Abstract:
Liquid crystal light beam control devices and their manufacture are described. Beneficial aspects of beam broadening devices employed for controlled illumination and architectural purposes are presented including improving beam divergence control, improving beam broadening dynamic range control, beam divergence preconditioning, improving projected beam intensity uniformity.
Abstract:
An optical object detection device and method using a light emitter and a detector sensitive to reflected light from an object is described herein. The object detection device includes a liquid crystal beam shaping element to allow beam steering, broadening and diffraction of the light emitter. The detection of the object may be done through analyzing the reflected light from different degrees of broadening of the light emitter's beam. The localization and/or the shape of the object may further be determined by analyzing the reflected light from a grid pattern obtained through diffracting the light emitter's beam.
Abstract:
A lighting device using a liquid crystal beam modulator produces good broadening of a light beam. The liquid crystal cell has a patterned electrode structure having a pattern of paired electrodes on a first one of a pair of cell substrates for providing a spatially modulated electric field extending into a liquid crystal material, and the cell is arranged with respect to a light source so that an incident beam will arrive through another of the pair of substrates and exit from the first one of the pair of substrates.
Abstract:
A liquid crystal optical device providing refractive Fresnel lens type element control over light passing through an aperture is provided. The device includes a layer of liquid crystal material contained by flat substrates having flat alignment layers; and an arrangement of electrodes configured to provide a spatially varying voltage distribution within a number of lensing zones within said liquid crystal layer. The arrangement of electrodes includes ring-shaped electrodes defining boundaries between Fresnel lensing zones. The liquid crystal optical device is structured to provide a spatial variation in the optical phase delay with an abrupt transition at a boundary between lensing zones to increase the effective aperture of the optical device.
Abstract:
An intraocular adaptive lens prosthesis apparatus is provided. In some implementations the apparatus includes a tunable liquid crystal lens encapsulated in the intraocular prosthesis with control electronics and a power source. In other implementations the apparatus includes a tunable liquid crystal lens encapsulated in the intraocular prosthesis with a control signal receiver while an external control electronics package transmits the control signal. The tunable liquid crystal lens is driven in response to a stimulus signal to provide accommodation. In some embodiments the tunable liquid crystal device corrects other visual shortcomings of the natural eye.
Abstract:
A variable liquid crystal optical device for controlling the propagation of light has one or more transparent thin-film highly-resistive layer (HRL) coupled to a substrate and an electrode structure. The HRL has core layer and a cover or proximity layer, wherein the core layer material has a higher electrical conductivity and higher refractive index than the cover layer material; and wherein the core and cover layer materials have substantially the same free energies of formation of oxide. In this way, the electrode structure will be environmentally stable and responsive to an applied electrical current to generate a spatially non-uniform magnetic field.
Abstract:
Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The drive signal source uses pulse-width modulation to set a frequency and an amplitude of the drive signal.
Abstract:
A motionless adaptive focus stereoscopic scene capture apparatus employing tuneable liquid crystal lenses is provided. The apparatus includes at least two image sensors preferably fabricated as a monolithic stereo image capture component and at least two corresponding tuneable liquid crystal lenses preferably fabricated as a monolithic focus adjustment component. Using a variable focus tuneable liquid crystal lens at each aperture stop provides constant magnification focus control. Controlled spatial variance of a spatially variant electric field applied to the liquid crystal of each tuneable liquid crystal lens provides optical axis shift enabling registration between stereo images. A controller implements coupled auto-focusing methods employing multiple focus scores derived from at least two camera image sensors and providing multiple tuneable liquid crystal lens drive signals for synchronous focus acquisition of a three dimensional scene. Wafer manufacture provides a compact stereoscopic image capture apparatus for endoscopic surgery, optical inspection and entertainment applications.
Abstract:
A liquid crystal optical device is provided, including a layered structure including at least two support substrates. An external hole patterned control electrode is provided on one of the substrates and has an aperture. An internal hole patterned control electrode is provided on one of the substrates within the aperture, the internal and outer control electrodes being separated by a gap, which forms part of the aperture. A weakly conductive material is provided on one of the substrates over the aperture. A planar transparent electrode is provided on another one of the substrates. An alignment surface is provided on the substrates over the electrodes. A layer of liquid crystal material is contained by the substrates and in contact with the alignment surface of the substrates. A floating transparent electrode is provided on a side of one of the substrates opposite the outer and the internal hole patterned electrode.
Abstract:
An electrode structure is proposed for controlling a spatially non-uniform electric field driving a tunable liquid crystal lens or beam steering device. The spatially non-uniform electrode structure enables the generation of a predetermined spatially non-uniform electric field profile where complex capacitive coupling between multiple different electrically floating neighboring electrode segments is employed for the generation of the electrical field of desired form by supplying an initial electric potential to a limited number of electrodes.