Optical element and lighting device

An optical element comprising:

• a first liquid crystal cell into which light, including a first polarized component having a first polarized axis in a first direction and a second polarized component having a second polarized axis in a second direction intersecting the first direction, is configured to enter;
• and
• a second liquid crystal cell from which the light is configured to be emitted after passing through the first liquid crystal cell,
• wherein
• the first liquid crystal cell and the second liquid crystal cell are stacked,
• each of the first liquid crystal cell and the second liquid crystal cell comprises:
• a first substrate,
• a first transparent electrode and a second transparent electrode alternately and repeatedly arranged in the first direction on the first substrate and extending in the second direction,
• a first alignment film covering the first and second transparent electrodes, the first alignment film having an alignment direction in the first direction,
• a second substrate,
• a third transparent electrode and a fourth transparent electrode alternately and repeatedly arranged in the second direction on the second substrate and extending in the first direction,
• a second alignment film covering the third and fourth transparent electrodes, the second alignment film having an alignment direction in the second direction, and
• a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, a long axis of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer aligned according to both of the alignment directions of the first and second alignment films so as to rotate horizontally from the first direction to the second direction from the first substrate side to the second substrate side,
• the second substrate of the first liquid crystal cell and the first substrate of the second liquid crystal cell are adjacent to each other,
• wherein
• in an OFF state in which no electric field is applied to the first to fourth transparent electrodes,
• the first polarized component and the second polarized component are optically rotated as passing through each of the liquid crystal layer from the first substrate to the second substrate so as to rotate the first polarized axis from the first direction to the second direction and the second polarized axis from the second direction to the first direction, and
• in an ON state in which an electric field is provided between the third and fourth transparent electrodes of the first liquid crystal cell and the second liquid crystal cell,
• in the first liquid crystal cell, the first polarized component and the second polarized component are optically rotated as passing through the liquid crystal layer from the first substrate to the second substrate so as to rotate the first polarized axis from the first direction to the second direction and the second polarized axis from the second direction to the first direction with the first polarized component diffusing in the second direction at the second substrate side, and
• in the second liquid crystal cell, the first polarized component and the second polarized component are optically rotated as passing through the liquid crystal layer from the first substrate to the second substrate so as to rotate the first polarized axis from the first direction to the second direction and the second polarized axis from the second direction to the first direction with the second polarized component diffusing in the second direction at the second substrate side.