Upstream Lens Array for Liquid Crystal Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal (LC) beam steering systems suffer from low transmission efficiency and unwanted beam steering effects due to complex electric potential distributions and fringing fields, leading to beam deformation and misdirection.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an upstream lens or upstream lens array to reduce the beam width of the light beam before it enters the LC beam steering device, combined with control electronics to dynamically control the electrodes and influence the LC molecules for directional steering, thereby reducing unwanted beam steering effects and improving transmission and steering efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional LC beam steering systems are used, then beam steering functionality is achieved, but unwanted beam steering effects and low transmission efficiency occur due to complex electric potential distributions and fringing fields
Solution Approach 1:
A lens is introduced as an intermediary optical element between the light source and the LC beam steering device. This lens pre-condenses the light beam to a smaller spot size, which serves as a mediator that transforms the illumination pattern incident on the LC device, thereby reducing the impact of fringing fields and complex electric potential distributions on beam steering accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The lens performs preliminary action by condensing the light beam before it enters the LC beam steering device. This pre-condensation of the beam to a reduced spot size prepares the light in advance, ensuring that only light within the linear zone of the electric potential gradient is utilized for beam steering, thereby eliminating unwanted beam steering effects
2Productivity
If conventional LC beam steering systems are used, then beam steering is achieved, but low transmission efficiency occurs due to beam deformation and misdirection
Solution Approach 1:
The lens acts as an intermediary that transforms the broad light beam into a condensed spot that fits within the linear zone of the LC device's electric potential gradient. This intermediary transformation ensures that light is efficiently transmitted through the device without deformation or misdirection, thereby improving both transmission efficiency and beam quality
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 significantly reduces unwanted beam steering effects and enhances both transmission and steering efficiency by pre-conditioning the light beam with an upstream lens or lens array, ensuring a more focused and accurately directed output beam.
Implementation Method 1
an upstream lens arranged upstream of the LC beam steering device... The upstream lens reduces a beam width of a light beam to provide a reduced-diameter light beam incident at the LC beam steering device
Implementation Method 2
the electrodes can be selectively activated to control a shape of an electrical potential in the space between substrates 106a and 106b, which orients the liquid crystal molecules 104 and thereby influences light passing through the CA of LC device 102
Implementation Method 3
the electrodes 110 can be selectively activated to control a shape of an electrical potential in the space between substrates 106a and 106b, which orients the liquid crystal molecules 104
Implementation Method 4
The WCL 114 asymmetrically influences the electric potential U, in this case in the positive y-axis direction, which directionally steers the light passing through the CA of LC device 102
Data Source
AI summary
A beam steering system may include a dynamically controllable liquid crystal (LC) beam steering device including an array of multiple LC beam steering segments, an upstream lens array arranged upstream of the beam steering device, and control electronics configured to control the beam steering device to output a directionally steered light. The upstream lens array includes multiple upstream lens elements, each configured to reduce a beam width of a respective light beam to provide a reduced-diameter light beam to a corresponding LC beam steering segment in the multi-segment LC beam steering device. Providing reduced-diameter light beams to the beam steering device may reduce unwanted beam steering effects and provide an improved beam steering efficiency of the beam steering system.