Light deflector and light output device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915001-B2
Application number	US-201916529328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2019
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

Provided are a light deflector and a light output device including the light deflector, the light deflector including a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer that are spaced apart from each other and facing each other, and a deflection layer configured to deflect incident light thereon based on a voltage applied to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein the first electrode layer includes a plurality of electrode elements that are spaced apart from each other, and a resistor that is in contact with at least part of the plurality of electrode elements and in which a voltage drop is generated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light deflector comprising:
a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer that are spaced apart from each other and facing each other; and
a deflection layer configured to deflect incident light thereon based on a voltage applied to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,
wherein the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of electrode elements that are spaced apart from each other, and a resistor that is in contact with at least part of the plurality of electrode elements and in which a voltage drop is generated,
wherein the plurality of electrode elements comprise:
a first electrode element configured to receive a first voltage;
a second electrode element configured to receive a second voltage that is different from the first voltage; and
a third electrode element configured to receive a third voltage through the resistor, the third voltage being different from the first voltage and the second voltage, respectively, and

wherein the light deflector further comprises a drive circuit configured to apply the first voltage and the second voltage to the first electrode element and the second electrode element, respectively.

2. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the resistor comprises a material having electrical conductivity less than that of the plurality of electrode elements.

3. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the resistor comprises at least one of a conductive material, a semiconductor material, and an impurity-doped dielectric material.

4. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the resistor is in contact with lower surfaces of at least some of the plurality of electrode elements.

5. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the resistor comprises a first region that overlaps with the plurality of electrode elements and a second region that does not overlap with the plurality of electrode elements, with respect to an incident direction of the incident light.

6. The light deflector of claim 4 , wherein side surfaces of the resistor is in contact with side surfaces of at least some of the plurality of electrode elements.

7. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the resistor comprises a plurality of resistance elements provided alternately with the plurality of electrode elements.

8. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the third electrode element is provided between the first electrode element and the second electrode element.

9. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the third voltage is between the first voltage and the second voltage.

10. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the drive circuit comprises:
a first channel configured to output a reference signal of the light deflector; and
a second channel configured to output a drive signal of the light deflector.

11. The light deflector of claim 10 , wherein the drive circuit comprises:
a first switching unit electrically connected to the first channel, the second channel, and the first electrode element, and configured to apply any one of the reference signal and the drive signal, as the first voltage, to the first electrode element; and
a second switching unit electrically connected to the first channel, the second channel, and the second electrode element, and configured to apply any one of the reference signal and the drive signal, as the second voltage, to the second electrode element.

12. The light deflector of claim 11 , wherein the first switching unit comprises:
a first switching element electrically connecting the first channel to the first electrode element; and
a second switching element electrically connecting the second channel to the first electrode element.

13. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein a pitch of the plurality of electrode elements is 20 μm or less.

14. The light deflector of claim 1 , wherein the deflection layer comprises a plurality of liquid crystal molecules, and
wherein an orientation of the plurality of liquid crystal molecules vary based on the applied voltage.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Won Kanghee
• Kim Young
• Song Byonggwon
• Song Hoon
• An Jungkwuen
• Lee Hongseok

Classifications

• G03H1/22

  Processes or apparatus for obtaining an optical image from holograms (G03H1/26 - G03H1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/133 Primary

  Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements (arrangements or circuits for control of liquid crystal elements in a matrix, not structurally associated with these elements G09G3/36) · CPC title

• G02F2203/24

  beam steering · CPC title

• G02B30/00

  Optical systems or apparatus for producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images (in microscopes G02B21/22) · CPC title

• G02F2203/01

  transmissive · CPC title