JP4751600B2 - Optical deflection element and image display device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image display apparatus using the light deflecting element and the light deflection element that emits shifts the optical path of the incident light to be energized.

  In order to display a high-resolution image using an image display element having a fixed number of pixels and a pixel pitch, such as liquid crystal, it is necessary to reduce the pixel pitch by shortening the pixels of the image display element itself. However, since it is technically difficult and costly to reduce the pixel pitch of the image display element and reduce the pixel pitch, it is necessary to increase the resolution of the displayed image while maintaining the resolution of the image display element. The technology to make is required.

  Here, if each pixel of the image display element can be displayed with a slight shift to an intermediate position of the pixel pitch, an image having a resolution higher than the original resolution of the image display element can be obtained. In Patent Document 1, a smectic C-phase ferroelectric liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between transparent substrates, a voltage is applied to a conductive spacer between the transparent substrates, and an electric field parallel to the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer is applied. There has been proposed an element that tilts dielectric liquid crystal molecules to shift light transmitted through a transparent substrate.

  In Patent Document 1, a resistor layer is provided on the entire surface of a region that transmits light. When the effective area of the element is increased, a uniform electric field is generated in the plane of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer as the distance between the electrodes is increased. I can't get it. In particular, the variation in the direction and magnitude of the electric field in the central part between the electrodes is remarkable, and the component perpendicular to the electrode in the central part between the electrodes is significantly smaller than in the vicinity of the electrodes, and the liquid crystal molecules are tilted uniformly. Cannot be achieved, and the amount of light shift becomes non-uniform.

JP 2003-098504 A

The present invention applies a parallel and uniform electric field in the plane of the liquid crystal held between the substrates, to uniformly shift the transmitted light, multi-light have use a small light deflector and the light deflecting element An object of the present invention is to provide an image display device that displays a high-resolution image by shifting in the direction.

The optical deflection element of the present invention includes a pair of substrates, a spacer, a liquid crystal layer, an electrode line group, a resistor layer, and a conductive portion, the substrate is transparent and arranged in parallel, and the spacer has a member having a uniform thickness. The liquid crystal layer is arranged so as to surround a certain effective area between the substrates, and the liquid crystal layer forms a chiral smectic C phase in which the normal direction of the layer is perpendicular to the substrate surface in the effective area sandwiched between the substrates. The group has a plurality of linear electrodes parallel to each other and parallel to the liquid crystal layer at positions overlapping the effective region between each substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and electrodes positioned at both ends of the effective region on one substrate side, On the other substrate side, the electrodes located at both ends of the effective region are arranged to face each other in parallel at both ends, and the resistor layer is a linear resistor that is connected in series across the electrodes of one substrate; Connect in series across the electrodes on the other substrate A linear resistor provided on one substrate side and a linear resistor provided on the other substrate side are arranged in parallel to face outside the effective region, The conductive portion electrically connects both ends of the resistor between the substrates. In this optical deflection element, the resistor layer and the conducting portion are formed integrally.

In the light deflector of this, the conduction portion may the entire resistor layer electrically connecting between the substrates. In the optical deflection element of this, it may conduction portion is formed by a portion of the spacer.

  The image display apparatus according to the present invention includes an original image display unit, an optical deflection device, and a display control unit. The original image display unit displays an image with pixels arranged in two dimensions, and the optical deflection device includes two of the above-described optical deflection devices. One of the light deflecting elements and the polarization plane rotating element are provided, and the two light deflecting elements are generated by applying a voltage to the electrodes at both ends of the electrode line group while matching the normal direction of the liquid crystal layer. The direction of the electric field is orthogonalized, the polarization plane rotation element rotates the polarization direction of the transmitted light at a right angle between the two light deflection elements, and the display control unit sequentially switches and displays the image of the original image display unit, By switching the combination of the polarity of the voltage applied to one optical deflection element of the optical deflection device and the polarity of the voltage applied to the other optical deflection element of the optical deflection device for each one or a plurality of images, Display image To shift.

According to the optical deflection element of the present invention , both ends of the resistor layer are electrically connected between the substrates to make them constant between the substrates, thereby forming the potential gradient of the resistor layers symmetrically between the substrates in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the electric potential of each electrode of the electrode line group determined at the position connected to the resistor layer is accurately set to form a uniform electric field in the plane of the liquid crystal layer. Thus, the shift amount can be made uniform, the area for providing the terminal connected to the external power source from the end of the resistor layer can be reduced, the element can be formed in a small size, and the wiring to the external power source can be reduced. Furthermore, since the resistor layer and the conductive portion are integrally formed, the connection failure between the resistor layer and the conductive portion can be prevented, and compared with the case where the resistor layer and the conductive portion are formed separately. Thus, the manufacturing process of the optical deflection element can be simplified.

Furthermore, when the conductive portion electrically connects the entire resistor layer between the substrates, the potential gradient of the resistor layer can be formed more symmetrically between the substrates .

  Further, since the conducting portion is formed by a part of the spacer, it is not necessary to provide a region for providing a spacer for regulating the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, so that the light deflection element can be formed more compactly and the manufacturing process can be simplified. Can be

  According to the image display device of the present invention, it is possible to display an image having a resolution higher than that of the image display device with a small device with high quality by using a small optical deflection element capable of uniformly shifting the emitted light.

The light deflecting element 1 of the first reference embodiment includes a plan view of FIG. 1A, a front view of FIG. 1B, a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A2 of FIG. 1C, and a side view of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the incident side substrate 10, the emission side substrate 11, the spacer 12, the incident side electrode line group 100, the incident side resistor layer 103, the emission side electrode line group 110, the emission side resistor layer 111, and the conduction portion. 13, a dielectric layer 14, an alignment film 15, and a liquid crystal layer 16. Note that the incident side and the emission side are set for convenience of explanation, and the incident side and the emission side may be interchanged.

  The incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 are formed in a rectangular shape with a thin transparent material such as a glass substrate, and are arranged in parallel at intervals of about several μm to hundred μm. The spacer 12 is formed of a film having a constant thickness of about several μm to hundred μm, a spherical body having a diameter of about several μm to hundred μm, and the outer periphery between the incident side substrate 10 and the outgoing side substrate 11. It is arranged in a line so as to surround a certain effective region that transmits light, sandwiched between the vicinity, and the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 are held in parallel at a uniform interval.

  The incident-side electrode line group 100 is composed of a plurality of electrodes formed in a straight line with an ITO thin film on the surface of the incident-side substrate 10 facing the output-side substrate 11, and is arranged so as to cross the effective region. The electrodes of the incident-side electrode line group 100 are arranged in parallel at equal intervals, and the incident-side first electrode 101 and the incident-side second electrode 102 at both ends have an area outside the effective area surrounded by the spacer 12. Each has a wide terminal to facilitate connection to an external power source.

The incident-side resistor layer 103 is formed of a linear resistor thin film that electrically connects all the ends of the plurality of incident-side electrode line groups 100 in series outside the effective region surrounded by the spacers 12. Yes. The incident-side resistor layer 103 has a uniform width and film thickness. When a voltage is applied to both ends, a uniform potential gradient is formed along the longitudinal direction. The surface resistivity of the incident-side resistor layer 103 is 1 × 10 ⁷ Ω / □ or more so that the resistor functions stably, there is no resistance breakdown, and the adverse effect of heat on the liquid crystal layer of the light deflection element is eliminated. It is desirable that The resistor that forms the incident-side resistor layer 103 has a desired resistance value and can be formed on the incident-side electrode line group 100, such as chromium oxide, tin oxide, antimony oxide, zinc oxide, ATO ( Antimony-containing tin oxide) or a material in which these fine particles are dispersed in a resin is used.

  The width of the incident-side resistor layer 103 disposed outside the effective region is wider than the width of the incident-side electrode line group 100 passing through the effective region, and differs slightly depending on the resistor material. Since it is preferable that the width is large enough not to cause peeling or disconnection in the step of connecting to the power source, and it is preferable that the optical deflection element 1 is narrow enough not to make the outer size of the light deflection element 1 too large, it is preferably about 1 mm to 5 mm.

  The incident side resistor layer 103 can be formed by vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like. When a coating type resistor is used as a material, a spin coating method, a printing method such as flexographic printing or screen printing, a nozzle, etc. Or an injection method such as an inkjet method. When the material diffuses outside the region where the incident side resistor layer 103 is formed, masking is performed outside the region where the incident side resistor layer 103 is formed.

  The exit-side substrate 11, the exit-side electrode line group 110, and the exit-side resistor layer 111 are formed of the same material as the entrance-side substrate 10, the entrance-side electrode line group 100, and the entrance-side resistor layer 103, respectively. 12 are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other. The exit-side first electrode 111 at one end of the exit-side electrode line group 110 is disposed in parallel with the entrance-side first electrode 101, and the exit-side second electrode 112 at the other end of the exit-side electrode line group 110 is placed on the entrance side. As long as the second electrodes 102 are arranged in parallel and opposed to each other, all the electrodes need not be arranged at the opposed positions. The number of electrodes, the width of each electrode, the interval between the electrodes, and the distance between the electrodes The potential difference and the like are not necessarily the same, and are appropriately set based on the optical path size, the optical path deflection amount, the liquid crystal material, and the like.

  The conduction portion 13 electrically connects the incident side first electrode 101 and the emission side first electrode 111 outside the effective region, and electrically connects the incident side second electrode 102 and the emission side second electrode 112. Connected. The conductive portion 13 is made of a conductive material having fluidity when forming solder, Dotite (trademark) or the like, or a conductive material such as a conductive tape between the electrode of the incident side electrode line group 100 and the electrode of the output side electrode line group 110. In this case, a conductive material having fluidity is injected from a through hole provided in a region where the conductive portion 13 of the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 is formed in advance. There may be.

  The first electrode terminal 17 formed by the incident-side first electrode 101 and the emission-side first electrode 111 conducted by the conduction unit 13, and the incident-side second electrode 102 and the emission-side second conducted by the conduction unit 13. The second electrode terminal 18 formed by the electrode 112 is connected to a different electrode of the external power source.

  The dielectric layer 14 is formed by a dielectric such as a cover glass so as to cover the incident side substrate 10 and the incident side electrode line group 100, and so as to cover the emission side substrate 11 and the incident side electrode line group 110. Is formed. The alignment film 15 covers the opposing surfaces of the dielectric layer 14 on the incident side substrate 10 side and the emission side substrate 11 side in a thin film shape, and aligns the liquid crystal molecules on the surface in a direction perpendicular to the incident side alignment film 15. It has a function and is composed of a silane coupling agent, a commercially available vertical alignment material for liquid crystal, or the like. The liquid crystal layer 16 is formed of a chiral smectic C phase ferroelectric liquid crystal filled in a space surrounded by the spacers 12 between the alignment films 15.

  In general, a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a chiral smectic C phase has a layer structure in the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecule, and the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecule is slightly inclined from the normal direction of the layer, and an external electric field does not work. Each layer has a so-called spiral structure in which the liquid crystal director direction is spirally rotated. Since the chiral smectic C phase ferroelectric liquid crystal has an asymmetric carbon in its molecular structure and spontaneous polarization Ps, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in a direction determined by the spontaneous polarization Ps and the external electric field E when an external electric field E is applied. Are rearranged and have birefringence due to rearrangement of liquid crystal molecules. Chiral smectic C-phase ferroelectric liquid crystals have a main chain, spacer, skeleton, bond, and chiral structure, and the main chain structure is made of polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polysiloxane, polyoxyethylene, etc. The skeleton responsible for molecular rotation, the binding part, the spacer that connects the chiral part to the main chain is formed of a methylene chain of an appropriate length, etc., and the binding part that connects the chiral part and a rigid skeleton such as a biphenyl structure, It is formed by a (-COO-) bond or the like.

  The chiral smectic C-phase ferroelectric liquid crystal filled in the liquid crystal layer 16 has a homeotropic alignment in which the rotation axis of the helical structure is directed perpendicular to the incident-side alignment film 15 and is a layer method substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface. A layer structure having a linear direction is formed. The liquid crystal layer 16 may be composed of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal that faces the direction in which the liquid crystal directors face each layer forming the chiral smectic C phase.

  As shown in the side view of FIG. 1D, the first electrode terminal 17 is higher than the second electrode terminal 18 while incident light linearly polarized along the Y-axis is incident in the X direction from the incident-side substrate 10 side. By applying a voltage V0 as a potential, or by applying a voltage -V0 that causes the second electrode terminal 18 to have a higher potential than the first electrode terminal 17, the X direction is set as the traveling direction as described below, and Y Emission light shifted in the positive and negative directions is obtained.

  When a voltage V0 that makes the first electrode terminal 17 higher potential than the second electrode terminal 18 is applied, the first electrode terminal 17 is connected to the incident side first electrode 101 and the emission side first electrode 111 that are conducted by the conduction unit 13. And the second electrode terminal 18 has the same potential on the incident side second electrode 102 and the emission side second electrode 112 conducted at the conducting portion 13, so that both ends of the adjacent incident side resistor layer 13 are connected to each other. And the potentials at both ends of the output-side resistor layer 15 are the same.

  In the incident-side resistor layer 13, a current flows in the Z direction from the high-potential incident-side first electrode 101 toward the low-potential incident-side second electrode 102, and a continuous potential gradient that linearly drops in the Z-direction. Is formed, a current flows in the Z-direction from the high-potential output-side first electrode 111 to the low-potential output-side second electrode 112 in the output-side resistor layer 15, and linearly extends in the Z-direction. A continuous potential gradient that falls is formed. Since the potentials at both ends of the exit-side resistor layer 15 of the incident-side resistor layer 13 are equal to each other, the potential gradient of the incident-side resistor layer 13 and the potential gradient of the exit-side resistor layer 15 are formed symmetrically. .

  The potential on each electrode of the incident-side electrode line group 100 is equal to the potential of the incident-side resistor layer 103 at a position in contact with the incident-side resistor layer 103, and is incident from an electrode close to the incident-side first electrode 101. The potential drops intermittently in the Z direction toward the electrode close to the second side electrode 102. An electric field in the Z direction from the incident side first electrode 101 to the incident side second electrode 102 is formed in the liquid crystal layer 18 by each electrode of the incident side electrode line group 100. Here, the electric field between the electrodes of the incident side electrode line group 100 in the Z direction is substantially parallel to the Z direction, whereas the electric field in the vicinity of each electrode of the incident side electrode line group 100 is applied to the incident side substrate 10. It has many vertical X direction components. The dielectric layer 14 relaxes the X direction component of the electric field generated in the vicinity of each electrode of the incident side electrode line group, and generates a uniform electric field in the Z direction in the liquid crystal layer 18.

  The liquid crystal layer 18 has birefringence by tilting the director of the chiral smectic C-phase ferroelectric liquid crystal uniformly in the Y direction and tilting the average optical axis by the electric field in the Z direction. The incident light linearly polarized along the Y-axis travels in the X direction from the incident-side substrate 10 side, enters the liquid crystal layer 18, refracts slightly in the Y direction, travels straight, and exits from the liquid crystal layer 18. The light is slightly refracted in the opposite direction, proceeds in the X direction, and is emitted from the emission side substrate 11 side. The outgoing light from the optical deflection element 1 has the same direction as the incident light and is shifted by the shift amount d1 in the Y direction.

  On the other hand, when a voltage −V 0 that makes the second electrode terminal 18 higher potential than the first electrode terminal 17 is applied, a uniform electric field in the −Z direction is generated in the liquid crystal layer 18, and the chiral smectic C phase ferroelectric in the liquid crystal layer 18. The director of the liquid crystal is tilted in the -Y direction, and the linearly polarized incident light travels in the X direction from the incident side substrate 10 side and enters the liquid crystal layer 18 to be slightly refracted in the -Y direction. Then, the light travels straight, refracts slightly in the opposite direction when exiting from the liquid crystal layer 18, travels in the X direction, and exits from the exit substrate 11. The outgoing light from the optical deflection element 1 has the same direction as the incident light and is shifted by the shift amount d2 in the −Y direction. The shift amount d1 and the shift amount d2 are determined by the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 18 and the refractive index of the ferroelectric liquid crystal of the chiral smectic C phase with respect to the incident light linearly polarized along the Y axis. The inclination of the liquid crystal molecules depends on the magnitude of the applied electric field.

  According to this optical deflecting element 1, by providing the conducting portion 13, the potentials at both ends of the incident-side resistor layer 103 and both ends of the output-side resistor layer 113 are equalized, and the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the output-side resistor The potential gradient can be formed in the body layer 113 symmetrically and uniformly, and the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the emission-side electrode line group 110 are determined at positions connected to the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113. The electric potential of each electrode can be set accurately to make the electric field of the liquid crystal layer 18 uniform in the Z direction, and light can be uniformly shifted within the effective region.

  According to this light deflection element 1, the wiring is compared with the case where the incident-side first electrode 101, the emitting-side first electrode 111, the incident-side second electrode 102, and the emitting-side second electrode 112 are all connected to the power source. Can be reduced by half, and the area occupied by the terminals provided on the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 for connection to the power source can be reduced, so that the size of the light deflection element 1 with respect to the effective area can be reduced. .

  According to the light deflection element 1, the incident side resistor layer 103 and the emission side resistor layer 113 provided linearly outside the effective region are compared with, for example, a case where a resistor is provided in a planar shape in the effective region. Since it is an extremely small region, it is easy to eliminate variations in potential due to resistance unevenness and the like, and poor contact of the conductive portion 13, and a symmetrical potential gradient can be accurately formed by providing the conductive portion 13. The potentials of the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the outgoing-side electrode line group 110 determined by the potential gradient formed in the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the outgoing-side resistor layer 113 and the contact position can be accurately set. .

  Specifically, the optical deflection element 1 having an effective area of 40 mm × 40 mm was manufactured. First, 400 ITO line electrodes having a width of 10 μm parallel to the longitudinal direction and a pitch of 100 μm are formed on the incident side substrate 10 formed of a glass plate having a size of 70 mm × 50 mm and a thickness of 1 mm to form an incident side electrode line. Group 100 was formed. The electrodes on both ends of the incident side electrode line group 100 were formed by connecting a wide area outside the effective area. Next, a dielectric layer 14 formed of a cover glass having a thickness of 150 μm is bonded to a 10 μm thick optical UV adhesive in a 50 mm × 50 mm region excluding 20 mm from the short side end of the incident side substrate 10. It was affixed to the entire surface using an agent. Next, the surface of the dielectric layer 14 was treated with the vertical alignment agent JALS2021-R2 to form the alignment film 15. Next, in a region where the dielectric layer 14 is not provided, an antimony-containing tin oxide (R308, manufactured by Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.) is printed with a width of about 3 mm so as to cross the vicinity of the end of the incident-side electrode line group 100. A resistor layer 103 was formed. Next, a spacer 12 made of an adhesive mixed with particles having a diameter of 50 μm was provided so as to linearly surround an effective area of 40 mm × 40 mm in the surface of the cover glass. The emission side electrode line group 110, the dielectric layer 14, the alignment film 15, and the emission side resistor layer 113 were formed on the emission side substrate 11 by the same manufacturing method. Next, each electrode of the output-side electrode line group 110 is made to face the incident-side electrode line group 100 in parallel, and the output-side resistor layer 113 is made to face the incident-side resistor layer 103 in parallel. These members and the member on the emission side substrate 11 side were bonded. Next, in a state where the bonded member is heated to 90 degrees, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (CS1029 made by Chisso) is applied to the space surrounded by the spacer 12 between the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 by a capillary method. The liquid crystal layer 18 was formed by injection. At the time of heating the bonded member, only the region where the dielectric layer 14 was provided was heated so that the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113 were not heated. Next, a conductive material having fluidity is filled and hardened between the incident side first electrode 101 and the emission side first electrode 111 and between the incident side second electrode 102 and the emission side second electrode 112. Thereby, the conduction | electrical_connection part 13 was formed. When a voltage was applied by connecting the first electrode terminal 17 and the second electrode terminal 18 to an external power source, the optical path was uniformly shifted over the entire effective area. The external size of the element was as small as 70mm x 50mm.

  For comparison, the same member on the incident side substrate 10 and the member on the output side substrate 11 side as in the above specific example are bonded so that the incident side resistor layer 103 and the output side resistor layer 113 do not face each other. An optical deflection element without the conducting part 13 was manufactured by connecting each of the four electrodes to the power supply with connection lines, and the element outer size increased to 90 mm x 50 mm for an effective area of 40 mm x 40 mm. It was.

Light deflecting element 2 of the second reference embodiment is a plan view of FIG. 2 (a), the front view of FIG. 2 (b), as shown in the side view of FIG. 2 (c), like the first referential embodiment The incident side substrate 10, the output side substrate 11, the spacer 12, the incident side electrode line group 100, the incident side resistor layer 103, the output side electrode line group 110, the output side resistor layer 113, the dielectric layer 14, and the orientation. A conductive portion 20 including a film 15 and a liquid crystal layer 16 and disposed at a position different from the conductive portion 13 of the first reference embodiment is provided.

The conducting portion 20 is formed of the same material as that of the conducting portion 15 of the first reference embodiment. The conducting portion 20 has one end near the incident-side first electrode 101 of the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emitting-side first layer of the emitting-side resistor layer 113. One end close to the first electrode 111 is electrically connected, one end near the incident-side second electrode 102 of the incident-side resistor layer 103, and one end near the emission-side second electrode 112 of the emission-side resistor layer 113 Are electrically connected. When a resistor that is easily deteriorated by high-temperature processing is used as the material of the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113, the conductive portion 13 such as Dotite (trademark) or conductive tape that does not require high-temperature processing is used. It is preferable to use a conductive material.

To the first electrode terminal 21 formed by the conducting portion 20 on the side close to the incident side first electrode 101, one end of the incident side resistor layer 103 and one end of the output side resistor layer 113, and the incident side second electrode 102 The second electrode terminals 22 formed by the conductive portion 20 on the near side, one end of the incident-side resistor layer 103, and one end of the output-side resistor layer 113 are each connected to an external power source. The incident-side first electrode 101, the incident-side second electrode 102, the emission-side first electrode 111, and the emission-side second electrode 112 do not need to be provided with a terminal having a large area for connection to an external power source. The operation of the optical deflection element 2 is the same as in the first reference embodiment.

  According to this optical deflection element 2, by providing the conducting portion 20, the potentials at both ends of the incident-side resistor layer 103 and both ends of the output-side resistor layer 113 are equalized, and the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the output-side resistor The potential gradient can be formed in the body layer 113 symmetrically and uniformly, and the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the emission-side electrode line group 110 are determined at positions connected to the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113. The electric potential of each electrode can be set accurately to make the electric field of the liquid crystal layer 18 uniform in the Z direction, and light can be uniformly shifted within the effective region.

  According to this optical deflecting element 2, the entrance-side electrode line group 100 and the exit-side electrode line group 110 are connected by connecting the wide entrance-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113 through the conducting portion 20. The size of the light deflection element 2 with respect to the effective area can be reduced as compared with the case where a terminal having a large area is formed on a narrow electrode to be formed and conducted.

  According to the light deflecting element 2, the incident-side first electrode 101, the emission-side first electrode 111, the incident-side second electrode 102, and the emission-side second electrode 112 are connected to the power supply in comparison with each other. The area occupied by the terminals provided on the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 for connection to the power source can be reduced, so that the size of the light deflection element 2 with respect to the effective area can be reduced. .

  According to this optical deflection element 2, the incident side resistor layer 103 and the emission side resistor layer 113 provided linearly outside the effective region are compared with, for example, a case where a resistor is provided in a planar shape in the effective region. Since it is an extremely small region, it is easy to eliminate variations in potential due to resistance unevenness and the like, and poor contact of the conductive portion 20, and a symmetrical potential gradient can be accurately formed by providing the conductive portion 20. The potentials of the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the outgoing-side electrode line group 110 determined by the potential gradient formed in the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the outgoing-side resistor layer 113 and the contact position can be accurately set. .

  Specifically, the optical deflection element 2 having the conduction area 20 between the incident side resistor layer 103 and the emission side resistor layer 113 and having an effective area of 40 mm × 40 mm was manufactured. First, 400 ITO line electrodes having a width of 10 μm and a pitch of 100 μm parallel to the longitudinal direction are formed on an incident side substrate 10 formed of a glass plate having a size of 53 mm × 50 mm and a thickness of 1 mm to form an incident side electrode line. Group 100 was formed. Next, a dielectric layer 14 formed of a cover glass having a thickness of 150 μm is applied to a 50 μm × 50 mm region excluding 3 mm from the end on the short side of the incident side substrate 10, and an optical UV adhesive having a thickness of 10 μm is bonded. It was affixed to the entire surface using an agent. Next, the surface of the dielectric layer 14 was treated with the vertical alignment agent JALS2021-R2 to form the alignment film 15. Next, the dielectric layer 14 is masked, and CrSiO is sputtered to a thickness of about 500 mm in a 3 mm wide region where the dielectric layer 14 is not provided, thereby crossing the end of the incident-side electrode line group 100. The incident side resistor layer 103 was formed. Next, a spacer 12 made of an adhesive mixed with particles having a diameter of 50 μm was provided so as to linearly surround an effective area of 40 mm × 40 mm in the surface of the cover glass. The emission side electrode line group 110, the dielectric layer 14, the alignment film 15, and the emission side resistor layer 113 were formed on the emission side substrate 11 by the same manufacturing method. Next, each electrode of the output-side electrode line group 110 is made to face the incident-side electrode line group 100 in parallel, and the output-side resistor layer 113 is made to face the incident-side resistor layer 103 in parallel. These members and the member on the emission side substrate 11 side were bonded. Next, in a state where the bonded member is heated to 90 degrees, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (CS1029 made by Chisso) is applied to the space surrounded by the spacer 12 between the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 by a capillary method. The liquid crystal layer 18 was formed by injection. At the time of heating the bonded member, only the region where the dielectric layer 14 was provided was heated so that the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113 were not heated. Next, between the both end portions of the incident side resistor layer 103 and the emission side resistor layer 113, the conductive portion 20 was formed by filling and solidifying a fluid conductive material. When a voltage was applied by connecting the first electrode terminal 21 and the second electrode terminal 22 to an external power source, the optical path was uniformly shifted over the entire effective area. The external size of the element was 53mm x 50mm and could be made small.

The optical deflection element 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a second reference embodiment as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3A, the front view of FIG. 3B, and the side view of FIG. in the optical change element 2, in which a resistor layer 23 which is formed integrally with the conductive portion 20 and the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113. Since the gap between the incident side substrate 10 and the outgoing side substrate 11 is as narrow as about 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, it is difficult to form the resistor layer 23 by a printing method such as sputtering, spin coating or flexographic printing. It is desirable to form by a nozzle using an application type resistor material or an injection method by an ink jet method. The heat treatment and the ultraviolet irradiation treatment necessary as needed when forming the resistor layer 23 can be easily performed from the open ends of the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11. Since all the electrodes of the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the emission-side electrode line group 110 are electrically connected by the resistor layer 23, the resistor layer 23 can be formed in a single process. It is possible to eliminate the need for the step of conducting the portion between the side resistor layer 113 and the conductive portion 20 and to prevent the occurrence of poor conduction and to improve the reliability of the optical deflection element 2.

Optical deflection element 3 of the third reference embodiment is a plan view of FIG. 4 (a), as shown in B1-B2 cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 (b), the incident-side substrate 10 in the same way as in the first referential embodiment The output side substrate 11, the incident side electrode line group 100, the incident side resistor layer 103, the output side electrode line group 110, the output side resistor layer 113, the dielectric layer 14, the alignment film 15, and the liquid crystal layer 16 are provided. The conducting portion 30 having the functions of the spacer 12 and the conducting portion 13 in the first reference embodiment is provided.

The dielectric layer 14 is formed to be smaller than the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11, and the conductive portion 30 is formed of, for example, an array of metal columns with uniform height accuracy, an anisotropic conductive film, or the like. And sandwiched between the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the output-side resistor layer 113 so that the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the output-side resistor layer 113 are perpendicular to the surface of the incident-side substrate 10. While conducting, the distance between the liquid crystal layers 16 is maintained. The operation of the optical deflection element 2 is the same as in the first reference embodiment.

  The incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113 are formed with a resistor such as CrSio, which can be formed into a thin film, to several hundreds of inches, and the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113 are formed. It is desirable to extremely reduce the thickness unevenness caused by sandwiching the conductive portion 30 in the region where the conductive layer 30 is not formed. The conducting portion 30 may be spherical spacer particles whose surface is coated with metal. Since the conducting portion 30 reliably conducts with the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113, a conducting material having fluidity during processing is provided between the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113. May be provided. In order to improve the resistance of the light deflection element 3, the conducting portion 30 may be one that is fixed by providing an adhesive between the incident side resistor layer 103 and the emission side resistor layer 113.

  According to this optical deflection element 3, by providing the conducting portion 30, the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113 are made symmetrically equal in potential so that the entrance-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer are provided. The potential gradient can be formed symmetrically and uniformly at 113, and each of the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the emission-side electrode line group 110 determined at a position connected to the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113. The electric potential of the electrode can be set accurately to make the electric field of the liquid crystal layer 18 uniform in the Z direction, and light can be uniformly shifted within the effective region.

  According to this optical deflection element 3, since the entrance-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113 can be conducted in the step of forming the conducting portion 30, the spacer and the conducting portion are formed using different materials. In comparison, it can be manufactured with fewer steps. According to the light deflection element 3, the size of the light deflection element 3 with respect to the effective area can be reduced by providing the conduction portion 30 having the functions of the spacer and the conduction portion.

  According to this light deflection element 3, compared to the case where the incident-side first electrode 101, the emission-side first electrode 111, the incident-side second electrode 102, and the emission-side second electrode 112 are all connected to the power source. Can be halved, and the area occupied by the terminals provided on the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 for connection to the power source can be reduced, so that the size of the light deflection element 3 with respect to the effective area can be reduced. .

  According to the light deflection element 3, the incident side resistor layer 103 and the emission side resistor layer 113 provided linearly outside the effective region are compared with, for example, a case where a resistor is provided in a planar shape in the effective region. Since it is an extremely small region, it is easy to eliminate variations in potential due to resistance unevenness and the like, and poor contact of the conductive portion 13, and a symmetrical potential gradient can be accurately formed by providing the conductive portion 13. The potentials of the incident-side electrode line group 100 and the outgoing-side electrode line group 110 determined by the potential gradient formed in the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the outgoing-side resistor layer 113 and the contact position can be accurately set. .

  Specifically, the light deflecting element 3 having an effective area of 45 mm × 45 mm is provided, which includes the conducting portion 30 that conducts the entrance-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113 and functions as a spacer of the liquid crystal layer 16. did. First, 400 ITO line electrodes having a width of 10 μm parallel to one side and a pitch of 100 μm are formed on the incident side substrate 10 formed of a glass plate having a size of 50 mm × 50 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, and the incident side electrode line group 100 is formed. Formed. Next, a dielectric layer 14 formed of a cover glass having a thickness of 150 μm is applied to a 45 mm × 45 mm region excluding 5 mm from each side of the incident side substrate 10 by using an optical UV adhesive having a thickness of 10 μm. Affixed to the entire surface. Next, the surface of the dielectric layer 14 was treated with the vertical alignment agent JALS2021-R2 to form the alignment film 15. Next, the dielectric layer 14 is masked, and the incident side electrode is sputtered to a thickness of about 500 mm in a straight line only on one side of the 5 mm wide region where the dielectric layer 14 is not provided. The incident-side resistor layer 103 that crosses the end of the line group 100 was formed. Next, conductive portions 30 were formed by arranging 370 μm square cubic aluminum columns side by side in a 5 mm wide region surrounding the dielectric layer 14. The emission side electrode line group 110, the dielectric layer 14, the alignment film 15, and the emission side resistor layer 113 were formed on the emission side substrate 11 by the same manufacturing method. Next, each electrode of the output-side electrode line group 110 is made to face the incident-side electrode line group 100 in parallel, and the output-side resistor layer 113 is made to face the incident-side resistor layer 103 in parallel. These members and the member on the emission side substrate 11 side were bonded. Next, in a state where the bonded member is heated to 90 degrees, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (CS1029 manufactured by Chisso) is applied to the space surrounded by the conductive portion 30 between the incident side substrate 10 and the emission side substrate 11 by a capillary method. To form a liquid crystal layer 18. At the time of heating the bonded member, only the region where the dielectric layer 14 was provided was heated so that the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113 were not heated. When a voltage was applied by connecting the first electrode terminal 31 and the second electrode terminal 32 to an external power source, the optical path was uniformly shifted over the entire effective area. The external size of the element was able to be formed as small as 50mm x 50mm.

  As shown in the plan view of FIG. 5A and the C1-C2 cross-sectional view of FIG. 5B, the conductive portion 30 is disposed between the incident-side resistor layer 103 and the emission-side resistor layer 113. Instead, the electrodes facing the entrance-side electrode line group 100 and the exit-side electrode line group 110 are adjacent to the entrance-side resistor layer 103 and the exit-side resistor layer 113 so that the opposing electrodes are conducted. It may be the one.

The image display apparatus 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an original image display unit 40, a light deflection device 41, a projection lens 42, a screen 43, and a display control unit 44 as shown in the configuration diagram of FIG.

  The original image display unit 40 includes a light source 400, a diffusion plate 401, a microlens array 402, and an image display element 403. The light source 400 emits illumination light of each color by switching RGB three-color LEDs arranged in a two-dimensional array at high speed. The diffusing plate 401 makes the illumination light uniform, and the microlens array 402 increases the concentration rate of the uniformed illumination light and makes it incident on each pixel of the image display element 403. The image display element 403 is configured by a transmissive liquid crystal display element in which pixels are two-dimensionally fixed and arranged in the horizontal scanning direction and the vertical scanning direction, and emits image light with a certain resolution by spatially modulating illumination light. . Although an image display unit using a field sequential type liquid crystal display element that performs color display by switching the color of light applied to the liquid crystal display element at high speed will be described, the original image display unit displays an image with another configuration. May be.

  The optical deflection device 41 includes a linear polarizing plate 410, a first optical deflection element 411, a polarization plane rotating element 412, and a second optical deflection element 413. The linear polarizing plate 410 converts image light emitted from the original image display unit 40 into linearly polarized light along the horizontal scanning direction. If the image light emitted from the original image display unit 40 is already linearly polarized in the horizontal scanning direction, the linearly polarizing plate 410 may be omitted. When the voltage V1 is applied, the first light deflection element 411 emits the image light that is linearly deflected in the horizontal scanning direction and shifted to one side of the image display element 403 in the horizontal scanning direction by the shift amount d1, and vice versa. When the polarity voltage -V1 is applied, the light is emitted while being shifted by the shift amount d1 in the reverse direction. The shift amount d1 of the first light deflection element 411 is half of the pixel pitch of the image display element 403 in the horizontal scanning direction.

  The polarization plane rotation element 412 is provided between the first light deflection element 411 and the second light deflection element 413, and rotates the linearly polarized light emitted from the first light deflection element 411 by 90 degrees in the vertical scanning direction. The linearly polarized light is converted into incident light and incident on the second light deflecting element 413. When the voltage V2 is applied, the second light deflecting element 413 emits image light that is linearly deflected in the vertical scanning direction, shifted by one shift amount d2 in the vertical scanning direction, and has a reverse polarity voltage −. When V2 is applied, the light beam is shifted by the shift amount d2 in the reverse direction. The shift amount d2 of the second light deflection element 413 is half the pixel pitch of the image display element 403 in the vertical scanning direction.

  The optical deflection device 41 selects any one of four combinations of the voltage V1 and the voltage −V1 applied to the first optical deflection element 411 and the voltage V2 and the voltage −V2 applied to the second optical deflection element 413. By applying a voltage simultaneously to the first light deflecting element 411 and the second light deflecting element 413, the image light emitted from the original image display unit 40 is converted into the four diagonal directions of the pixel array of the image display element 403. Shift to one.

  The projection lens 42 magnifies and projects the image light shifted by the light deflection device 41 onto the screen 43. The display control unit 44 turns on the light source 400, displays an image on the image display element 403, applies a voltage to the light deflection device 41 to control the shift direction of the image light, and controls the light source 400, the image display element 403, and the light. Synchronously controls the deflection device 41.

  In the image of one frame to be finally displayed, all the pixels are divided in advance in two lines in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction, and divided into pixel groups for every four pixels, and are grouped for each pixel at four positions in each pixel group. It is divided into four images and processed. A screen field of an image signal for displaying an image of one frame is divided into four subfields for each divided image unit. Further, the image of each subfield is divided into three RGB. As shown in the signal diagram of FIG. 7, the display control unit 44 causes the image display element 403 to sequentially display RGB three-color images for each subfield while sequentially switching the colors of the LEDs of the light source 400, and for each subfield. Each time an image for three colors is displayed, the voltage applied to the light deflection device 41 is switched to select a shift direction from four directions, and each pixel is arranged at an original position in each pixel group. On the screen 43, a high-resolution image obtained by doubling the number of pixels of the image display element 403 in the horizontal scanning direction and the vertical scanning direction is displayed.

  According to the image display device 4, by multiplying the apparent number of pixels in the horizontal scanning direction and the vertical scanning direction, it is possible to display an image with higher definition than the resolution of the image display element 403 to be used. By using the optical deflection element 1 in the optical deflection device 41, a uniform shift amount can be obtained over the entire image in a small space, and a high-definition image can be obtained over the entire image area to be displayed. The light deflection element may be any of the light deflection elements of the present invention.

  Specifically, when the light polarizing element 3 having an element outer size of 50 mm × 50 mm is used, the space required for arranging the light deflecting element 3 and connecting the light deflecting element 3 to the display control unit 44 is about 55 mm. × 55mm and less. On the other hand, in order to arrange and connect to the display control unit 44 an optical deflecting element having an outer shape of 90 mm × 50 mm without having a conducting portion created for comparison, a surface space of at least about 100 mm × 100 mm Was necessary.

It is a block diagram of the optical deflection | deviation element of a 1st reference form. It is a block diagram of the optical deflection | deviation element of a 2nd reference form. It is a block diagram of another optical deflection element of implementation forms. It is a block diagram of the optical deflection | deviation element of the 3rd reference form. It is a block diagram of the other optical deflection | deviation element of a 3rd reference form. It is a block diagram of an image display apparatus of implementation forms. It is a signal diagram of an image display apparatus of implementation forms.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1; Optical deflection element, 2; Optical deflection element, 3; Optical deflection element, 4; Image display apparatus,
10; Incident side substrate, 11; Output side substrate, 12; Spacer, 13; Conducting portion,
14; dielectric layer, 15; alignment film, 16; liquid crystal layer, 17; first electrode terminal,
18; second electrode terminal, 20; conducting portion, 21; first electrode terminal, 22; second electrode terminal,
23; resistor layer, 30; conducting portion, 40; original image display portion, 41; light deflection device,
42; projection lens, 43; screen, 44; display control unit,
100; incident side electrode line group; 101; incident side first electrode; 102; incident side second electrode;
103; incident-side resistor layer; 110; emission-side electrode line group; 111; emission-side first electrode;
112; Emission side second electrode, 113; Emission side resistor layer, 400; Light source, 401; Diffusion plate,
402; microlens array; 403; image display element; 410; linearly polarizing plate;
411; first light deflection element; 412; polarization plane rotation element; 413; second light deflection element.

Claims (4)

And a conducting portion between the substrate and the spacer and the liquid crystal layer and the electrode line group of a pair and the resistive layer,
The substrates are transparent and arranged in parallel;
The spacer has a uniform thickness member and is disposed so as to surround a certain effective area between the substrates,
The liquid crystal layer forms a chiral smectic C phase in which the layer normal direction is orthogonal to the substrate surface within the effective region sandwiched between the substrates,
The electrode line group has a plurality of linear electrodes parallel to each other and parallel to the liquid crystal layer at positions overlapping the effective region between the substrate and the liquid crystal layer, respectively, on one substrate side The electrodes positioned at both ends of the effective area and the electrodes positioned at both ends of the effective area on the other substrate side are arranged to face each other in parallel at both ends,
The resistor layer includes a linear resistor that is connected in series across the electrode of one of the substrates, and a linear resistor that is connected in series across the electrode of the other substrate, The linear resistor provided on the substrate side and the linear resistor provided on the other substrate side are arranged in parallel to face outside the effective region,
The conductive portion electrically connects both ends of the resistor between the substrates ,
The optical deflection element, wherein the resistor layer and the conducting portion are formed integrally . The optical deflection element according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive portion electrically connects the entire resistor layer between the substrates . Before SL conductive portion, the light deflecting element according to claim 1 or claim 2 is formed by a portion of the spacer. An original image display unit, a light deflection device, and a display control unit;
The original image display unit displays an image with two-dimensionally arranged pixels,
The optical deflecting device includes two optical deflecting elements according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a polarization plane rotating element, and the two optical deflecting elements have a layer normal direction of the liquid crystal layer. The direction of the electric field generated by applying a voltage to the electrodes at both ends of the electrode line group is orthogonalized, and the polarization plane rotation element makes the polarization direction of the transmitted light perpendicular between the two light deflection elements. Rotate to
The display control unit sequentially switches and displays the images of the original image display unit, and for each image or a plurality of images, the polarity of a voltage applied to one light deflection element of the light deflection device, and the light deflection An image display apparatus characterized by shifting an image of the original image display section by switching a combination with a polarity of a voltage applied to the other light deflection element of the device.

Images