Optical element and display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10989968-B2
Application number	US-201816118452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

An optical element configured to allow an image beam passing through is provided. The optical element includes a first and a second birefringent layer and a gas layer between the first and the second birefringent layer. An extension direction of the gas layer is inclined with respect to an extension direction of the optical element, wherein the image beam passes through the first birefringent layer, the gas layer and the second birefringent layer in sequence. A first and a second sub image beam having different deflection angles are generated from the image beam when the image beam enters the gas layer. After the first and the second sub image beam are emitted from the second birefringent layer, a transmission path of the first and the second sub image beam are offset from each other by an offset distance, thereby improving resolution of an image to be viewed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical element configured to allow an image beam passing through, the optical element comprising a first birefringent layer, a second birefringent layer and a gas layer, wherein
the gas layer has a thickness and is disposed between the first birefringent layer and the second birefringent layer, and is an enclosed space enclosed by a first substrate between the gas layer and the first birefringent layer, a second substrate between the gas layer and the second birefringent layer, and a plurality of supports disposed around the gas layer, and an extension direction of the gas layer is inclined with respect to an extension direction of the optical element by a non-zero angle, wherein the image beam passes through the first birefringent layer, the gas layer and the second birefringent layer in sequence, wherein a first sub image beam and a second sub image beam having different deflection angles are generated from the image beam when the image beam enters the gas layer, and the first sub image beam and the second sub image beam are offset from each other by an offset distance after being emitted from the second birefringent layer.

2. The optical element according to claim 1 , wherein the image beam comprises a first polarized beam and a second polarized beam which alternately appear, the first sub image beam and the second sub image beam are generated respectively from the first polarized beam and the second polarized beam when the first polarized beam and the second polarized beam enter the gas layer, and the first polarized beam and the second polarized beam have polarization directions perpendicular to each other.

3. The optical element according to claim 1 , wherein the first birefringent layer and the second birefringent layer are liquid crystal layers.

4. The optical element according to claim 3 , wherein the image beam is a polarized beam, and in accordance with a change in the first birefringent layer after the image beam is transmitted to the first birefringent layer, the first sub image beam and the second sub image beam are alternately generated from the image beam when the image beam enters the gas layer.

5. The optical element according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a first transparent conductive layer disposed on the first birefringent layer;
a second transparent conductive layer disposed on the first birefringent layer, the first birefringent layer being located between the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer, the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer being configured to cause phase modulation in the first birefringent layer;
a third transparent conductive layer disposed on the second birefringent layer; and
a fourth transparent conductive layer disposed on the second birefringent layer, the second birefringent layer being located between the third transparent conductive layer and the fourth transparent conductive layer, the third transparent conductive layer and the fourth transparent conductive layer being configured to cause phase modulation in the second birefringent layer.

6. The optical element according to claim 1 , wherein the offset distance is related to an inclination angle of the gas layer, the thickness of the gas layer, and birefringence of the first birefringent layer and the second birefringent layer.

7. The optical element according to claim 1 , wherein the first birefringent layer and the second birefringent layer have a wedge shape.

8. The optical element according to claim 1 , wherein the gas layer is an air layer.

9. The optical element according to claim 1 , wherein the extension direction of the gas layer and the extension direction of the optical element have an angle of 0 degree to 5 degrees therebetween.

10. A display device, comprising a display panel, an optical element and a lens element, wherein
the display panel is configured to provide an image beam;
the optical element is disposed on one side of the display panel and is configured to allow the image beam passing through, the optical element comprising a first birefringent layer, a second birefringent layer and a gas layer, wherein
the gas layer has a thickness and is disposed between the first birefringent layer and the second birefringent layer, and is an enclosed space enclosed by a first substrate between the gas layer and the first birefringent layer, a second substrate between the gas layer and the second birefringent layer, and a plurality of supports disposed around the gas layer;

the optical element is disposed between the display panel and the lens element, wherein an extension direction of the gas layer is inclined with respect to an extension direction of the optical element by a non-zero angle, the image beam provided by the display panel passes through the first birefringent layer, the gas layer, the second birefringent layer and the lens element in sequence, a first sub image beam and a second sub image beam having different deflection angles are generated from the image beam when the image beam enters the gas layer, and the first sub image beam and the second sub image beam are offset from each other by an offset distance after being emitted from the second birefringent layer.

11. The display device according to claim 10 , wherein the display panel comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in array, and the offset distance is smaller than a pitch of the pixels in a diagonal direction.

12. The display device according to claim 10 , wherein the image beam comprises a first polarized beam and a second polarized beam which alternately appear, the first sub image beam and the second sub image beam are generated respectively from the first polarized beam and the second polarized beam when the first polarized beam and the second polarized beam enter the gas layer, and the first polarized beam and the second polarized beam have polarization directions perpendicular to each other.

13. The display device according to claim 10 , wherein the first birefringent layer and the second birefringent layer are liquid crystal layers.

14. The display device according to claim 13 , wherein the image beam is a polarized beam, and in accordance with a change in the first birefringent layer after the image beam is transmitted to the first birefringent layer, the first sub image beam and the second sub image beam are alternately generated from the image beam when the image beam enters the gas layer.

15. The display device according to claim 14 , wherein the optical element further comprises:
a first transparent conductive layer disposed on the first birefringent layer;
a second transparent conductive layer disposed on the first birefringent layer, the first birefringent layer being located between the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer, the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer being configured to cause phase modulation in the first birefringent layer;
a third transparent conductive layer disposed on the second birefringent layer; and
a fourth transparent conductive layer disposed on the second birefringent layer, the second birefringent layer being located between the third transparent conductive layer and the fourth transparent conductive layer, the third transparent conductive layer and the fourth transparent conductive layer being configured to cause phase modulation in the second birefringent layer.

16. The display device according to claim 10 , wherein the offset distance is related to an inclination angle of the g

Assignees

• Coretronic Corp

Inventors

• Huang Yi-Pai
• Jen Tai-Hsiang
• Hsieh Po-Yuan
• Wu Jui-Yi
• Chuang Fu-Ming

Classifications

• G02B27/0101 Primary

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F2203/50

  Phase-only modulation · CPC title

• G02F1/13471 Primary

  in which all the liquid crystal cells or layers remain transparent, e.g. FLC, ECB, DAP, HAN, TN, STN, SBE-LC cells (G02F1/13475 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/0322

  Arrangements comprising two or more independently controlled crystals · CPC title

• G02B30/25

  using polarisation techniques · CPC title