Liquid crystal lens with enhanced electrical drive

An optical device, comprising:

• an electro-optical layer, having an effective local index of refraction at any given location within an active area of the electro-optical layer that is determined by a voltage waveform applied across the electro-optical layer at the location;
• conductive electrodes disposed over opposing first and second side of the electro-optical layer;
• and
• control circuitry, which is configured to apply at least first control voltage waveforms and second control voltage waveforms between the conductive electrodes so as to generate respective first and second phase modulation profiles in the electro-optical layer, which cause rays of optical radiation that are incident on the device to converge or diverge with respective first and second focal powers, and which is configured to change from the first focal power to the second focal power by concurrently applying overshoot control voltages to each of a plurality of the conductive electrodes, followed by application of the second control voltage waveforms,
• wherein the overshoot control voltages applied to at least one electrode among the plurality of the conductive electrodes depend both on the first and second control voltage waveforms that are applied to the at least one electrode and on the control voltage waveforms that are applied to one or more other conductive electrodes that are adjacent to the at least one electrode.

An optical method, comprising:

• providing an optical device, which includes an electro-optical layer, having an effective local index of refraction at any given location within an active area of the electro-optical layer that is determined by a voltage waveform applied across the electro-optical layer at the location, and conductive electrodes disposed over first and second side of the electro-optical layer;
• applying first control voltage waveforms between the conductive electrodes so as to generate a first phase modulation profile in the electro-optical layer, which causes rays of optical radiation that are incident on the device to converge or diverge with a first focal power;
• in preparation for changing from the first focal power to a second focal power, concurrently applying overshoot control voltages to each of a plurality of the conductive electrodes for different, respective transition periods;
• and
• subsequent to the overshoot control voltages, applying second control voltage waveforms between the conductive electrodes so as to generate a second phase modulation profile in the electro-optical layer, which causes the rays of the optical radiation that are incident on the device to converge or diverge with the second focal power.

An optical method, comprising:

• providing an optical device, which includes an electro-optical layer, having an effective local index of refraction at any given location within an active area of the electro-optical layer that is determined by a voltage waveform applied across the electro-optical layer at the location, and conductive electrodes disposed over first and second side of the electro-optical layer;
• applying first control voltage waveforms between the conductive electrodes so as to generate a first phase modulation profile in the electro-optical layer, which causes rays of optical radiation that are incident on the device to converge or diverge with a first focal power;
• in preparation for changing from the first focal power to a second focal power, concurrently applying overshoot control voltages to each of a plurality of the conductive electrodes;
• and
• subsequent to the overshoot control voltages, applying second control voltage waveforms between the conductive electrodes so as to generate a second phase modulation profile in the electro-optical layer, which causes the rays of the optical radiation that are incident on the device to converge or diverge with the second focal power,
• wherein the overshoot control voltages applied to at least one electrode among the plurality of the conductive electrodes depend both on the first and second control voltage waveforms that are applied to the at least one electrode and on the control voltage waveforms that are applied to one or more other conductive electrodes that are adjacent to the at least one electrode.