Patent ID: 9448456
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: G02F

Claim Text:
1. A liquid crystal gradient index optical lens device having a layered structure, the device comprising: four liquid crystal layers in split liquid crystal cells for acting on essentially orthogonal linear polarizations of light, each liquid crystal cell having an alignment surface that defines in a liquid crystal material a spatially uniform pre-tilt angle of opposite signs; and planar electrodes for generating an electric field controlling an orientation of said liquid crystal material, wherein one of said electrodes being patterned and said electric field is spatially modulated using a layer of complex dielectric material associated with said patterned electrode to shape said electric field as a function of control signal frequency, wherein said one electrode is a middle electrode operating between opposed planar electrodes defining separately an electric field on each side of said one electrode, wherein said liquid crystal optical device has angular symmetry of optical power.