Liquid crystal optical device, image display device, and imaging device

A liquid crystal optical device comprising:

• a first substrate unit including:
• a first substrate having a first principal surface parallel to a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• a plurality of first electrodes formed on the first principal surface, the first electrodes extending in the first direction and being arranged in the second direction;
• a plurality of second electrodes, each of the second electrodes being formed between two adjacent first electrodes of the first electrodes on the first principal surface, the second electrodes extending in the first direction and being arranged in the second direction;
• and a first alignment layer covering the first electrodes, the second electrodes, and the first substrate;
• a second substrate unit including:
• a second substrate having a second principal surface facing the first principal surface;
• an opposing electrode formed between the second principal surface and the first substrate unit;
• and a second alignment layer covering the opposing electrode and the second substrate;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate unit and the second substrate unit, the liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules,
• wherein
• the liquid crystal molecules on a side of the first alignment layer is aligned perpendicularly to the first principal surface while the liquid crystal molecules on a side of the second alignment layer are aligned horizontally along the second direction,
• the opposing electrode includes:
• a first region located between a first plane and a second plane, the first plane extending along the center of a width of one of the second electrodes in the second direction, the center line being parallel to the first direction, the first plane being perpendicular to the second direction, the second plane extending along a center line of one of the first electrodes adjacent to the second electrode, the second plane being perpendicular to the second direction;
• and
• a second region located between the first plane and a third plane extending along the center line of the other one of the first electrodes adjacent to the second electrode, the third plane being perpendicular to the second direction, and
• the first region has N first openings, and the second region includes M second openings, N being an integer of 0 or greater, M being an integer of 1 or greater, M being greater than N.