Enhancing Optical Performance of Liquid Crystal Lens Arrays via Electrode Design Optimization

A liquid crystal (LC) lens array based on double-layer composite electrodes, characterized by a large aperture, short focal length, and low operating voltage is demonstrated. The lens array consists of an LC layer, a top common electrode, a bottom double-layer composite electrode layer, and an oxide layer. The bottom double-layer composite electrode layer comprises the pixel electrodes and the auxiliary electrode. In focusing mode, the pixel electrodes receive operational voltage to establish the LC layer's electric field, with the auxiliary electrode applying reduced voltage for field optimization. Experiment results show that the proposed LC lens array achieves the shortest focal length of 3.3 mm when the pixel electrodes are set at 5.2 Vrms and the auxiliary electrode is set at 2.6 Vrms. This design addresses the technical challenge of achieving larger apertures (800 μm or more), offering enhanced viewing zones and improved 3D performance. This configuration provides an ideal refractive index distribution in a relatively thick LC layer, enabling 2D/3D switchable display with performance superior to current LC lens arrays of equivalent aperture. Furthermore, the proposed structure demonstrates excellent tolerance to manufacturing errors.