Liquid crystal element
AssigneeOsaka University
InventorsGiichi Shibuya, Sunri Lee, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Masanori Ozaki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid crystal element is provided that can inhibit occurrence of voltage drop between one end and the other end of each electrode. A liquid crystal element (100) includes a liquid crystal layer LQ, a plurality of first arcuate electrodes (1), and a plurality of second arcuate electrodes (2). The first arcuate electrodes (1) are disposed concentrically about an optical axis (AX) of the liquid crystal element (100) and applies first voltage (V1) to the liquid crystal layer (LQ). The second arcuate electrodes (2) are disposed concentrically about the optical axis (AX) and applies second voltage (V2) to the liquid crystal layer (LQ).
Claims19
A liquid crystal element comprising:
- a liquid crystal layer;
- a plurality of first arcuate electrodes disposed concentrically about an optical axis of the liquid crystal element and configured to apply first voltage to the liquid crystal layer;
- and
- a plurality of second arcuate electrodes disposed concentrically about the optical axis and configured to apply second voltage to the liquid crystal layer, wherein
- the liquid crystal element has an electrode placement area in which the first arcuate electrodes and the second arcuate electrodes are disposed,
- each of unit electrodes is constituted by one of the first arcuate electrodes and one of the second arcuate electrodes adjacent to each other in a radial direction to the optical axis, the unit electrodes being arranged side by side in the radial direction in the electrode placement area,
- the liquid crystal element further comprises high-resistance layers each having a higher electrical resistivity than the first arcuate electrodes and the second arcuate electrodes, the high-resistance layers each being disposed between a corresponding one of the first arcuate electrodes and a corresponding one of the second arcuate electrodes in a plan view,
- the liquid crystal element further comprises a core electrode and a center electrode, the core electrode being disposed in a part, of the electrode placement area, through which the optical axis passes, the center electrode forming a potential gradient between the center electrode and the core electrode in the electrode placement area,
- a unit electrode of the unit electrodes that is located outside of a specific location in the radial direction has a radius Rn smaller than a radius Un expressed by formula (1) and formula (2), where a subscript n indicates an n-th location from the optical axis, and
- the formula (2) includes a radius Sc of the center electrode:
- Sn
- -
- 0.1
- ×
- Sn
- ≤
- Un
- ≤
- Sn
- +
- 0.1
- ×
- Sn
- (
- 1
- )
- Sn
- =
- (
- n
- +
- 1
- )
- 1
- 2
- ×
- Sc
- .
- (
- 2
- )
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.