Liquid Crystal Phase Modulator Alignment Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical phase modulation elements, such as those using liquid crystal panels, face reduced diffraction efficiency due to disclination effects caused by non-uniform alignment directions, leading to deteriorated reproduced images.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating multiple alignment regions within the optical phase modulation element, where the alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules is either parallel or perpendicular to the polarization axis of incident light, to optimize and uniformize diffraction efficiency across pixel regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single alignment direction is used in the optical phase modulation element, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the diffraction efficiency becomes non-uniform due to disclination effects
Solution Approach 1:
The optical phase modulation element is divided into multiple pixel regions (first pixel regions and second pixel regions), where each region has a different alignment direction. This segmentation allows the disclination effects to be distributed and averaged across regions, achieving uniform diffraction efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized regional patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
Different alignment directions are assigned to different pixel regions based on their local requirements. The first pixel regions have a first alignment direction while the second pixel regions have a second alignment direction, optimizing the diffraction efficiency for each local region and achieving overall uniformity when the regions are combined.
2Reliability
If the alignment direction is parallel to the polarization axis, then the optical modulation performance is optimized, but disclination effects cause non-uniform diffraction efficiency across the panel
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment direction parameter is changed across different pixel regions. By alternating between first alignment directions (parallel to polarization axis) and second alignment directions (perpendicular to polarization axis) in adjacent pixel regions, the disclination effects are averaged out, achieving uniform diffraction efficiency while maintaining optimal optical modulation performance in each region.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex phase distribution calculations are performed to compensate for disclination effects, then diffraction efficiency uniformity can be achieved, but the device complexity and manufacturing adjustment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical phase modulation element structure itself provides the solution to the disclination problem through its alternating alignment region configuration. The regular pattern of first and second pixel regions with different alignment directions automatically averages out the disclination effects, eliminating the need for complex phase distribution calculations or additional manufacturing adjustments.
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 approach enhances diffraction efficiency uniformity and improves the quality of reproduced images by averaging disclination effects, reducing the need for complex phase distribution calculations and manufacturing adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
an optical phase modulation element including a plurality of pixels in each of which liquid crystal molecules are arrayed, and including a plurality of pixel regions each including the plurality of pixels, the optical phase modulation element modulating, for each of the pixels, a phase of incident light
Implementation Method 2
at least one first alignment region where an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is a first direction parallel with a polarization axis of the incident light, and at least one second alignment region where an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is a second direction parallel with the polarization axis of the incident light
Implementation Method 3
In a case where the optical phase modulation element is caused to act as a diffraction element, diffraction efficiency may decrease under influence of a disclination that occurs depending on an alignment direction
Data Source
AI summary
A phase modulation device of the present disclosure includes: a light source; and an optical phase modulation element including a plurality of pixels in each of which liquid crystal molecules are arrayed, and including a plurality of pixel regions each including the plurality of pixels, the optical phase modulation element modulating, for each of the pixels, a phase of incident light entering the plurality of pixel regions from the light source. The optical phase modulation element includes, as the plurality of pixel regions, at least one first alignment region where an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is a first direction parallel with a polarization axis of the incident light, and at least one second alignment region where an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is a second direction parallel with the polarization axis of the incident light and different from the first direction by 180 degrees.