Large-aperture liquid crystal lens array based on layered combined electrodes for 2D/3D switchable display.

Abstract

This work proposes a large aperture liquid crystal lens array based on a novel layered combined electrode (LCE) structure. A large aperture (800µm) is achieved by strategically positioning pixel electrodes on either side of the LC lens and auxiliary electrodes at its center. This design effectively doubles the LC lens aperture compared to conventional structures, achieving this at a significantly lower voltage. Concurrently, the voltage applied to the auxiliary electrode is maintained at a lower level than the pixel electrode voltage to optimize the electric field distribution. To assess the operational efficiency of the proposed structure, a comparative simulation is conducted against a conventional model. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed LC lens array achieves a remarkably short focal length of 2.2 mm at a low operating voltage (∼4.8V_rms). Compared with the method of enlarging the aperture by adding multiple auxiliary electrodes, the proposed LC lens array simplifies the electrode structure and thus reduces the electric field crosstalk between electrodes. Furthermore, this configuration enables seamless 2D/3D switching functionality.