Patent ID: 6469683
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: G02B,G02F,H04N

Abstract:
An optical device comprising:at least first and second parallel spaced transparent electrodes; a dual frequency liquid crystal layer composed of a variable refractive index material having a dielectric constant anisotropy, the dielectric constant &Dgr; of said variable refractive index material having a positive value when a periodic electric field having a first frequency is applied thereto and a negative value when a periodic electric field having a second frequency is applied thereto, said first frequency being higher than said second frequency, said dual frequency liquid crystal layer being deposited on said first transparent electrode; a transparent material layer having a curved surface configuration selected from the group consisting of at least one of a convex lens, a concave lens and a Fresnel lens, said transparent material layer being interposed between said second transparent electrode and said dual frequency liquid crystal layer; and a driving device sequentially and periodically applying voltages at said first and second frequencies across said first and second transparent electrodes for a predetermined period of time, the application of said periodic voltages between said first and second transparent electrodes applying a periodically alternating force to molecules of said liquid crystal layer, said alternating force balancing constraints within said liquid crystal layer, said constraints including a viscosity of said molecules, to provide an analog periodic aligning motion to said molecules.