Optical element

外国特許コード	F110004113
整理番号	RJ008P18WO
掲載日	2011年7月11日
出願国	欧州特許庁（ＥＰＯ）
出願番号	05774676
公報番号	1783538
公報番号	1783538
出願日	平成17年8月25日(2005.8.25)
公報発行日	平成19年5月9日(2007.5.9)
公報発行日	平成28年1月6日(2016.1.6)
国際出願番号	JP2005015464
国際公開番号	WO2006022346
国際出願日	平成17年8月25日(2005.8.25)
国際公開日	平成18年3月2日(2006.3.2)
優先権データ	2005JP015464 (2005.8.25) WO 特願2004-246860 (2004.8.26) JP 特願2005-052626 (2005.2.28) JP
発明の名称 （英語）	Optical element
発明の概要（英語）	The focal distance can be greatly changed by performing an electrical control in an optical element. The optical element comprises a first substrate (111) having a first electrode (21), a second substrate (112), a second electrode (22) arranged outside the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer (311) provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and constituted by liquid crystal molecules oriented. A first voltage (Vo) is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, thereby controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, whereby the optical element operates. A third electrode (23) is provided on an insulating layer and outside the second electrode. A second voltage (Vc) independent of the first voltage (Vo) is applied to the third electrode, thereby changing the optical properties.
特許請求の範囲（英語）	[claim1] 1. A liquid crystal lens comprising: a first substrate (111) having a first electrode (21); a second substrate (112) which faces the first electrode of the first substrate and extending in parallel to the first electrode (21); a second electrode arranged outside the second substrate (112) and having a hole (222) on an opposite side to the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer (311) provided between the first substrate (111) and the second substrate (112), and constituted by oriented liquid crystal molecules and an insulating layer (113) on the second electrode of the second substrate; characterized by further comprising a third electrode (23) on the insulating layer which substantially covers or fills the hole; a first voltage-applying circuit (51) configured to apply a first voltage (Vo) between the first and second electrodes (21, 22) to control orientation of the liquid crystal molecules; and a second voltage-applying circuit (52) configured to apply a second voltage (Vc) between the first and third electrodes (21, 23), the second voltage being independent of the first voltage, wherein the first voltage has a fixed value, and the second voltage is changed to achieve second stage optical properties , namely a change of a focal distance, or the second voltage has a fixed value, and.the first voltage is changed to achieve the second-stage optical properties, namely a change of a focal distance. [claim2] 2. The liquid crystal lens of claim 1, wherein: The third electrode (23), which substantially fills the hole (222), is arranged on the same plane as the second electrode (22), further comprising: A third substrate (112-2) symmetrical to the second substrate (112), with the second electrode (22) and a third electrode (23) portion substantially filling the hole (22) in the second electrode being interposed(112) (112-2) between the second substrate and the third substrate; a fourth substrate (111-2) having a second liquid crystal layer and a fourth electrode (21-2), the second liquid crystal layer and the fourth electrode (21-2) being symmetrical to the first liquid crystal layer and the first substrate (21-1), with the second electrode (22), the third electrode (23) portion substantially filling the hole (22) in the second electrode and the third substrate (112-2) being interposed(112) between the second substrate and the second liquid crystal layer, wherein the first voltage-applying circuit (51) is further configured to apply the first voltage (Vo) between the fourth electrode (21-2) and the second electrode (22) to control the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules; and the second voltage-applying circuit (52) is further configured to apply the second voltage (Vc) to the third electrode (23). [claim3] 3. The liquid crystal lens of claim 1 or 2, further comprising: A circuit configured to vary the second voltage (Vc), with the first voltage (Vo) being fixed, such that the optical properties provide a convex lens; and a circuit configured to vary the first voltage (Vo), with the second voltage (Vc) being fixed, such that the optical properties provide a concave lens. [claim4] 4. The liquid crystal lens of claim 3, further comprising: A switch configured to switch between the first voltage-applying circuit and the second voltage-applying circuit.
出願人（英語）	JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY
発明者（英語）	SATO SUSUMU YE MAO
国際特許分類(IPC)	G02F   1/29      光ビームの位置または方向の制御のためのもの，すなわち偏向 G02F   1/1343    電極
欧州特許分類/主・副	G02F001/1343A G02F001/29 S02F001/29M S02F201/12
指定国	Contracting States: DE FR GB