Varifocal lens

• US 9,134,568 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Byoung-lyong, Lee, Eun-kyung, Cha, Seung-nam, Kim, Sun-il, Lee, Seung-wan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang V
• Application Number:
  US13/719,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 349/193, 349/74, 349/57, 349/95, 349/200, 349/201, 349/202, 359/665, 359/666, 359/667
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/294 Variable focal length devices

Abstract

A varifocal lens including a first liquid crystal layer; a second liquid crystal layer disposed below the first liquid crystal layer; a common electrode disposed between the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer; a first electrode disposed above the first liquid crystal layer and having a curved shape; and a second electrode disposed below the second liquid crystal layer and having a curved shape.

Claims

1. A varifocal lens comprising:

a first liquid crystal layer;

a second liquid crystal layer disposed below the first liquid crystal layer;

a common electrode disposed between the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer;

a first electrode disposed above the first liquid crystal layer, the first electrode having a curved shape;

a second electrode disposed below the second liquid crystal layer, the second electrode having a curved shape; and

a first nano structure layer comprising a plurality of nano structures and disposed between the first electrode and the first liquid crystal layer to form a non-uniform electric field in the first liquid crystal layer, the first nano structure layer being spaced apart from the first electrode and the first liquid crystal layer,

wherein the first liquid crystal layer is controlled by a voltage applied between the common electrode and the first electrode, and the second liquid crystal layer is controlled by a voltage applied between the common electrode and the second electrode.

2. The varifocal lens of claim 1, further comprising:

a first upper substrate having a curved surface corresponding to an upper surface of the first electrode and disposed above the first liquid crystal layer, wherein the first electrode is disposed on a lower surface of the first upper substrate.

3. The varifocal lens of claim 2, further comprising:

a second upper substrate that comprises a lower surface having a flat shape and an upper surface having a curved surface corresponding to a lower surface of the first electrode and is disposed above the first liquid crystal layer, wherein the first electrode is disposed between the first upper substrate and the second upper substrate.

4. The varifocal lens of claim 1, further comprising:

a first lower substrate that comprises a lower surface having a flat shape and an upper surface having a curved surface corresponding to a lower surface of the second electrode and is disposed below the second liquid crystal layer, wherein the second electrode is disposed on the upper surface of the first lower substrate.

5. The varifocal lens of claim 4, further comprising:

a second lower substrate that comprises an upper surface having a flat shape and a lower surface having a curved surface corresponding to an upper surface of the second electrode, wherein the second electrode is disposed between the first lower substrate and the second lower substrate.

6. The varifocal lens of claim 1, further comprising:

a second nano structure layer comprising a plurality of nano structures and disposed between the second electrode and the second liquid crystal layer.

7. The varifocal lens of claim 6, wherein the plurality of nano structures comprise any one of carbon nanotube (CNT), metal nanowire, ZnO nanowire, and Si nanowire.

8. The varifocal lens of claim 1, wherein the common electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes that are spaced apart from each other and are arranged to have an overall flat structure.

9. The varifocal lens of claim 8, wherein the common electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes each having a fan shape and are spaced apart from each other to form a circular shape.

10. The varifocal lens of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first electrode is concave toward the first liquid crystal layer.

11. The varifocal lens of claim 10, wherein a surface of the second electrode is convex toward the second liquid crystal layer.

12. The varifocal lens of claim 10, wherein a surface of the second electrode is concave toward the second liquid crystal layer.

13. The varifocal lens of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first electrode is convex toward the first liquid crystal layer.

14. The varifocal lens of claim 13, wherein a surface of the second electrode is convex toward the second liquid crystal layer.

15. A varifocal lens comprising:

a first liquid crystal layer;

a common electrode disposed below the first liquid crystal layer;

a first electrode disposed above the first liquid crystal layer, the first electrode having a curved shape; and

a first nano structure layer disposed between the first electrode and the first liquid crystal layer to form a non-uniform electric field in the first liquid crystal layer, the first nano structure layer comprising a plurality of nano structures, the plurality of nano structures being aligned protruding in a direction away from the first liquid crystal layer and being spaced apart from each other.

16. The varifocal lens of claim 15, wherein a surface of the first electrode is convex toward the first liquid crystal layer.

17. The varifocal lens of claim 15, wherein a surface of the first electrode is concave toward the first liquid crystal layer.

18. The varifocal lens of claim 15, wherein the plurality of nano structures comprise any one of carbon nanotube (CNT), metal nanowire, ZnO nanowire, and Si nanowire.