Light control device

A light control device, comprising:

• a first transparent electrode;
• a second transparent electrode;
• a polarizing layer formed on one of the first and second transparent electrodes;
• a light control layer sandwiched in a vertical direction between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode;
• a first orientation layer formed on a first surface of the light control layer and positioned between the first transparent electrode and the light control layer;
• a second orientation layer formed on a second surface of the light control layer and positioned between the second transparent electrode and the light control layer,
• wherein the light control layer includes a polymer network and a liquid crystal composition forming a plurality of domains in the polymer network such that at least one of the domains is in contact with at least one of the first and second orientation layers and that the liquid crystal composition includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and a dichroic dye, the liquid crystal molecules have an orientation that changes to a horizontal orientation perpendicular to the vertical direction upon application of a driving voltage to the light control layer such that an absorption axis of the dichroic dye intersects with an absorption axis of the polarizing layer, the plurality of domains is dispersed in the polymer network such that the plurality of domains are connected each other through adjacent ones of the domains and that the liquid crystal composition is continuous through the plurality of domains, and the light control layer is formed such that the liquid crystal composition is in a form of the plurality of domains having an average domain diameter in a range of 0.1 μm to 5 μm.

A light control device, comprising:

• a first transparent electrode;
• a second transparent electrode;
• a light control layer sandwiched vertically between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode;
• a first orientation layer formed on a first surface of the light control layer and positioned between the first transparent electrode and the light control layer;
• a second orientation layer formed on a second surface of the light control layer and positioned between the second transparent electrode and the light control layer;
• and
• a pair of polarizing layers sandwiching the light control layer and positioned in a crossed Nicols relationship,
• wherein the light control layer includes a polymer network and a liquid crystal composition forming a plurality of domains in the polymer network such that at least one of the domains is in contact with at least one of the first and second orientation layers and that the liquid crystal composition includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules that change to a vertical orientation upon application of a driving voltage to the light control layer, and the plurality of domains is dispersed in the polymer network such that the plurality of domains are connected each other through adjacent ones of the domains and that the liquid crystal composition is continuous through the plurality of domains, and the light control layer is formed such that a thickness of the light control layer satisfies mλ=Δnd=(ne−no)d and λ/2=Δnd, where m is an integer, λ is a wavelength of light incident on the light control layer 12, ne is an extraordinary refractive index, no is an ordinary refractive index, and d is the thickness of the light control layer.

A light control device, comprising:

• a first transparent electrode;
• a second transparent electrode;
• a light control layer sandwiched vertically between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode;
• a first orientation layer formed on a first surface of the light control layer and positioned between the first transparent electrode and the light control layer;
• a second orientation layer formed on a second surface of the light control layer and positioned between the second transparent electrode and the light control layer;
• and
• a pair of polarizing layers sandwiching the light control layer and positioned in a crossed Nicols relationship,
• wherein the light control layer includes a polymer network and a liquid crystal composition forming a plurality of domains in the polymer network such that at least one of the domains is in contact with at least one of the first and second orientation layers and that the liquid crystal composition includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules that change to a vertical orientation upon application of a driving voltage to the light control layer, and the plurality of domains is dispersed in the polymer network such that the plurality of domains are connected each other through adjacent ones of the domains and that the liquid crystal composition is continuous through the plurality of domains, and the light control layer is formed such that the polymer network includes a liquid crystal polymer, and that a difference between a maximum refractive index and a minimum refractive index is 0.16 or less among a refractive index of the polymer network, an extraordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal molecules and an ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal molecules.