Liquid Crystal Lens Retardation Layer Step Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal lenses experience optical retardation deviations in the gap regions between electrodes, leading to unsmooth optical delay curves and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A liquid crystal lens design featuring a retardation layer with steps of varying heights on one substrate and sub-electrodes corresponding to these steps on the opposing substrate, with gaps between sub-electrodes aligned with step points, ensuring a smooth parabolic distribution of optical phase retardation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional electrodes are used without gap compensation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of optical phase retardation distribution deteriorates due to unsmooth optical delay curves in gap regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different regions with different functions: the sub-electrodes provide electrical drive while the gap regions are compensated by the retardation layer to maintain optical uniformity. The retardation layer has spatially varying optical properties (different retardation values in different regions) to specifically address the optical defects in gap areas without changing the overall electrode structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The retardation layer acts as an intermediary element between the electrode gap regions and the liquid crystal layer. It mediates the optical path by providing compensatory retardation to eliminate the unsmooth optical delay curves caused by electrode gaps, thereby achieving smooth optical phase distribution without modifying the electrode structure itself.
2Manufacturing precision
If the width of sub-electrodes is reduced to improve optical smoothness in gap regions, then the manufacturing precision of optical phase retardation improves, but the area of effective electrode coverage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly reducing electrode width, the patent uses local quality by applying a retardation layer with spatially varying properties that specifically targets the gap regions. This allows maintaining the original electrode dimensions for adequate coverage while providing localized optical compensation only where needed (in the gap regions) to achieve smooth phase distribution.
3Manufacturing precision
If a retardation layer with steps is added to compensate for gap region deviations, then the manufacturing precision of optical phase retardation improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional layers and alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The retardation layer serves as an intermediary optical element that compensates for electrode gap effects. While it adds structural complexity, it provides a systematic solution by decoupling the electrical function (electrodes) from the optical compensation function (retardation layer), allowing each to be optimized independently while working together to achieve the desired performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The retardation layer is segmented into multiple layers with different retardation values, where each layer is positioned at specific depths to provide cumulative compensation. This segmentation allows precise control of optical phase distribution by stacking layers with progressively adjusted properties, enabling fine-tuned compensation for gap region deviations.
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
This design enhances the performance of the liquid crystal lens by eliminating optical retardation deviations, achieving a smooth optical phase retardation curve and improving focusing capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode... When the potential at the third electrode is set equal to or lower than the potential at the second electrode, the liquid crystal layer acts as a convex lens; when the potential at the third electrode is set higher than the potential at the second electrode, the liquid crystal layer acts as a concave lens
Implementation Method 2
The dielectric layer includes a first and a second dielectric sub-layer... The first dielectric sub-layer includes one or more unit patterns... a height of each of the unit patterns in a first flat section is different from the height thereof in a second flat section
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid crystal lens, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device are provided. The liquid crystal lens includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate. A first electrode is disposed on the first substrate. A retardation layer is disposed on a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate. The retardation layer includes a plurality of steps having different heights. A second electrode is disposed on the second substrate. The second electrode is disposed opposite to the first electrode. The second electrode includes a plurality of sub-electrodes, the plurality of sub-electrodes are corresponding to the plurality of steps one-to-one. The width of the sub-electrode is smaller than the width of a step corresponding to the sub-electrode. A gap is provided between two adjacent sub-electrodes. One edge of the gap is aligned with a step point of two adjacent steps. A liquid crystal is filled in a space between the retardation layer and the second substrate. The optical retardation deviation in the gap region of the electrodes is eliminated, thereby improving the performance of the liquid crystal lens.