Liquid crystal element, deflection element, liquid crystal module, and electronic device

A liquid crystal element that refracts light exiting therefrom, the liquid crystal element comprising:

• a first electrode to which a first voltage is applied;
• a second electrode to which a second voltage is applied, the second voltage being different from the first voltage;
• an insulating layer that is an electrical insulator;
• a resistive layer;
• a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal;
• a third electrode to which a third voltage is applied;
• a first boundary layer that is an electrical insulator;
• and
• a second boundary layer that faces the first boundary layer with the insulating layer therebetween, wherein
• the insulating layer is located among the first electrode, the second electrode, and the resistive layer, and insulates the first electrode, the second electrode, and the resistive layer from one another,
• the resistive layer has an electric resistivity higher than each of electric resistivities of the first electrode and the second electrode, and lower than an electric resistivity of the insulating layer,
• the resistive layer and the liquid crystal layer are located between the insulating layer and the third electrode,
• the resistive layer is located between the insulating layer and the liquid crystal layer,
• the second boundary layer is a resistor having an electric resistivity higher than the electric resistivity of the resistive layer or an electrical insulator,
• the first electrode and the second electrode constitute a unit electrode,
• the unit electrode includes a plurality of unit electrodes,
• a second electrode of one unit electrode of mutually adjacent unit electrodes among the plurality of unit electrodes is adjacent to a first electrode of the other unit electrode of the mutually adjacent unit electrodes,
• the first boundary layer is located between the second electrode and the first electrode that are adjacent to each other,
• the resistive layer includes a plurality of resistive layers corresponding to the plurality of unit electrodes, and
• the second boundary layer is located between mutually adjacent resistive layers among the plurality of resistive layers.