adjustment layer.

22. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the textured layer includes irregular peaks and valleys.

23. The optical device according to claim 22,

wherein the textured layer includes a plurality of peaks that protrude toward the refractive index adjustment layer, and

tips of the plurality of peaks protrude to aligned positions.

24. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first glass panel; and

a second glass panel,

wherein a sealed space is provided between the first glass panel and the second glass panel, and

an optical adjuster including the first electrode, the refractive index adjustment layer, and the second electrode is provided in the sealed space.

25. The optical device according to claim 24, further comprising

a transparency variable portion that is variable between a state of being transparent and a state of being opaque,

wherein the optical adjuster is supported by the second glass panel, and

the transparency variable portion is provided in the sealed space and supported by the first glass panel.

26. The optical device according to claim 25,

wherein the first glass panel is a substrate for the transparency variable portion.

27. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the refractive index of the refractive index adjustment layer in the near-infrared range is adjustable.

28. The optical device according to claim 27,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer is adjustable to (i) a refractive index close to a refractive index of the textured layer in the form of the film and (ii) a refractive index significantly different from the refractive index of the textured layer in the form of the film.

29. An optical device controller, comprising:

the optical device according to claim 27;

at least one of a first sensor that detects an amount of near-infrared light that enters the optical device and a second sensor that detects an amount of near-infrared light that is emitted from the optical device; and

a controller that controls a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode according to the amount of near-infrared light detected by either one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

30. The optical device controller according to claim 29, further comprising

a display that displays the amount of near-infrared light detected by either one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

31. The optical device controller according to claim 29, further comprising

a battery that supplies power to the first electrode and the second electrode in the optical device.

32. The optical device controller according to claim 29,

wherein the refractive index adjustment layer in the optical device contains a liquid crystal material as a material for adjusting the refractive index.