Liquid Crystal Lens Aperture Patterns for Diopter Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal lenses have a limited adjustable diopter range due to a fixed thickness, which restricts their application in vision correction devices, as a larger aperture pattern for adjustable diopter results in a smaller diopter value.
Innovation Solution
An electrically tunable liquid crystal lens with a patterned electrode layer featuring multiple aperture patterns of varying sizes and configurations, allowing for a variable electric field that adjusts the refractive index and diopter across different regions, enabling a larger diopter value even with a fixed thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the aperture pattern of the electrode layers is made large to facilitate control over a large area of liquid crystal molecules, then the field of vision coverage is improved, but the diopter of the liquid crystal lens element becomes smaller
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode layer is divided into multiple independent electrode regions with different aperture patterns (circular, square, rectangular, triangular) instead of a single large electrode. Each electrode region can be independently controlled to generate different diopter values, allowing the system to maintain large overall coverage while providing high diopter options through selective activation of smaller electrode regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the liquid crystal lens element are assigned different aperture patterns and electrode configurations to create local variations in optical properties. This allows certain areas to have high diopter values while other areas provide broad coverage, resolving the contradiction between overall area and localized diopter strength.
2Device complexity
If the thickness of the liquid crystal lens element is fixed, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the adjustable diopter range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The lens element incorporates multiple electrode regions that can be dynamically activated or deactivated based on user needs. By selectively controlling different electrode regions with varying aperture patterns, the system can dynamically adjust the effective diopter range without changing the physical thickness of the lens, thereby enhancing adaptability while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
A single fixed-thickness lens element serves multiple functions by incorporating electrode regions designed for different diopter requirements. The same physical structure can provide both low-diopter broad-coverage modes and high-diopter focused modes through selective electrode activation, making the lens universally applicable for various vision correction needs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for a larger adjustable diopter range across the entire lens area, enhancing the versatility and effectiveness of the liquid crystal lens in vision correction devices by distributing diopters correspondingly to the aperture patterns, enabling multifocal or progressive lens functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid crystal molecules of liquid crystal layer present therebetween are subjected to an electric field, and are thus induced to rotate
Implementation Method 2
causing change of refractive index of the liquid crystal layer
Data Source
AI summary
An electrically tunable liquid crystal lens includes a carrier substrate, a common electrode layer disposed on the carrier substrate, a liquid crystal unit, a patterned electrode layer, a terminal electrode layer, a dielectric insulating layer, and a cover. The liquid crystal unit is disposed on the common electrode layer opposite to the carrier substrate, and includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules. The patterned electrode layer is disposed on the liquid crystal unit opposite to the common electrode layer, and has a plurality of aperture patterns located within a projection of the liquid crystal unit on the patterned electrode layer. The terminal electrode layer is disposed on the patterned electrode layer opposite to the liquid crystal unit. The dielectric insulating layer is disposed between the patterned electrode layer and the terminal electrode layer. The cover is disposed on the terminal electrode layer opposite to the dielectric insulating layer.