LIQUID CRYSTAL OPTICAL DEVICE, SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PORTABLE INFORMATION TERMINAL, AND DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20140285703A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: KIZU, Yuko, ITO, Machiko, KIZAKI, Yukio, KWON, Honam, FUNAKI, Hideyuki, SUZUKI, Kazuhiro, UENO, Risako, KOBAYASHI, Mitsuyoshi, HONDA, Hiroto
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/12 Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/28 involving active lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/291 Two-dimensional analogue deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 Variable focal length devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

A liquid crystal optical device includes: a first electrode unit including a first substrate transparent to light, a light-transmitting layer formed on the first substrate, and a first electrode formed on the light-transmitting layer and being transparent to light, the light-transmitting layer including recesses formed on a surface facing the first electrode, arranged in a first direction, and extending in a second direction; a second electrode unit including a second substrate, the second substrate being transparent to light, and two second electrodes formed on the second substrate, the second electrodes being arranged in the second direction and extending along the first direction; a liquid crystal layer located between the first and second electrode units; a first polarizing plate located on an opposite side of the second electrode unit from the liquid crystal layer; and a drive unit that applies voltages to the first and second electrodes.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal optical device comprising:

a first electrode unit including a first substrate having a first surface, the first substrate being transparent to light, a light-transmitting layer formed on the first surface, and a first electrode formed on the light-transmitting layer, the first electrode being transparent to light, the light-transmitting layer including recesses formed on a surface facing the first electrode, the recesses being arranged in a first direction that is parallel to the first surface, and extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction and is parallel to the first surface;

a second electrode unit including a second substrate having a second surface that faces the first surface, the light-transmitting layer and the first electrode being provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, the second substrate being transparent to light, and two second electrodes formed on the second surface of the second substrate, the second electrodes being arranged in the second direction and extending along the first direction;

a liquid crystal layer located between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit;

a first polarizing plate located an opposite side of the second electrode unit from the liquid crystal layer; and

a drive unit that applies voltages to the first electrode and the second electrodes.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode unit further includes a plane electrode that is transparent to light and located between the second substrate and the second electrodes, and an insulating film that is transparent to light and located between the plane electrode and the two second electrodes, the second electrode overlaps a portion of the plane electrode.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode unit includes a third electrode located between the two second electrodes, and

the drive unit applies different voltages to the second electrodes and the third electrode.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode unit is thinner than the first electrode unit.

15. A solid state imaging device comprising:

an imaging optics that is capable of forming an image of a subject on an imaging plane;

an imaging element that faces the imaging optics; and

the device according to claim 1 located between the imaging optics and the imaging element.

16. A portable information terminal comprising the solid state imaging device according to claim 15.

17. A display device comprising:

a display panel including a display screen on which pixels are arranged in a matrix form;

a drive circuit that drives the display panel by sending display data to the display panel and allocating the display data to the pixels of the display panel to display two-dimensional images or three-dimensional images; and

the device according to claim 1 located to face the display panel.

5. A liquid crystal optical device comprising:

a first electrode unit including a first substrate having a first surface, the first substrate being transparent to light, and two first electrodes formed on the first surface of the first substrate, the two first electrodes being arranged in a first direction that is parallel to the first surface and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and parallel to the first surface;

a second electrode unit including a second substrate having a second surface that faces the first surface, the second substrate being transparent to light, and two second electrodes formed on the second surface of the second substrate, the second electrodes being arranged in the second direction and extending along the first direction;

a liquid crystal layer located between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit;

a first polarizing plate located on an opposite side of the second electrode unit from the liquid crystal layer; and

a drive unit that applies voltages to the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein:

the first electrode unit further includes a first plane electrode that is transparent to light and located between the first substrate and the first electrodes, and a first insulating film that is transparent to light and located between the first plane electrode and the first electrodes; and

the first electrodes overlap portions of the first plane electrode.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second electrode unit further includes a second plane electrode that is transparent to light and located between the second substrate and the second electrodes, and a second insulating film that is transparent to light and located between the second plane electrode and the second electrodes.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein:

the first electrode unit further includes a third electrode located between the first electrodes; and

the drive unit applies different voltages to the second electrodes and the third electrode.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein:

the second electrode unit further includes a fourth electrode located between the second electrodes, and

the drive unit applies different voltages to the second electrodes and the fourth electrode.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second electrode unit is thinner than the first electrode unit.

11. A liquid crystal optical device comprising:

a first electrode unit including a first substrate that is transparent to light and having a first surface, and a first plane electrode formed on the first surface of the first substrate;

a second electrode unit including a second substrate that is transparent to light and has a second surface facing the first surface, two first electrodes formed on the second surface, arranged in a first direction, and extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction and is parallel to the first surface, and a second plane electrode located on an opposite side of the second substrate from the first electrode;

a first liquid crystal layer located between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit;

a third electrode unit including a third substrate that is transparent to light and having a third surface that faces the second surface, and two third electrodes formed on the third surface of the third substrate, arranged in the second direction, and extending in the first direction;

a second liquid crystal layer located between the second electrode unit and the third electrode unit; and

a first polarizing plate located on an opposite side of the third electrode unit from the second liquid crystal layer.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second electrode unit is thinner than the first electrode unit.

13. A liquid crystal optical device comprising:

a first electrode unit including a first substrate that is transparent to light and having a first surface, and a first plane electrode formed on the first surface of the first substrate;

a second electrode unit including a second substrate that is transparent to light and has a second surface facing the first surface, two first electrodes formed on the second surface, arranged in a first direction, and extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction and is parallel to the first surface, and a second plane electrode located on an opposite side of the second substrate from the first electrode;

a first liquid crystal layer located between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit;

a third electrode unit including a rotating polarizer having a third surface that faces the second surface, and two third electrodes formed on the third surface of the rotating polarizer, arranged in the second direction, and extending in the first direction;

a second liquid crystal layer located between the second electrode unit and the third electrode unit; and

a first polarizing plate located on an opposite side of the third electrode unit from the second liquid crystal layer.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the second electrode unit is thinner than the first electrode unit.