Cycloidal diffractive waveplate and method of manufacture
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a cycloidal diffractive waveplate, the method comprising:
- forming a first substrate;
forming a plurality of transparent positive electrodes on the first substrate, and forming a plurality of transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate, the transparent positive electrodes and the transparent negative electrodes being arranged in an alternating series;
forming a second substrate without electrodes; and
forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal layer being formed of liquid crystal molecules each having an optical axis with positive dielectric anisotropy and the liquid crystal layer being formed with a periodic molecular structure, andapplying an electric voltage to the alternating series of the transparent positive electrodes and the transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate to switch the liquid crystal layer between a diffractive state in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are periodically rotated across a plane of the waveplate and a non-diffractive state in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are orientated in the same direction in the plane of the waveplate, wherein the applied electric voltage to the alternating series of the plurality of transparent positive electrodes and the plurality of transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate are configured to produce an electric field in the plane of the waveplate, and wherein the liquid crystal layer is switched between the diffractive state and the non-diffractive state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cycloidal diffractive waveplate (50) comprising first and second substrate layers (52, 54), a liquid crystal layer (60C, 60H) provided between the first and second substrate layers, and transparent positive electrodes (56) and transparent negative electrodes (58) provided on the first substrate layer. The liquid crystal layer has a diffractive state (60C) in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are periodically rotated across a plane of the waveplate and a non-diffractive state (60H) in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are all orientated in the same direction in the plane of the waveplate. The electrodes (56, 58) are arranged in an alternating series, such that when an electric voltage is applied to the electrodes an electric field is produced in the plane of the waveplate and the liquid crystal layer is switched from the diffractive state to the non-diffractive state. A method of manufacturing the cycloidal diffractive waveplate is also provided.
35 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a cycloidal diffractive waveplate, the method comprising:
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forming a first substrate; forming a plurality of transparent positive electrodes on the first substrate, and forming a plurality of transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate, the transparent positive electrodes and the transparent negative electrodes being arranged in an alternating series; forming a second substrate without electrodes; and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal layer being formed of liquid crystal molecules each having an optical axis with positive dielectric anisotropy and the liquid crystal layer being formed with a periodic molecular structure, and applying an electric voltage to the alternating series of the transparent positive electrodes and the transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate to switch the liquid crystal layer between a diffractive state in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are periodically rotated across a plane of the waveplate and a non-diffractive state in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are orientated in the same direction in the plane of the waveplate, wherein the applied electric voltage to the alternating series of the plurality of transparent positive electrodes and the plurality of transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate are configured to produce an electric field in the plane of the waveplate, and wherein the liquid crystal layer is switched between the diffractive state and the non-diffractive state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A cycloidal diffractive waveplate comprising:
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a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal layer formed of liquid crystal molecules each having an optical axis with positive dielectric anisotropy and the liquid crystal layer having a periodic molecular structure, and wherein the liquid crystal layer has a diffractive state in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are rotated across a plane of the waveplate and a non-diffractive state in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are orientated in the same direction in the plane of the waveplate; and a plurality of transparent positive electrodes and a plurality of transparent negative electrodes both being provided on the first substrate and the electrodes arranged in an alternating series, the second substrate without having electrodes, wherein an electric voltage applied to the alternating series of the plurality of transparent positive electrodes and the plurality of transparent negative electrodes on the first substrate are configured to produce an electric field in the plane of the waveplate, and the liquid crystal layer is switched from the diffractive state to the non-diffractive state. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification