Optical apparatus
AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsPaul May, Gillian Margaret Davis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-optic material has first and second regions formed therein. The optic axes of the first and second regions are antiparallel and define a domain inversion pattern. The difference in refractive index between the first and second regions is a function of an electric field applied thereto. The difference in refractive index enables spatial light phase modulators and refractive optical devices having electrical control to be formed.
Claims26
An optical apparatus comprising an electro-optic material having at least one first region having a crystal axis along a first direction, at least one second region having a crystal axis along a second direction, and means for applying an electric field across the at least one first region and the at least one second region, wherein the means for applying the electric field is arranged to apply the electric field perpendicularly to the first direction.
A liquid crystal device having a side comprising an optical apparatus and a ferroelectric liquid crystal material adjacent the side, the optical apparatus comprising an electro-optic material having at least one first region having a crystal axis along a first direction, at least one second region having a crystal axis along a second direction, and means for applying an electric field across the at least one first region and the at least one second region, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal material cooperates with the optical apparatus to output light having a phase shift generated in accordance with a polarization inversion pattern formed by the first and second regions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.