Liquid crystal display element and projection type liquid crystal display device

• US 6,831,707 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENSON, ANDRE C
• Application Number:
  US10/045,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 349/9, 349/95, 349/5, 359/727
• US Class Current: 349/9
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1046 for use with transmissive spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/149 using crossed beamsplitting surfaces, e.g. cross-dichroic cubes or X-cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/285 comprising arrays of elements, e.g. microprisms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0068 arranged in a single integral body or plate, e.g. laminates or hybrid structures with other optical elements G02B5/1885, G02B17/002, G02B30/27 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13355 Polarising beam splitters [PBS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3152 for shaping the light beam beam shaping per se G02B27/09

Abstract

In an liquid crystal panel, a microlens having first and second lens surfaces is placed corresponding to each pixel aperture. The focal position of the second lens surface substantially coincides with the principal point of the first lens surface, and the focal position of the entire microlens substantially coincides with the pixel aperture. In the liquid crystal panel, when incident light having a divergence angle component with respect to the optical axis emerges from the microlens, the divergence angle component is removed.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display element comprising:

a liquid crystal layer;

a pixel electrode portion having a plurality of pixel apertures for transmitting light; and

at least one microlens array having a plurality of microlenses arranged in a two-dimensional form on at least one of a light incident side and a light emergent side of said liquid crystal layer corresponding to said pixel apertures,

wherein each of said microlenses comprises;

a light-collecting lens having at least one lens surface in the optical axis direction for collecting incident light toward corresponding one of said pixel apertures, the light-collecting lenses of the plurality of microlenses being continuous in the two-dimensional form; and

a field lens having at least one lens surface in the optical axis direction so that the focal position thereof substantially coincides with the principal point of said light-collecting lens, the field lenses of the plurality of microlenses being continuous in the two-dimensional form.

2. A liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein the focal position of the entirety of each of said microlenses substantially coincides with said corresponding pixel aperture.

3. A liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein, when incident light having a divergence angle component with respect to the optical axis emerges from said microlens array, the divergence angle component is removed by the optical action of said field lens, and the emergent angle of the incident light substantially coincides with the emergent angle of a principal ray which enters in parallel with the optical axis.

4. A liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal display element is applied to a projection type liquid crystal display device which projects light transmitted through said liquid crystal display element via a projection lens, and the numerical aperture of each of said microlens substantially coincides with the F-number of said projection lens.

5. A liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein each of said microlenses is formed of one or more of a spherical surface, an aspherical surface, and a Fresnel surface.

6. A projection type liquid crystal display device comprising:

a light source for emitting light;

a liquid crystal display element for optically modulating incident light; and

a projection lens for projecting the light modulated by said liquid crystal display element,

wherein said liquid crystal display element comprises;

a liquid crystal layer;

a pixel electrode portion having a plurality of pixel apertures for transmitting light; and

at least one microlens array having a plurality of microlenses arranged in a two-dimensional form on at least one of a light incident side and a light emergent side of said liquid crystal layer corresponding to said pixel apertures, and

wherein each of said microlenses comprises;

a light-collecting lens having at least one lens surface in the optical axis direction for collecting incident light toward corresponding one of said pixel aperture, the light-collecting lenses of the plurality of microlenses being continuous in the two-dimensional form; and

a field lens having at least one lens surface in the optical axis direction so that the focal position thereof substantially coincides with the principal point of said light-collecting lens, the field lenses of the plurality of microlenses being continuous in the two-dimensional form.