Low voltage liquid crystal lens with variable focal length
First Claim
1. A liquid crystal optical device having a variable focal length, comprising:
- at least one liquid crystal layer residing between a first substrate and a second substrate;
at least one alignment layer configured to align liquid crystals of the at least one liquid crystal layer, the at least one alignment layer having anchoring energy that is spatially non-uniform, wherein the anchoring energy increases radially outwards from the center of the liquid crystal optical device to the edges of the liquid crystal optical device or decreases radially outwards from the center of the liquid crystal optical device to the edges of the liquid crystal optical device; and
wherein the liquid crystals of the at least one liquid crystal layer are configured to provide a positive or negative lens effect to light passing through the at least one liquid crystal layer in the presence of an applied uniform electric or magnetic field; and
wherein focal length corresponding to the positive or negative lens effect is controllable based on magnitude of the applied uniform electric or magnetic field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal lens with a variable focal length. The gradient profile of the liquid crystals molecules that causes the gradient profile of the refractive index is achieved by inducing non-uniformly distributed anchoring energy and an external electric or magnetic field applied to the liquid crystal layer. Unlike existing electrically controlled liquid crystal lens, the external electric or magnetic field has a uniform spatial distribution within the liquid crystal layer. The focal length of the liquid crystal lens is controlled via the non-uniformly distributed anchoring energy and by varying the uniformly distributed electric or magnetic field.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal optical device having a variable focal length, comprising:
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at least one liquid crystal layer residing between a first substrate and a second substrate; at least one alignment layer configured to align liquid crystals of the at least one liquid crystal layer, the at least one alignment layer having anchoring energy that is spatially non-uniform, wherein the anchoring energy increases radially outwards from the center of the liquid crystal optical device to the edges of the liquid crystal optical device or decreases radially outwards from the center of the liquid crystal optical device to the edges of the liquid crystal optical device; and wherein the liquid crystals of the at least one liquid crystal layer are configured to provide a positive or negative lens effect to light passing through the at least one liquid crystal layer in the presence of an applied uniform electric or magnetic field; and wherein focal length corresponding to the positive or negative lens effect is controllable based on magnitude of the applied uniform electric or magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling a variable focal length of a liquid crystal optical device, comprising:
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applying at least one of a uniform electric field and a uniform magnetic field to a liquid crystal layer residing between a first substrate and a second substrate to provide a positive or negative lens effect to light passing through the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal layer being associated with at least one alignment layer configured to align liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer the at least one alignment layer having anchoring energy that is spatially non-uniform wherein the anchoring energy increases radially outwards from the center of the liquid crystal optical device to the edges of the liquid crystal optical device or decreases radially outwards from the center of the liquid crystal optical device to the edges of the liquid crystal optical device; and varying magnitude of the at least one of the uniform electric field and the uniform magnetic field to modify the focal length corresponding to the positive or negative lens effect provided by the liquid crystal layer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification