摘要:
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 frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device can be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and can be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus for testing operation of a single or multiple tunable active optical device(s) operated by one or more driving electrodes are described. Test methods and apparatus are provided for device testing without necessarily requiring direct physical contact with the driving electrodes. Testing subjects devices to incident light along an optical path and to an external electric field applied to the device producing a dipolar charge distribution within the electrodes, causing the device to operate. The effect of device operation on incident light is optically sensed. The sensed effect is analyzed to identify device defects. Test methods and apparatus are provided for testing multiple unsingulated devices during fabrication employing a strip contact structure having contact strips connected to multiple devices and extending to wafer edges, such that singulating devices leaves portions of the strip contact structure exposed on device dice edges providing electrical contacts in use.
摘要:
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.
摘要:
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.
摘要:
A liquid crystal optical device is described configured to provide variable beam steering or refractive Fresnel lens control over light passing through an aperture of the device. The device includes at least one layer of liquid crystal material contained by substrates having alignment layers. An arrangement of electrodes is configured to provide a spatially varying electric field distribution within a number of zones within the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal optical device is structured to provide a spatial variation in optical phase delay with a transition at a boundary between zones which is an approximation of a sawtooth waveform across the boundaries of multiple zones. The arrangement of electrodes, device layered geometry and methods of driving the electrodes increase the effective aperture of the overall optical device.
摘要:
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.
摘要:
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 and reducing color separation in the projected beam. Both beam control devices having in-plane and homeotropic ground state liquid crystal alignment are presented.
摘要:
A liquid crystal optical device is described configured to provide variable beam steering or refractive Fresnel lens control over light passing through an aperture of the device. The device includes at least one layer of liquid crystal material contained by substrates having alignment layers. An arrangement of electrodes is configured to provide a spatially varying electric field distribution within a number of zones within the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal optical device is structured to provide a spatial variation in optical phase delay with a transition at a boundary between zones which is an approximation of a sawtooth waveform across the boundaries of multiple zones. The arrangement of electrodes, device layered geometry and methods of driving the electrodes increase the effective aperture of the overall optical device.
摘要:
A spatially non-uniform electrode structure is proposed for controlling a spatially non-uniform electric field driving a tunable liquid crystal lens. 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.
摘要:
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.