An electrically tunable-focusing liquid crystal lens with a low voltage and simple electrodes

An electrically tunable focusing LC lens with a low voltage and simple planar electrodes is demonstrated. The inhomogeneous electric field of the LC lens without any hole-patterned-electrode is generated by using an embedded polymeric layer with a gradient distribution of dielectric constants (or relative permittivity). LC directors in the LC layer experience spatially inhomogeneous voltages even though a single voltage is applied to the planar electrodes. Such a LC lens has a low voltage (similar to 2.6 V-rms) and simple design of electrodes. The gradient distribution of dielectric constants of polymeric layer is discussed and the performance of the LC lens is investigated. The applications of such a LC lens are cell phones, webcam, and pico projectors. (C)2012 Optical Society of America