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US 4,572,616 AGranted
Adaptive liquid crystal lens
AssigneeSyracuse University
InventorsStephen T. Kowel, Philipp G. Kornreich, Dennis S. Cleverly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid crystal adaptive lens system wherein the index of refraction profile of the liquid crystal is controlled electrically to bring entering light to focus.
Claims8
An adaptive lens for focusing arbitrarily polarized light entering the system at an image plane that includes
- a pair of liquid crystal cells which are placed in series along an axis defining the axis of the lens,
- each of said cells having a pair of flat optically clear plates that are perpendicularly aligned with the lens axis, a liquid crystal housed between the plates and a series of radially disposed transparent control electrodes mounted upon one of the plates that are symmetrically positioned about the lens axis,
- a first of said cells having means associated therewith for preferentially aligning the liquid crystal housed therein in an X-direction,
- a second of said cells having means associated therewith for preferentially aligning the liquid crystal housed therein in a Y-direction,
- said two liquid crystal cells being arranged to influence light passing therethrough only with nematic material contained therein, and
- control means for selectively placing a predetermined voltage values on each of said control electrodes for contouring the index of refraction profile of the liquid crystal about the lens axis to obtain a spherical lens response for focusing arbitrarily polarized light at an image plane.
3 more elements
An adaptive lens having a central axis for controlling the phase of light passing through a dominant aperture of the lens that includes
- a first unit for influencing incoming light polarized in the X-direction that is centered upon the axis of the lens,
- a second unit for influencing incoming light polarized in the Y-direction that is centered upon the axis of the lens,
- each of said units containing a pair of liquid crystal cells, each cell further including a pair of flat optically clear plates, a nematic liquid crystal housed between the plates and a series of parallel aligned linear electrodes disposed within the cell,
- the first unit having means associated with each cell for preferentially aligning the liquid crystal molecules in the X-direction and the electrodes in one of said cells being disposed in the X-direction and the electrodes in the other cell being disposed in the Y-direction,
- the second unit having means associated with each of the cells for preferentially aligning the liquid crystal molecules in the Y-direction and the control electrodes contained in one of the cells being disposed in the X-direction add the control electrodes contained in the other of said cells being disposed in the Y-direction, and
- control means connected to each of the electrodes for selectively placing a predetermined voltage thereon for contouring the index of refraction profile of the liquid crystal about the axis of the lens to produce a spherical lens response for focusing arbitrarily polarized incoming light at a desired image plane.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.