Abstract:
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device driven by a linear coupling, such as ferroelectric and/or flexoelectric coupling, between an inhomogeneous in-plane electric field generated by an electrode pattern (41; 42) over a first sub-volume of the bulk layer (44) adjacent to said electrode pattern (41; 42) and liquid crystals in a polarized state comprised in said first sub-volume and/or in an alignment layer (43) applied on said electrode pattern (41; 42), said polarization being stronger than any possible similar liquid crystal polarization of the bulk layer (44) outside (i) said first sub-volume, said alignment layer (43), and outside (ii) a second sub-volume of the bulk layer adjacent the inner surface of the other substrate, or a second alignment layer or an second electrode pattern applied thereon.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer (10) and dopants (20) being inhomogeneously distributed in the bulk layer (10) as a result of being permanently attached to at least one surface, termed dopant surface. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing as well as methods for controlling liquid crystal devices.
Abstract:
A dynamic lens for projecting different output beam shapes includes a first light source of laser diodes generating a first light beam toward a target. A projector generates a second light beam with a different wavelength than the first light beam. A beam combiner combines the first light beam together with the second light beam and directs the combined beams to a focusing plane that includes a lensing array to focus the first light beam into the output beam shape on the target. The lensing array includes a plurality of photoactive cells including at least one photoreactive group which changes molecular shape in response to light energy from the second light beam, thereby changing the orientation of adjacent liquid crystal molecules, which in turn alters the index of refraction of the photoactive cell. A method of operating the dynamic lens to generate the output beam shape is also disclosed.
Abstract:
The invention provides liquid crystal switching devices, liquid crystal cells made from the switching devices, and electrooptical cells made from the switching devices. The invention further provides methods for changing the orientation of a liquid crystal in a liquid crystal switching device. The liquid crystal switching devices are constructed from a redox-active material supported by a substrate and a liquid crystal having a salt dispersed therein disposed atop the redox-active material.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a light modulation element comprising a polymer stabilized cholesteric liquid crystalline medium sandwiched between two substrates (1), provided with a common electrode structure (2) and a driving electrode structure (3) individually, wherein the substrate with driving and/or common electrode structure is additionally provided with an alignment electrode structure (4) which is separated from the driving and or common electrode structure on the same substrate by an dielectric layer (5), characterized in that the light modulation element comprises at least one alignment layer (6) directly adjacent to the liquid crystalline medium. The invention is further relates to a method of production of said light modulation element and to the use of said light modulation element in various types of optical and electro-optical devices, such as electro-optical displays, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), non-linear optic (NLO) devices, and optical information storage devices.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a controllable diffraction device (20) for a light modulator device (10). The controllable diffraction device (20) comprises at least two substrates (28, 30), at least one electrode (26, 32) on each of said substrates (28, 30) facing each other, and liquid crystals (70) forming at least one liquid crystal layer (34) arranged between said electrodes (26, 32) on said substrates (28, 30). The orientation of the liquid crystals (70) is controllable by a voltage supplied to the electrodes (26, 32). The liquid crystal layer (34) is provided on at least one alignment layer (36, 38) arranged on at least one electrode (26, 32) on said substrates (28, 30). The liquid crystals (70) close to the alignment layer (36, 38) are pre-oriented by at least one pre-tilt angle relative to the alignment layer (36, 38) such that the resulting light diffraction in opposite spatial directions is approximately equal.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a polymer for use as a surface-director alignment layer in a liquid crystal device, said polymer comprising a polymeric backbone and side-chains attached thereto, wherein the polymeric backbone lacks directly coupled ring structures, and each side-chain of at least some of the side-chains comprises at least two unsubstituted and/or substituted phenyls coupled via a coupling selected from the group consisting of a carbon-carbon single bond (-), a carbon-carbon double bond containing unit (-CH=CH-), a carbon-carbon triple bond containing unit (-C=-C-), a methylene eter unit (-CH2O-) , an ethylene eter unit (-CH2CH2O-), an ester unit (-COO-) and an azo unit (-N=N-), exhibits a permanent and/or induced dipole moment that in ordered phase provides dielectric anisotropy, and is attached to the polymeric backbone via at least two spacing atoms.