JPH09171164A - Deflecting element - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform switching which is high in contrast ratio and high in the utilization efficiency of light. SOLUTION: Light which is made incident of a 2nd surface 12b of a prism 12 is guided to refractive index material layers 5 and 7 without being reflected by the surface of a light-transmissive substrate 10. The incident light becomes light which is reflected by a refractive index material layer interface or light which is transmitted through the interface by selecting the relation between the refractive indexes of the refractive index material layers 5 and 7. The transmitted light is reflected by the surface of a light reflecting electrode 4 which slants at an angle 6 to the of an insulating substrate 2. The light which is reflected by the interface and the light reflected by the surface of the light reflecting electrode 4 are projected to different directions. The refractive index of a variable refractive index material layer 7 is varied by applying a voltage between the light reflecting electrode 4 and transparent electrode 9 and then the reflected light and transmitted light on the interface are adjustable in intensity.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sufficiently high on / off ratio of an optical signal (hereinafter referred to as "contrast ratio").
The present invention relates to a deflection element which is suitable for use in an optical switch having a high utilization efficiency of incident light, a spatial light modulator, a projection display device as a light bubble, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, optical communication has played an important role in the information society because of its high communication speed and the large amount of information transmitted. An optical fiber with little optical loss is used as a signal transmission path in such optical communication. In the main trunk line of the optical signal transmission path, the signal conversion processor is required to have high speed, high contrast ratio, and low signal attenuation. For this reason, a method of changing the phase, converting the transmission mode, or changing the traveling direction of the guided light is used for the signal processor in the main trunk path.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing the structure of an optical switch 101 using an optical fiber. FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing the structure of the optical switch 101. The optical switch 101 includes a clad portion 106 made of LiNbO ₃ (lithium niobate) which is an optically anisotropic crystal, core portions 102 and 103 which are optical waveguides, electrodes 104 and 105, and a power supply 107. Clad 106
An optical fiber is formed by the core portions 102 and 103.

Core parts 102, 10 in the clad part 106
3 are arranged in parallel with each other with an interval. Electrode 10
4, 105 are in contact with one side surface along the longitudinal direction of the core parts 102, 103, respectively, and are formed in a band shape. Power supply 1
07 is connected between the electrodes 102 and 103. Electrode 10
An electric field E is generated by applying a DC voltage between
And a clad portion 106 made of an optically anisotropic crystal.
The light 108 incident on the core portions 102 and 103 is transmitted and received between the core portions 102 and 103 by changing the refractive index of the core portions 102 and 103.

In addition to the optical communication using such an optical switch, the personalized portable information terminal device is remarkably popularized as a feature of the information-oriented society. As a display device of such a portable information terminal device, a light weight, A liquid crystal display device (hereinafter, "LCD" (Li
quid Crystal Device)) is in a leading position. Further, the LCD is used not only as a portable information terminal device but also as a calculation element of an optical logic calculation device, a spatial light modulator such as a direct-view type or projection type light valve,
Its range of use is very diverse. As described above, the mainstream of diversified LCD light modulation methods is to utilize the birefringence of liquid crystal molecules. For example, (1) Interference method (Example) ECB (Electrically Controlled Birefringenc)
e) Mode SSF-LC (Surface Stabilized Ferro-electric Li
quid Crystal) mode (2) Optical rotation method (Example) TN (Twisted Nematic) mode (3) Light scattering method (Example) Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) mode Nematic-cholesteric phase transition (PCM) mode (4) Light Absorption method (Example) Nematic-Cholesteric phase transition type guest-
Host system (PCGH) Two-layer guest-host system (DGH) is mentioned.

As an example of an optical switch using liquid crystal, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-7337, a change in the refractive index that occurs at the interface between a liquid crystal layer and a substrate holding the liquid crystal layer is utilized to determine the critical angle. The example of switching the linearly polarized light that has entered is disclosed above. In addition, JP-A-6-25867
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2 discloses an example of switching unpolarized light incident at a critical angle or more by utilizing the change in refractive index at the interface between the optical waveguide and the liquid crystal layer. Furthermore, the applicant of the present application is configured to include an optical waveguide, a material layer (for example, a liquid crystal layer) whose refractive index changes according to an external field, and a light shielding portion,
A reflection type optical switch and a display device capable of obtaining a high contrast ratio and a high brightness by using non-polarized light is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 7 (1999) -96242.
-166448.

[0007]

Since the linearly polarized light is used, the interference method and the optical rotation method are adopted.
In the optical switch disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7337, a polarizing plate is necessary because it uses specific polarized light. Therefore, although a high contrast ratio of the optical signal can be obtained, the light utilization efficiency becomes half or less when the incident light is close to unpolarized light or when the incident polarization is easily eliminated. Further, an analyzer such as a polarizing plate for detecting the modulation result is required, which further reduces the light use efficiency.

As a result, in the case of performing the optical logic operation, the utilization efficiency of the optical signal decreases as the operation content becomes more complicated, and a means such as an optical amplifier is required. Furthermore, due to the influence of noise that may occur during calculation, SN (Signal-to-No
ise) ratio decreases. Further, in a display device such as a reflective LCD used for a portable information terminal device, etc., although high definition and high brightness are required in recent years,
In principle, the light that can be used in the optical switch is half of the light from the light source, and in reality, it is less than half due to the loss of light. Therefore, the contrast ratio is low and only a dark display can be realized.

Further, in the above optical switch, incident light to the liquid crystal layer may be reflected at the interface between the liquid crystal layer and the substrate on the light emission side and may enter the liquid crystal layer again, so-called stray light may occur. This stray light is not preferable because it causes a decrease in contrast ratio.

In the optical switch proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-166448, which adopts a light scattering method and a light absorbing method because it uses non-polarized light, a light blocking state in which light is focused on a light blocking layer and a light blocking state is not collected. Since switching is performed in the transmission state, the temperature rise of the light shielding layer when light is condensed adversely affects the switching characteristics. Further, in practice, in order to select and use the parallel light from the light source light that spreads a little, the amount of light that can be used becomes small, and when the display device is used, the display becomes dark. Similarly, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-258672, which also adopts the light scattering method and the light absorbing method, does not describe a specific method for actually using unpolarized light efficiently and performing switching with a high contrast ratio. Therefore, the display becomes dark as described above.

Further, in the light scattering method such as the PDLC mode and the PCM mode, hysteresis is likely to occur in the voltage-transmittance curve, and it is difficult to continuously modulate the incident light. Furthermore, in order to obtain sufficient scattering characteristics, it is necessary to take measures such as increasing the cell thickness or reducing the helical pitch of the twisted alignment of the liquid crystal. However, these measures lead to an increase in drive voltage.

Further, in the light absorption methods such as the PCGH mode and the DGH mode, there are many gradation display methods and methods for obtaining a bright display without using a polarizing plate, but the dye used absorbs light. If so, the degradation and degradation of the dye reduces reliability. Even if a dye having high light resistance is used, in order to obtain a sufficient contrast ratio, it is necessary to take measures such as increasing the dye concentration or increasing the cell thickness. These measures also increase the drive voltage.

In such various types of optical switches,
Although the drive voltage has been reduced and the transmission signal band has been expanded by methods such as changing the phase, converting the transmission mode, or changing the traveling direction of the guided light, the strict optical design still remains. Since it is necessary and uses a material with high crystallinity, the element itself becomes considerably expensive, and as an optical switch for signal processing used in terminal equipment of signal transmission lines (for example, household communication equipment and processing equipment). It is not practical in terms of price.

In order to integrate the optical switch into a display device or the like, an LSI (Large Scale Inte
Although it is possible to miniaturize and integrate each element by applying grated circuit) technology, a certain optical path length is required to generate sufficient optical modulation, and LSI technology is used. It is necessary to integrate each device on the substrate plane. Therefore, a two-dimensionally large area is required as the substrate surface, and it is difficult to apply it to a dot matrix display device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a deflection element which can obtain an optical output having a high contrast ratio, has high utilization efficiency of an optical signal, and can obtain excellent display characteristics even when used in a projection type display device such as a projection. Is to provide.

[0016]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an isotropic refractive index material layer made of a translucent material having a constant refractive index irrespective of energy applied from the outside and a refractive index dependent on the energy applied from the outside. A variable refractive index material layer made of a translucent material that changes, a pair of energy transfer means for applying energy to at least the variable refractive index material layer, and the isotropic refractive index material layer. And a light reflection layer having an inclined reflection surface for reflecting light that has passed through the variable refractive index substance layer, and a light guide means arranged on the outermost side of the light incident side. is there. According to the present invention, the incident light from the light guide means is guided to the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers, and is reflected by the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers, and the light transmitted through the interface and transmitted. The light reaches the reflective layer and is reflected by the light reflective layer. The light-reflecting layer has an inclined reflecting surface, which makes it possible to make the emitting directions of the reflected light at the interface and the reflected light at the reflecting surface of the light-reflecting layer different. The intensity of reflected light and the intensity of transmitted light at the interface can be adjusted by applying energy from the energy transmitting means to the variable refractive index substance layer to change the refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer. Therefore, using the reflected light at the interface or the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer,
Switching such as gradation display in which the reflected light intensity is adjusted becomes possible.

Further, the light reflection layer of the present invention is characterized in that it also serves as one of the pair of energy transfer means. According to the present invention, the light reflecting layer also serves as one of the pair of energy transfer means, thus simplifying the configuration of the deflection element.

Further, one of the pair of energy transfer means of the present invention has an energy transfer means in contact with one surface of the variable refractive index material layer, and the other energy transfer means is in contact with the one surface of the variable refractive index material layer. It is characterized in that it exists in contact with the other side of the opposite side. According to the present invention, since the pair of energy transmission means are both in direct contact with the variable refractive index substance layer,
The capacity is not divided. Therefore, low voltage driving is possible.

Further, the invention is characterized in that the light reflecting layer of the present invention and one of the pair of energy transmitting means are electrically connected to each other.
According to the present invention, the light reflection layer and one of the pair of energy transfer means are electrically connected to each other, and such a structure is provided by the active matrix driving method using the switching element. Is preferably carried out when driving the.

There are a plurality of the isotropic refractive index substance layers and the variable refractive index substance layers of the present invention, and the isotropic refractive index substance layer and the variable refractive index substance layer are the energy transfer means. It is characterized by being arranged in parallel. According to the invention, a plurality of isotropic and variable refractive index material layers are both provided in the deflection element, and the plurality of isotropic and variable refractive index material layers are arranged in parallel with the energy transmitting means. For example, when the polarization axes of multiple variable refractive index material layers are different, natural light in which light with different polarization directions is mixed should be reflected at the boundary surface of one of the variable refractive index material layers whose polarization axis directions match. You can Therefore, the reflectance of incident light can be improved. Further, since the plurality of variable refractive index substance layers are interposed between the pair of energy transfer means,
There is no parallax.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that at least two polarization axes of the polarization axes of the plurality of variable refractive index material layers are orthogonal to each other. According to the invention, the polarization axes of the at least two variable refractive index material layers are chosen in mutually orthogonal directions. Therefore, natural light in which lights of different polarization directions are mixed is separated into lights that are polarized in two directions orthogonal to each other, and the lights are reflected by the boundary surface of either one of the two variable refractive index substance layers described above. You can With this, almost 100% of the incident light can be reflected. Therefore, an on / off ratio sufficient for use as an optical switch can be obtained.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that at least one isotropic refractive index substance layer is disposed between the plurality of variable refractive index substance layers. According to the present invention, by selecting an isotropic refractive index substance layer material arranged between a plurality of variable refractive index substance layers, for example, when a plurality of variable refractive index substance layers are realized as a solid, they are adhered to each other. You can improve your sex. Alternatively, the refractive index can be adjusted more finely by selecting the number and refractive index of the isotropic refractive index material layers arranged between the plurality of variable refractive index material layers.

Further, in the present invention, the inclination angle δ of the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer and the incident angle θ1 with respect to the normal direction of the interface between the isotropic of the incident light and the variable refractive index substance layer are θ1 / 2 ≦ It is characterized in that the relationship of δ ≦ θ1 (1) is satisfied. According to the invention, the light reflected at the interface between the isotropic refractive index material layer and the liquid crystal layer constituting the variable refractive index material layer is emitted in a direction not intersecting with the light passing through the interface. Become. As a result, these lights are completely separated, and when this deflecting element is used as a display element, high contrast display is realized. When δ = θ1 / 2, the light reflected by the interface is emitted in a direction perpendicular to the interface. Therefore, for example, when a plurality of deflecting elements having the above-described configuration are arranged to form a display device, emitted lights from adjacent deflecting elements do not mix with each other, and high-definition display can be realized.

In the present invention, the refractive index of one of the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers is n.
2, the refractive index of the other refractive index material layer is n1, one refractive index material layer is realized by an isotropic refractive index material layer, and the other refractive index material layer is an ordinary light refractive index no and an extraordinary light refractive index ne of 1 When the variable refractive index material layer made of an axially transparent material is used, the refractive indexes n1, n2, no, and ne are: no ≦ n1 ≦ ne (2) no ≦ n2 ≦ ne (3) θ1 ≧ arcsin (n2 / ne) (4), while the refractive index material layer has an ordinary refractive index n
o, when the variable refractive index material layer is made of a uniaxial translucent material having an extraordinary refractive index ne, and the refractive index material layer is an isotropic refractive index material layer, the refractive indices n1 and n2 are ，
No and ne are characterized by satisfying the following relationship: no ≦ n2 ≦ ne (5) no ≦ n1 sin θ1 (6) ne ≧ n1 (7). According to the present invention, the refractive index of the refractive index material layer satisfies the relationship of Expression (2) to Expression (4) or Expression (5) to Expression (7), whereby the variable refractive index material layer has a uniaxial property. Even when it is made of a translucent material, switching can be performed by the above-described action.

In the present invention, the refractive index of one of the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers is n.
2 and the refractive index of the other refractive index material layer is n1, one refractive index material layer is realized by an isotropic refractive index material layer, and the other refractive index material layer is an optical material having a maximum refractive index nmax and a minimum refractive index nmin. When the variable refractive index material layer made of an isotropic transparent material is used, the refractive index n1, n2, nmax,
nmin satisfies the following relationship: nmin ≦ n1 ≦ nmax (8) nmin ≦ n2 ≦ nmax (9) θ1 ≧ arcsin (n2 / nmax) (10), while the refractive index material layer has a maximum refractive index nm
ax, a variable refractive index material layer made of an optically isotropic transparent material having a minimum refractive index nmin, while the refractive index material layer is realized by an isotropic refractive index material layer, the refractive index n1 , N2, nmax, nmin satisfy the relationship of nmin ≦ n2 ≦ nmax (11) nmin ≦ n1sin θ1 (12) nmax ≧ n1 (13). According to the present invention, the refractive index of the refractive index material layer satisfies the relationship of the formula (8) to the formula (10) or the formula (11) to the formula (13). Even if it is made of a transparent material having a direction, switching can be performed by the above-described action.

The light guiding means of the present invention has at least a first surface arranged substantially parallel to the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers, and a second surface intersecting the first surface. Of the light incident from the second surface, a prism for guiding light from an angle range of ± 20 ° to the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers with respect to the normal direction of the second surface is used. Characterize. According to the invention, the polarized light from the polarizing means is -20 ° to 2 with respect to the light incident surface of the prism.
It is incident at an incident angle in the range of 0 °. As shown in FIG. 12A, when light is incident on the prism from the air layer, most of the light is not reflected at the incident angle in the above range and is transmitted through the interface between the air layer and the prism. FIG. 12B
As shown in, if the incident angle of light when entering the air layer from the prism is within the above range, most of the light passes through the interface between the prism and the air layer without being reflected. As a result, even if the light from the light source has a spread, it is possible to suppress the loss of light when entering the prism or when exiting from the prism, and it is possible to improve the light utilization efficiency.

Further, the angle formed by the first surface and the second surface of the prism of the present invention is selected in the range of 50 ° or more and less than 90 °. According to the invention, in the above configuration, the incident angle of the light vertically incident on the light incident surface of the prism on the bottom surface of the prism is equal to the angle formed by the bottom surface and the light incident surface. Therefore, when the bottom surface of the prism is laminated parallel to the isotropic refractive index substance layer, the critical angle to the interface between the isotropic refractive index substance layer and the variable refractive index substance layer such as the liquid crystal layer is formed. In order to make the light incident, the critical angle and the angle formed by the bottom surface of the prism and the light incident surface may be equal to each other. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the refractive index of the liquid crystal layer and the critical angle at the interface between the isotropic refractive index substance layer (refractive index 1.5) and the liquid crystal layer. Although various substances exist as materials that can form the liquid crystal layer, it is considered that the maximum refractive index that the variable refractive index substance layer can have is about 1.9. Taking this into consideration, the angle between the bottom surface of the prism and the light incident surface should be 50 ° or more and 90 ° or less.
When it is less than the above value, light can be incident on the interface between the liquid crystal layer and the isotropic refractive index substance layer at a critical angle.

Further, the projection area of the second surface projected on the first surface by the incident light from the second surface of the prism of the present invention is larger than the actual switching area contributing to switching. According to the present invention, since the projection area on the second surface of the prism is larger than the actual switching area, light can be incident on the entire actual switching area, and good switching characteristics can be obtained.

Further, the prism of the present invention is characterized in that it has a third surface which is arranged in parallel to the first surface and outside the first surface and which is larger than an actual switching region which contributes to switching. According to the invention, the light reflected by the interface or the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer is the third light of the prism.
Emit from the surface. Since the third surface is larger than the actual switching area, stray light does not occur, all reflected light can be emitted from the third surface, and good switching characteristics can be obtained.

The variable refractive index material layer of the present invention is characterized by being made of liquid crystal. According to the present invention, when the variable refractive index substance layer is made of liquid crystal, good switching can be performed by the above-described action.

The liquid crystal molecules forming the variable refractive index substance layer of the present invention are characterized by being irregularly oriented. According to the invention, the liquid crystal molecules are randomly oriented. At this time, the light is blocked, and the light intensity of the emitted light becomes zero. Further, when energy is applied, liquid crystal molecules are regularly aligned as energy is applied, and light is transmitted. Good switching can be performed by selecting such a relationship between the two alignment states of the liquid crystal molecules and the above-described refractive index of the refractive index substance layer.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of pixel regions arranged in a matrix are set, and the pair of energy transfer means face each other in each pixel region.
According to the present invention, a plurality of pixel regions that perform switching are set by the above-described operation, and by combining the states of the pixels, for example, image display can be performed.

Further, the present invention is characterized by including a light source for irradiating light toward the light guide means, and a light receiving means for receiving light emitted from the light guide means. According to the present invention,
Light from the light source is made incident on the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers, and the reflected light from the interface or the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer is received by the light receiving means. Therefore, it is possible to realize a projection display device using the deflection element as a light bubble.

The present invention is also characterized in that the light incident on the light guide means is non-polarized light. According to the present invention,
Since non-polarized light is made incident on the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers, the light utilization efficiency is improved.

The present invention is also characterized in that the light incident on the light guide means is polarized light. According to the present invention, since polarized light is incident on the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers,
Although the utilization efficiency of light is reduced, high contrast ratio switching is possible.

The light reflection layer of the present invention has a triangular prism shape whose one side is parallel to the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers, and is perpendicular to the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers. , The cross-sectional shape in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the triangular prism is an isosceles triangle, and the inclination angle δ of the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer, which is an equal angle of the isosceles triangle, is the normal line of the interface of the incident light. It is characterized in that it is substantially equal to one half of the incident angle θ1 with respect to the direction. According to the invention, the light reflecting layer having such a shape allows the light reflected by the light reflecting layer to be emitted from the third surface of the prism substantially perpendicularly to the surface.

[0037]

1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a deflection element 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The deflecting element 1 includes an insulating substrate 2, a tilting means 3, a light reflecting electrode 4, an isotropic refractive index substance layer 5, alignment films 6 and 8, a variable refractive index substance layer 7, a transparent electrode 9, and a transparent substrate 10. The adhesive layer 11 and the prism 12 are included. The deflecting element 1 uses a liquid crystal as a variable refractive index material and an electric field as energy supplied from the outside. The light reflecting electrode 4 functions as one energy transmitting means of the light reflecting layer and the pair of energy transmitting means, and includes the insulating substrate 2, the inclining means 3, and the light reflecting electrode 4, and the one energy applying means and the light applying means. The reflective layer is integrally configured. Also,
The other energy applying means is configured by including the transparent electrode 9 and the transparent substrate 10 which are the other energy transmitting means. Further, the prism 12 is a light guide means.

In this embodiment, a solid polymer film is used as the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5, and the variable refractive index substance layer 7 is used.
Since the liquid crystal is used as the substrate, the one substrate member 13 and the other substrate member 14 sandwiching the liquid crystal will be described separately. On the other hand, the substrate member 13 is configured to include the insulating substrate 2, the tilting means 3, the light reflecting electrode 4, the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5, and the alignment film 6, and the other substrate member 14 is the alignment film 8 and the transparent electrode. 9,
And a transparent substrate 10.

Product name 7059 manufactured by Corning Incorporated
One surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2 realized by the glass substrate of
Above, using the mold created as described below,
From the one surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2, a predetermined angle δ (δ
The inclining means 3 inclined by ≠ 0 ° is formed, and the light reflecting electrode 4 is formed so as to cover the surface of the inclining means 3. The light reflecting layer 4 is realized by, for example, aluminum and is formed by a sputtering method. The angle δ is selected to be 35 °, for example.

On the light reflecting electrode 4, an isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 made of, for example, polybiphenyl alcohol (PVA) having a refractive index of about 1.54 is formed. The PV
The A layer is formed by applying a 5 wt% PVA aqueous solution by a spin coating method and baking at 180 ° C. for 30 minutes. The isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 thus formed has a function as a flattening film for flattening the unevenness of the surface by the tilting means 3, and also the variable refractive index substance layer 7
It also functions as an alignment control film for the liquid crystal used as.

By subjecting the surface of the PVA layer, which is the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5, to an alignment treatment by a rubbing method or the like,
The function as an orientation control film is given. In this way, the first substrate member 13 is completed. In place of the PVA, for example, polyvinylidene chloride having a refractive index of about 1.6 may be used. In this case, for example, polyvinylidene chloride is dissolved in an appropriate solvent and then spin-coated to form 0.5 μm to 1. The isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 is formed by applying a film having a thickness of about 0 μm.

For example, a transparent electrode 9 made of, for example, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is formed by sputtering on one surface 10a of the transparent substrate 10 made of the same glass substrate as the insulating substrate 2. Then, the alignment film 8 is formed so as to cover the transparent electrode 9. The alignment film 8 is formed in the same manner as the alignment film 6. In this way, the other substrate member 14 is completed.

The one and the other substrate members 13 and 14 are arranged such that the alignment films 6 and 8 face each other. Here, the alignment treatment directions (rubbing treatment directions) are selected to be parallel and opposite directions. In addition, a spacer formed of glass beads having a particle diameter of 10 μm is arranged between the substrate members 13 and 14, and the substrate members 13 and 14 are
Are glued together. Therefore, the substrate members 13, 1
A gap of 10 μm is formed between the four. In this gap,
For example, a liquid crystal manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc., having a product name of BL007, an extraordinary light refractive index ne = 1.820, and an ordinary light refractive index no = 1.533 is injected by a vacuum degassing method. The variable refractive index material layer 7 is formed by sealing the liquid crystal injection hole. The injected liquid crystal molecules are homogeneously aligned by the alignment regulating force of the alignment films 6 and 8, and the variable refractive index substance layer 7 made of a uniaxial liquid crystal material.
Is formed.

On the surface of the other substrate member 14 opposite to the variable refractive index substance layer 7, that is, on the other surface 10b of the transparent substrate 10 opposite to the one surface 10a, an adhesive layer 11 is provided. The glass prism 12 is adhered. The prism 12 prevents the incident light from the side of the other substrate member 14 from being reflected on the surface of the translucent substrate 10, and the second surface 12
Of the incident light from b, the incident light from the angle range of ± 20 ° is guided to the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers 5 and 7 with reference to the normal direction of the second surface 12b. , A material having a refractive index substantially the same as that of the transparent substrate 10. The adhesive layer 11 is made of a material having substantially the same refractive index and transmitted light spectrum as those of the transparent substrate 10 and the prism 12, for example, manufactured by Loctite Co.,
The product name Loctite 365 is used.

The prism 12 has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape as shown in the drawing, and the first surface 12a and the first surface 12a which are adhered to the transparent substrate 10 by the adhesive 11.
The second surface 12 that intersects with and serves as a light incident surface or a light emitting surface.
b, and parallel to the first surface 12a and the first surface 12a
The third surface 12c, which is arranged on the outer side of and is a light emitting surface.
Having. The angle α formed between the first surface 12a and the second surface 12b is selected in the range of 50 ° or more and less than 90 °, whereby the incident light from the second surface 12b is surely reflected on the refractive index substance layers 5 and 7. Be guided. For example, the angle α is chosen to be 70 °.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the size of the prism 12. The area A3 of the third surface 12c is selected to be larger than the actual display area A2 related to actual display when the deflection element 1 is used as a display device, for example. When the deflection element 1 is used as another switching element, the third surface 12c should be larger than the actual switching area A2 involved in actual switching.
Area A3 is selected so that all reflected light is
It can be emitted from the surface 12c. Also, the projection area A1 of the second surface 12b projected onto the first surface 12a by the incident light from the second surface 12b is also selected to be larger than the actual switching area A2, so that the actual switching area A2 as a whole. Light can be incident on.

FIG. 3 is a sectional perspective view showing the insulating substrate 2 on which the tilting means 3 and the light reflecting electrode 4 are formed. The inclination means 3 has a triangular prism shape, and is regularly arranged so that one side surface of the triangular prism contacts the one surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2. A cross section of a triangular prism in a cross section that is perpendicular to the surface of the insulating substrate 2 in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the triangular prism extends, passing through the side where two other side faces different from one side contacting the insulating substrate 2 are in contact. The shape is chosen to be a right triangle. One of two corners formed by the right-angled triangle in cross section with the surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2 is selected as a right angle and the other corner is selected as δ. The angle δ and the incident angle θ1 of the incident light on the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers 5 and 7, that is, the angle θ1 formed by the incident direction of the incident light and the normal direction of the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7. And θ1 / 2 ≦ δ ≦ θ1
... selected to satisfy the relationship of (1).

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the insulative substrate 2 on which the tilting means 3a having another shape and the light reflecting electrode 4 are formed. The inclination means 3a has a triangular prism shape, and is regularly arranged so that one side surface of the triangular prism contacts the one surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2. A cross section of a triangular prism in a cross section that is perpendicular to the surface of the insulating substrate 2 in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the triangular prism extends, passing through the side where two other side faces different from one side contacting the insulating substrate 2 are in contact. The shape is chosen to be an isosceles triangle. Two angles formed by the isosceles triangle in cross section and the surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2 are selected as δ.
The angle δ and the incident angle θ1 are selected so as to satisfy the relationship of the equation (1).

FIG. 5 is a process chart showing a method of manufacturing the die 28 used for making the inclining means 3, 3a.
6A to 6C are cross-sectional views showing a method of manufacturing the mold 28 step by step. In step T1, as shown in FIG.
On a flat substrate 21 made of glass or the like, a photoresist realized by, for example, OFPR-800 manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Co., Ltd. is applied by a spin coating method to form a photoresist film 22. The thickness of the photoresist film 22 is
It is preferable to select the height of the inclining means 3 or 3a to be equal to or more than the height of a right-angled triangle in section or an isosceles triangle in section.

In step T2, as shown in FIG. 6B, the photoresist film 22 is irradiated with laser light 23 such as Ar (argon) to process the photoresist film 22. In step T3, development is performed to form an inclined sawtooth-shaped photoresist film 24 as shown in FIG. 6C.

In step T4, Ni (nickel) is deposited on the photoresist film 24 by sputtering.
The Ni film 25 is formed by depositing as shown in FIG. In step T5, as shown in FIG. 6 (E), a scanning tunnel microscope (STM; Scanning Tunnel Micros) is used.
The surface shape is inspected by the probe 26. In step T6, the Ni film 25 is formed on the Ni film 25 by electroforming as shown in FIG.
A Ni film 27 is further formed as shown in FIG. Electroforming, using an electrolytic nickel as an anode, a _{Ni-SO 4 -NH 4 Cl-} H 3 BO 3 as a plating bath, respectively,
It was performed under the conditions of a temperature of 30 ° C. and a current of 1 A / dm ² .

In step T7, the substrate 21 and the photoresist film 24 are removed to remove the Ni film 25,
A die 28 composed of 27 as shown in FIG. 6 (G) is completed. Using the mold 28 thus created,
Inclining means 3, 3a are formed on one surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2. For example, it is formed by an injection molding method.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the basic operation principle of the deflection element 1. One of the two isotropic and variable refractive index material layers of the deflecting element 1 is a first refractive index material layer having a refractive index n1, and the other refractive index material layer is a second refractive index material layer having a refractive index n2. The refractive index material layer will be described below.

The incident light 15 to the first refractive index substance layer is incident at an incident angle θ1 which is an angle formed by the incident direction of the light and the normal direction 18 of the interface between the first and second refractive index substance layers. However, it is affected by the interface. As a result, the reflected light 16 that is reflected at the interface and travels again toward the first refractive index material layer 16
And is separated into transmitted light 17 that passes through the interface and travels in the direction of the second refractive index material layer. An emission angle which is an angle formed by the reflection direction of the reflected light 16 and the normal direction 18 is θ2,
The emission angle, which is the angle formed by the transmission direction of the transmitted light 17 and the normal direction 18, is θ3. Reflected light 16 and transmitted light 17
The light intensity of Rp = (n2 · cos θ1−n1 · cos θ3) / (n2 · c) based on the Fresnel equation.
os θ1 + n1 · cos θ3) Rs = (n1 · cos θ1−n2 · cos θ3) / (n1 · c
os θ1 + n2 · cos θ3) Tp = (2 · n1 · cos θ1) / (n2 · cos θ1 + n1
・ Cos θ3) Ts = (2 · n1 · cos θ1) / (n1 · cos θ1 + n2
-Calculated by cos θ3). Here, R and T represent the intensity of the reflected light 16 and the intensity of the transmitted light 17, respectively, and the subscripts p and s are
The light intensities of polarized light parallel to the incident plane (P polarized light) and polarized light perpendicular to the incident plane (S polarized light) are shown.

Further, the outgoing angle θ3 of the transmitted light 17 is Sn
According to Elll's law, n1 · sin θ1 = n2 · sin θ3 is calculated. Further, the absolute values of the outgoing angle θ2 and the incident angle θ1 of the reflected light 16 are equal.

FIG. 8 shows the incident angle θ1 of the incident light 15 when the refractive indices n1 and n2 have a relationship of n1> n2.
6 is a graph showing changes in light intensity of reflected light 16 and transmitted light 17. The curves L1 and L2 represent the change in the light intensity of the reflected light 16 and the change in the light intensity of the transmitted light 17, respectively.
Actually, n1 = 1.7 and n2 = 1.5.

When the incident angle θ1 becomes larger than 60 °,
It can be seen that the intensity of the transmitted light 17 becomes 0, and all of the incident light 15 is reflected to become the reflected light 16. The minimum value of the incident angles that cause such total reflection is called the critical angle θc.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the critical angle θc when the refractive index n2 is set to 1.5 and the refractive index n1 is changed. The larger the difference between the refractive indices n1 and n2, the more the critical angle θ
It can be seen that c becomes small. As a result, the incident angle θ1 is increased by increasing the refractive index difference of the refractive index material layer.
Can be reduced.

Further, one of the two refractive index material layers is made of a variable refractive index material whose refractive index changes according to an external field. For example, when the refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer is n1 and the refractive index of the isotropic refractive index substance layer is n2, the maximum and minimum refractive indices n1max and n1min of the refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer are n1max ≧ n2 / Sin θc (14) n1min = n2 (15) That is, the range of change of the refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer is expressed by the formula (14), and from the value at which the incident light 15 is totally reflected at the interface, expressed by the formula (15), the two refractive indices are expressed. It is a range up to a value where the material layers have the same refractive index.
In addition, the maximum refractive index n1max is set to the extraordinary light refractive index n1.
The same is true even if the minimum refractive index n1min is replaced with ne by the ordinary refractive index.

In the change range of the refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer, that is, in the range of n2 <n1 <n2 / sin θc, the transmitted light 17 passing through the interface is generated and the reflected light 1
It is possible to change the light intensity of 6. For example, when the refractive index is n1max (n1ne), the ON state can be set, and when the refractive index is n1min (n1no), the OFF state can be set. Further, the gradation display state can be set in the range of n2 <n1 <n2 / sin θc.

FIG. 10A is a graph showing the light intensity when the refractive index n2 is set to 1.5 and the refractive index n1 is changed when the incident angle θ1 is 60 °. FIG. 10 (B)
Has a refractive index n2 of 1.5 when the incident angle θ1 is 70 °.
6 is a graph showing the light intensity when the refractive index n1 is changed as defined in FIG. Curves L3 and L4 represent the light intensity of the P-polarized reflected light 16, curves L5 and L6 represent the light intensity of the S-polarized reflected light 16, and curves L7 and L8 represent the light intensity of the P-polarized transmitted light 17. , Curves L9 and L10 respectively represent the light intensities of the S-polarized transmitted light 17. It is understood that the amount of reflected light can be continuously changed by changing the refractive index of the variable refractive index material layer.

The above is the basic operation principle of the deflecting element 1. Specifically, the reflection that reflects the incident light incident through the prism 12 at the interface between the variable and isotropic refractive index substance layers 7 and 5. The light intensity of the reflected light and the transmitted light can be changed by dividing the light into the transmitted light that passes through the interface and changing the refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer 7. Further, the transmitted light is reflected on the surface of the light reflecting electrode 4. By emitting the reflected light at the interface between the refractive index material layers 7 and 5 and the reflected light at the surface of the light reflecting electrode 4 in different directions, switching can be performed without causing light interference. . For this reason, the angle δ (inclination angle δ)
The surface of the light reflection electrode 4 is provided with an inclination by the inclination means 3 having.

In this embodiment, since the variable refractive index substance layer 7 is made of liquid crystal and is switched by using the specific polarized light, the alignment films 6 and 8 are required.
Therefore, the influence of the alignment film 6 on the reflection and transmission of light at the interface between the variable refractive index substance layer 7 and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 is considered. However, it is considered that the alignment film is almost commonly used in an element using liquid crystal, and the refractive index of the alignment film is almost equal to that of the liquid crystal, and the refraction of light by the alignment film is almost negligible.

In the deflecting element 1, of the incident light incident at the incident angle + θ1, the reflected light reflected at the interface between the refractive index material layers 7 and 5 is emitted at the emitting angle −θ2 whose absolute value is equal to the incident angle θ1. . The light transmitted through the interface is incident on the isotropic refractive index material layer 5 at an emission angle θ3 and is reflected on the surface of the light reflecting electrode 4.
This reflected light is applied to the surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2 by-(θ
The light is reflected in the direction of 3 ± 2 · δ) and emitted. By selecting such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the light separated at the interface from being combined again and prevent the adverse effect of light interference.

FIG. 11A shows the output light 20a, 20b when the inclination angle δ of the inclination means 3 is δ ≠ 0 and δ ≠ θ1 / 2.
FIG. FIG. 11B is a diagram showing the emitted lights 20a and 20b when the inclination angle δ of the inclination means 3 is δ = θ1 / 2.

The incident light 19 on the prism 12 is, for example, perpendicularly incident on the light incident side second surface 12b of the prism 12. Therefore, the incident angle θ1 is determined by the angle α of the prism 12. The light (on-state light) 20a reflected at the interface between the refractive index substance layers 7 and 5 is inclined by the tilting means 3.
As described above, the light is emitted at the emission angle θ2 whose absolute value is equal to that of the incident angle θ1, that is, perpendicularly to the second surface 12b of the prism 12 on the light emission side.

The light (off-state light) 20b transmitted through the interface between the refractive index material layers 7 and 5 and reflected on the surface of the light reflection electrode 4 is
When the inclination angle δ is δ ≠ 0 and δ ≠ θ1 / 2, the light is emitted at an angle other than perpendicular to the third surface 12c of the prism 12, and when the inclination angle δ is δ = θ1 / 2, Prism 12
The light is emitted perpendicularly to the third surface 12c.

The light 20a is set to the off-state light,
The light 20b may be on-state light.

The angle α of the prism 12 is selected in the range of 50 ° or more and less than 90 ° as described above in consideration of the reflection of light on the surface 10b of the transparent substrate 10, and thus the angle of the polarizing element 1 is set. The allowable incident range of light is about ± 10 °. The prism 12 is arranged for the following reason. Even if the refractive index difference between the refractive index substance layers 5 and 7 is largely estimated, a combination exceeding 0.4 cannot be considered among the materials currently used. In addition, the variable refractive index material layer whose refractive index that changes depending on the external field satisfies the relations of the above formulas (14) and (15) is used as an anisotropic optical crystal, a liquid crystal, and a polymer currently used. It is unthinkable to construct it from the inside. However, the difference in refractive index between air and glass exceeds 0.4, which is totally reflected at the interface between the air and the translucent substrate 10 at an incident angle where the light is totally reflected at the interfaces between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7. Means that.

FIG. 12A is a graph showing the light intensities of the reflected light 16 and the transmitted light 17 depending on the incident angle θ1 when the glass irradiates the glass with light. FIG. 12 (B)
Is the incident angle θ when light is radiated from the glass to the air layer.
7 is a graph showing the light intensities of reflected light 16 and transmitted light 17 according to No. 1; The curves L11 and 13 show the intensity of the reflected light 16, and the curves L12 and 14 show the intensity of the transmitted light 17. From these graphs, it is understood that when the light incident surface and the interfaces of the refractive index substance layers 5 and 7 are arranged in parallel, the loss of the incident light 15 is large and the amount of emitted light is small.

In this embodiment, the prism 12 is arranged in order to eliminate such an inconvenience. By utilizing the incident light from the second surface 12b of the prism 12,
The light incident surface and the interfaces between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 are not parallel to each other, so that the loss of the incident light 15 is reduced and the amount of emitted light is increased.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the locus of light within the prism 12. FIG. 13A shows a case where the area A3 of the third surface 12c is equal to or smaller than the size of the actual switching area A2. In this case, part of the light that has entered the prism 12 from the refractive index material layers 5, 7 side reaches the second surface 12b of the prism 12, is reflected by the surface 12b, and is again refractive index material layers 5, 7. Go in the direction. In this way, light trapped in the prism 12 is generated, and good switching cannot be performed.

FIG. 13B shows a region A of the third surface 12c.
3 is larger than the actual switching area A2. In this case, all the light that has entered the prism 12 from the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 reaches the third surface 12c of the prism 12 and exits from the surface 12c. Therefore, no light is confined in the prism 12, and poor switching can be performed.

Therefore, the third surface 12 of the prism 12 is
The size of the area A3 of c and the size of the actual switching area A2 are preferably selected so that the third surface 12c is larger.

The projection area A1 of the second surface 12b projected onto the first surface 12a by the incident light from the second surface 12b on the incident surface side of the prism 12 is the same as the size of the actual switching area A2, or It is preferable to select it to be larger than that. This is the second surface 12b
This is because if the projection area A1 due to is smaller than the size of the actual switching area A2, the incident light is not applied to the entire surface of the actual switching area A2, and good switching cannot be performed.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a method of detecting the light intensity of the light emitted from the deflection element 1. Light source 32
The light 35 from the second surface 12b on the light incident side of the prism 12 of the deflection element 1 passes through the polarizing plate 31 and has an incident angle θ.
It is incident at 1. The light (ON-state light) 36 that is reflected and emitted at the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 is emitted from the second surface 12b on the light emitting side of the prism 12, and the light intensity thereof is detected by the detector 33. . The light (off-state light) 37 reflected by the light reflection electrode 4 and emitted is the third light on the light emission side of the prism 12.
The light is emitted from the surface 12c, and its light intensity is detected by the detector 34.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing the relationship between the applied voltage and the light intensities of the lights 36 and 37 emitted from the deflection element 1. The refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer 7 changes as the applied voltage increases. In this embodiment, since the p-type nematic liquid crystal is used for the variable refractive index substance layer 7, the refractive index n1 decreases as the applied voltage increases. A curve L15 shows the light intensity of the on-state light 36, and a curve L16 shows the light intensity of the off-state light 37. Variable refractive index material layer 7
And the refractive index n2 of the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 are
The range of the applied voltage in the range of n2 <n1 <n2 / sin θc is the displayable area B1. At the point c in the graph, the refractive indices n1 and n2 are equal. Further, in the range below the lower limit voltage of the displayable area B1, the on-state light 36
It is the total reflection area B1 in which only one is obtained. In this embodiment, n1
The change range of is 1.6 to 1.71.

According to the first embodiment, the incident light of the specific polarization is reflected by the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 and emitted, and is transmitted through the interface and reflected by the light reflection electrode 4. , And light emitted in a different direction from the emitted light. Such a deflection element 1 has a sufficient ON / OFF function as an optical switch.
An off ratio is obtained.

Although liquid crystal is used as the variable refractive index substance layer 7 in this embodiment, an optically anisotropic crystal such as lithium niobate may be used instead of the liquid crystal.
In this case, the variable refractive index substance layer 7 made of optically anisotropic crystal
It is possible to use both the transparent substrate 10 and the transparent substrate 10.

The method for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is not limited to the rubbing method, but the oblique vapor deposition method may be adopted. The alignment method is not limited to homogeneous alignment, and any alignment method may be used as long as the refractive index of the liquid crystal continuously changes.

Further, the method of forming the inclining means 3 and the mold is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and any method may be used as long as it has a predetermined shape.

Although the electric field is used as the energy applied from the outside, any energy such as a magnetic field can be used as long as it can change the refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer 7.

Further, the transparent substrate 10 and the prism 12 may be used in common.

In this embodiment, the isotropic refractive index material layer 5 is arranged on the tilting means 3 side, and the variable refractive index material layer 7 is arranged on the prism 12 side.
Was placed. The variable refractive index substance layer 7 is made of a uniaxial liquid crystal material. Therefore, the refractive index n2 of the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5, the refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer 7, the ordinary light refractive index no of the substance layer 7, and the extraordinary light refractive index ne are expressed by the formulas (2) to ( The relationship of 4) is satisfied.

The variable refractive index substance layer 7 and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 may be opposite to each other. However, in this case, the respective refractive indices n1, n2, no, and ne are expressed by the above formula (5).
To (7) are satisfied, and the expressions (14) and (1
5) becomes n2nin ≦ n1 · sin θ1 (16) n2max = n1 (17). Here, equations (5) to (7) and equation (1
In 6) and (17), n1 represents the refractive index of the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5, and n2 represents the refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer 7.

As a second embodiment of the present invention, while the deflection element 1 of the first embodiment is capable of dimming a specific polarization, it has the same configuration as the deflection element 1 and is a deflection device capable of dimming unpolarized light. The element 1a can be realized. That is, the orientation films 6 and 8 sandwiching the variable refractive index substance layer 7 of the deflecting element 1 are made of nylon 6 and 6 made by spin coating, and the resin film 18 made of nylon 6 is formed.
It is made to be spherulite by firing at 0 ° C. The alignment film having this spherulitic property causes the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules to have axial symmetry. Furthermore, by reducing the spherulites, the liquid crystal molecules can be oriented two-dimensionally at random (irregularly) having optical isotropy in terms of optical appearance. The refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer 7 in the random orientation can be calculated by nave = ((ne ² + no ² ) / 2) ^0.5 . By using such an alignment film, even when non-polarized light is incident, switching can be performed in the same manner as described in the first embodiment.

The variable refractive index substance layer 7 in the second embodiment is realized by a liquid crystal having an extraordinary light refractive index ne = 1.6826 and an ordinary light refractive index no = 1.533, and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 is It was realized with polyvinyl alcohol having a refractive index of 1.55. Further, at the incident angle θ1 = 70 °, the inclination angle δ = 3
The angle α was set to 5 ° and the angle α was set to 70 °.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a method of detecting the light intensity of the light emitted from the deflection element 1a. Light source 3
The light 35 from 2 enters from the second surface 12b on the light incident side of the prism 12 of the deflecting element 1a at an incident angle θ1. The light (on-state light) 36 reflected and emitted at the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 is the second surface 12 on the light emission side of the prism 12.
The light is emitted from b, and the light intensity is detected by the detector 33.
Light (off-state light) 37 which is reflected by the light reflection electrode 4 and emitted.
Is emitted from the third surface 12c on the light emission side of the prism 12, and the light intensity thereof is detected by the detector 34.

FIG. 17 is a graph showing the relationship between the applied voltage and the light intensities of the emitted lights 36 and 37 from the deflection element 1a. The refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer 7 changes as the applied voltage increases. A curve L17 shows the light intensity of the on-state light 36, and a curve L18 shows the light intensity of the off-state light 37. The refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer 7 and the refractive index n2 of the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 are n2 <n1 (nav
e) The displayable region B1 is the range of the applied voltage that satisfies the range of <n2 / sin θc. At the point c in the graph, the refractive indices n1 and n2 are equal. In addition, the displayable area B
The range equal to or lower than the voltage that is the lower limit of 1 is the total reflection area B2 in which only the on-state light 36 is obtained. In this embodiment,
Change range is 1.55 to 1.65, and the maximum value is 1.
It becomes 6826.

According to the second embodiment, incident light of unpolarized light is reflected by the interfaces of the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 and emitted, and transmitted through the interfaces and reflected by the light reflection electrode 4. Thus, the emitted light is divided into light emitted in a different direction. Such a deflection element 1a can obtain a sufficient on / off ratio as an optical switch.

In this embodiment, the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 is arranged on the tilting means 3 side, and the variable refractive index substance layer 7 is arranged on the prism 12 side.
And the variable refractive index substance layer 7 was made of a liquid crystal material having optical isotropy. Therefore, the refractive index n2 of the isotropic refractive index material layer 5 and the refractive index n of the variable refractive index material layer 7 are
1, the maximum refractive index n1max and the minimum refractive index n1min of the substance layer 7 satisfy the relationships of the formulas (8) to (10). Further, the relationships of the expressions (14) and (15) are satisfied.

The variable refractive index substance layer 7 and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 may be opposite to each other. However, in this case, the respective refractive indices n1, n2, n1max, n1min are
The relationships of the expressions (11) to (13) are satisfied. Further, the relationships of the above expressions (16) and (17) are satisfied.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the structure of the deflection element 41 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The deflecting element 41 of the third embodiment has a light reflecting layer 42 and a transparent electrode 4 instead of the light reflecting electrode 4 and the transparent electrode 9 of the first embodiment.
Deflection element 1 of the first embodiment except that 3, 44 are formed
It is constructed almost in the same way. Therefore, members used in the same manner are denoted by the same reference numerals, and only different portions will be described. The deflecting element 41 has a matrix of electrode structures for applying a voltage to the variable refractive index material layer 7. In this embodiment, a case of forming a 2 × 2 matrix will be described. The transparent electrodes 43 and 44 are a pair of energy transmission means.

The light reflection layer 42 is provided in place of the light reflection electrode 4 of the deflection element 1 so as to cover the surface of the tilting means 3. The light reflection layer 42 does not function as an electrode, but has only a function of reflecting light that has passed through the interfaces of the refractive index material layers 5 and 7.

The transparent electrodes 43 and 44 are made of, for example, the same ITO as that of the transparent electrode 9, and the transparent electrodes 43 are formed on the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 in parallel with each other at intervals and in a strip shape. . Further, the alignment film 6 is formed except the terminal portion. The transparent electrodes 44 are formed on the translucent substrate 10 in parallel with each other and spaced apart from each other. Further, the alignment film 8 is formed except the terminal portion. Transparent electrodes 43, 4
4 is formed, for example, by processing an ITO film formed by a sputtering method into the band shape by a photolithography method.

The substrate members 13 and 14 are arranged to face each other such that the alignment treatment directions of the alignment films 6 and 8 are anti-parallel or parallel, and the strip-shaped transparent electrodes 43 and 44 are orthogonal to each other.

Since the deflection element 41 employs simple matrix drive, the drive voltage ratio Von / Voff ratio (duty ratio) is Von / Voff = (N ^0.5 + 1 / N ^0.5 −1) ^0.5 (18) Required by. N is the duty number (1 / N; duty ratio), and is usually selected to be the same as the number of scanning lines.

The refractive index n1 of the variable refractive index substance layer 7 and the refractive index n2 of the isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 are n2 <n1 <n2 / s.
It is preferable to be in the range of inθc, and in the deflecting element 41, n2 = 1.6 and θc = 70 °.
Must vary in the range 1.6 to 1.71.
In order to change the extraordinary light refractive index ne of the liquid crystal forming the variable refractive index substance layer 7 of the deflecting element 41 within the above range, 1 V is required.
An applied voltage of (threshold voltage) to 2.4 V is required. It can be seen from the above equation (18) that the number of scanning lines that can obtain such a Von / Voff ratio is two. It is possible to configure one to several hundreds of inclining means 3 to correspond to one strip electrode. The corresponding number of tilting means 3 is determined by the angle and height of the tilting means 3.

As described above, according to the third mode, the simple matrix drive can be realized by the deflection element 41. It is also within the scope of the present invention to configure the deflecting element 1a of the second embodiment like the deflecting element 41 of the third embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing the structure of a deflection element 51 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Deflection element 5
Reference numeral 1 is an element of an active matrix driving system using a TFT element 52, except that the TFT element 52 is provided.
It is constructed in substantially the same manner as the deflection element 1.

In the simple matrix driving method, since the Von / Voff ratio of the applied voltage decreases with an increase in the number of scanning lines, it is difficult to achieve high definition, and when performing gradation display, there is a gap between gradations. The voltage difference between the two becomes very small, and the influence of electrical noise becomes a serious problem. In the deflecting element 51 of the present embodiment, the above-mentioned problem is solved by forming the TFT element 52 which is a switching element corresponding to each pixel in which the light reflecting electrode 4 and the transparent electrode 9 face each other, and the driving voltage ratio is improved. Is not controlled by the equation (18). The method of forming the TFT element 52 will be described below.

FIG. 20 is a process chart showing the method of manufacturing the TFT element 52. In step S1, the gate bus wiring and the gate electrode 53 are formed. The TFT element 52 is formed on the insulating substrate 2 on the light reflecting side. First, a Ta metal layer having a thickness of 300 nm is formed on the insulating substrate 2 by a sputtering method. The Ta metal layer is patterned by a photolithography method and an etching method to form a gate bus wiring and a gate electrode 53.

In step S2, the gate insulating film 54 is formed. For example, plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Depos
ition) method to form SiNx having a thickness of 400 nm on the insulating substrate 2 so as to cover the gate bus line and the gate electrode 53.

In step S3, the contact layer 56 and the semiconductor layer 55 are formed. First, the gate insulating film 54
An a-Si layer having a thickness of 100 nm to be the semiconductor layer 55 and an n ⁺ type a layer having a thickness of 40 nm to be the contact layer 56.
-Si layer is continuously formed in this order. Next, the contact layer 56 and the semiconductor layer 55 are formed by simultaneously patterning the two layers.

In step S4, the source electrode 57, the drain electrode 58, and the source bus wiring are formed. First,
A Mo metal layer having a thickness of 200 nm is formed on the substrate on which the contact layer 56 and the semiconductor layer 55 are formed by a sputtering method, and the Mo metal layer is patterned to form the source electrode 57, the drain electrode 58, and the source bus. Wiring is formed. A conductor layer 59 is connected to the drain electrode 58. In this way, the TFT element 52 is completed.

On the substrate on which the TFT element 52 is formed,
The tilting means 3 made of an insulating material is formed in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. The tilting means 3 has the TF
The contact hole 3a formed by the photolithography method is formed in the portion of the conductor layer 59 extending from the drain electrode 58 of the T element 52.

Further, the light reflecting electrode 4 is provided so as to cover the tilting means 3.
Is formed. The light reflecting electrode 4 is formed by forming aluminum by a sputtering method.

As described above, according to the fourth mode, active matrix driving can be realized by the deflection element 51. It is also within the scope of the present invention to configure the deflecting element 1a of the second embodiment like the deflecting element 51 of the fourth embodiment. Further, since the deflection element 51 is a reflection type, the insulating substrate 2 forming the TFT element 52 is
A silicon substrate may be used to achieve miniaturization and high definition. In the present embodiment, the example in which the TFT element 52 is used as the switching element has been described.
MIM (Metal-Insulat) using non-linear characteristics of 2-terminal element
Or-Metal) element and varistor may be used.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the structure of a projection display device 61 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The projection display device 61 includes the deflection element 1, the polarizing plate 62, the light source 63,
And a projection lens 64.

The light 65 from the light source 63 enters the polarizing plate 62 as the polarized light 65a from the second surface 12b on the light incident side of the prism 12 of the deflecting element 1 at the incident angle θ1.
Light (on-state light) 66 reflected and emitted at the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 is the second surface 1 on the light emission side of the prism 12.
It is emitted from 2b and projected through the projection lens 64.
In this case, the light reflected by the light reflection electrode 4 and emitted (off-state light) is not used for display.

As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, the projection display device 61 can be realized by using the deflection element 1 as a light valve. Note that the off-state light may be used for display instead of the on-state light 66. It is also within the scope of the present invention to configure the projection display device 61 using the deflection element 1 configured as in the third or fourth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the structure of a projection display device 71 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The projection display device 71 includes the deflection element 1 and the polarization beam splitter 7.
2, reflection plates 73, 74, 76, 78, retardation plates 75, 7
7, a light source 63, and a projection lens 64. The light 65 from the light source 63 is generated by the polarization beam splitter 7
It is divided into P-polarized light 65b and S-polarized light 65c by 2. The P-polarized light 65b is reflected by the reflection plates 73 and 74, and is incident from the second surface 12b on the light incident side of the prism 12 at the incident angle θ.
It is incident at 1. The S-polarized light 65c passes through the phase difference plate 75, is reflected by the reflection plate 76, and passes through the phase difference plate 77 to become P-polarized light, and the one second surface of the prism 12 on the light incident side. Light is incident at an incident angle θ1 from the other second surface 12b different from. Light (off-state light) 66 reflected and emitted by the light reflection electrode 4 is emitted from the third surface 12 c on the light emission side of the prism 12 and projected via the projection lens 64. In this case, the light (on-state light) reflected and emitted at the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 is not used for display.

As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, the projection display device 71 can be constructed using the deflection element 1. In the projection display device 61, the utilization efficiency of light is 50% in principle due to the polarizing plate 62, whereas in the projection display device 71, unpolarized light is once converted into P-polarized light and S-polarized light by the polarization beam splitter 72. Since the S-polarized light is converted into the P-polarized light again and the P-polarized light is incident on the deflecting element 1, 100% of the light can be used in principle, and the utilization efficiency of the light source light is extremely high. In addition, it is possible to realize the projection display device 71 having a high contrast ratio of emitted light.

The on-state light may be used for display instead of the off-state light 66. It is also within the scope of the present invention to configure the projection display device 71 using the deflection element 1 configured as in the third or fourth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the structure of a projection display device 81 according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. The projection display device 81 includes the deflection element 1a, the light source 63, and the projection lens 64. Light 65 from the light source 63
Enters from the second surface 12b on the light incident side of the prism 12 of the deflecting element 1a at an incident angle θ1. Refractive index material layer 5,
The light (ON-state light) 66 reflected and emitted at the interface of 7 is
The light is emitted from the second surface 12b on the light emission side of the prism 12,
The image is projected through the projection lens 64. In this case, the light reflected by the light reflection electrode 4 and emitted (off-state light) is not used for display.

As described above, according to the seventh embodiment, it is possible to realize the projection display device 81 by using the deflecting element 1a which uses unpolarized light as incident light. Note that the off-state light may be used for display instead of the on-state light 66. It is also within the scope of the present invention to configure the projection display device 81 using the deflection element 1a configured as in the third or fourth embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the structure of a projection display device 91 according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. The projection display device 91 includes the deflection element 1a, the light sources 63a and 63b,
And a projection lens 64. Light source 63
The light 65 from a and 63b is incident at an incident angle θ1 from one and the other second surfaces 12b of the prism 12 on the light incident side. The light (off-state light) 66 reflected by the light reflecting electrode 4 and emitted is the third light on the light emitting side of the prism 12.
The light is emitted from the surface 12c and projected through the projection lens 64. In this case, the light (on-state light) reflected and emitted at the interface between the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 is not used for display.

As described above, according to the eighth embodiment, the two light sources 6 are used by using the deflecting element 1a which uses unpolarized light as incident light.
It is possible to realize the projection display device 91 using 3a and 63b. The on-state light may be used for display instead of the off-state light 66. It is also within the scope of the present invention to configure the projection display device 91 using the deflection element 1a configured as in the third or fourth embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a diagram roughly showing the structure of a deflection element according to the present invention. First shown in FIG. 25 (A)
As described in the above embodiment, the light reflecting electrode 4 and the transparent electrode 9 can form a pair of energy transmitting means. In this case, since the light reflecting layer 4 can also serve as the energy transmitting means, the structure of the deflecting element becomes simple. Also in FIG.
As described in the third mode shown in (B), a pair of energy transmission means may be arranged so that only the variable refractive index substance layer 7 is interposed. In this case, the energy transfer means is in direct contact with the variable refractive index material layer 7, and therefore the capacity is not divided. Therefore, low voltage driving becomes possible.
Further, as shown in FIG. 25 (C), the transparent electrode 43 may be arranged on the opposite side of the gradient means 3 from the refractive index material layers 5 and 7 as one energy transmitting means. Further, in this case, as shown in FIG. 25D, the light reflection layer 42 and the transparent electrode 43 may be electrically connected to each other through the contact hole 3a of the tilting means 3. Such a connection is
This is carried out when the active matrix driving method having the switching element as described in the above embodiment is adopted.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing the structure of the deflection element 131 according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention. The deflecting element 131 of the present embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the deflecting element 1 of the first embodiment, and the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

In the deflecting element 131 of this embodiment, a plurality (2 in this embodiment) of isotropic refractive index material layers 5 and 135 and a plurality (in this embodiment) between the light reflecting electrode 4 and the transparent substrate 10. The variable refractive index material layers 7 and 137 of 2) are interposed.
In this embodiment, the same number of isotropic refractive index material layers and variable refractive index material layers are alternately arranged. These variable refractive index substance layers 7 and 137 are realized by liquid crystals of the same material, for example. Alignment films 141, 142; 143, 144 are formed with the variable refractive index material layers 7, 137 interposed therebetween.

The alignment treatment directions of the alignment films 141 and 142 are as follows.
They are chosen to be parallel and opposite, respectively. The alignment treatment directions of the alignment films 143 and 144 are selected to be parallel and opposite directions, respectively. In addition, the alignment film 141,
The alignment treatment direction of 143 is selected so that the major axis directions of the liquid crystal molecules of the substance layers 7 and 137 defined by this alignment film are orthogonal to each other. The polarization axis directions parallel to the long axis directions of the liquid crystal molecules constituting the variable refractive index substance layers 7 and 137 are selected so as to be orthogonal to each other. When a plurality of variable refractive index substance layers are provided, the polarization axes of at least two variable refractive index substance layers are selected so as to be orthogonal to each other.

In the present embodiment, an example in which the same number of isotropic refractive index substance layers and variable refractive index substance layers are provided and are alternately arranged will be described. However, isotropic refractive index substance layers and variable refractive index substance layers Are not limited to the same number and are not limited to those arranged alternately. For example, the isotropic refractive index substance layers having different refractive indices may be arranged so as to overlap each other, and the numbers of the isotropic refractive index substance layers and the variable refractive index substance layers may be different so as not to be alternately arranged. By arranging the isotropic refractive index substance layers having different refractive indexes in this way, finer refractive index adjustment is possible. Further, as in this embodiment, the isotropic refractive index substance layer is disposed between the two variable refractive index substance layers, and the adhesion of the two variable refractive index substance layers is improved by selecting the material of the isotropic refractive index substance layer. It is possible to improve.

The behavior of light in the deflecting element 131 of this embodiment will be described below together with the behavior of light in the deflecting element 1 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram for explaining the behavior of light in the deflection element 1. In the variable refractive index substance layer 7 of the deflecting element 1, the refractive index n1 changes according to the value of the applied voltage applied between the light reflecting electrode 4 and the transparent electrode 9. The refractive index n1 decreases, for example, as the applied voltage increases. When a voltage lower than a predetermined applied voltage is applied, total reflection occurs at the boundary surface 144 between the refractive index substance layers 5 and 7. Since the liquid crystal molecules have a refractive index anisotropy, they can be used as the variable refractive index substance layer 7 of the deflecting element. However, of the incident light, the light affected by the change in the refractive index of the refractive index substance layer 7 is
It is limited to polarized light that oscillates parallel to the long axis direction of liquid crystal molecules. It is considered that natural light including a plurality of polarized light polarized in different directions from the variable refractive index substance layer having a uniaxial polarization axis and unpolarized light are separated into two components, a parallel component and an orthogonal component. The parallel component is light that oscillates in the long axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules, that is, in the direction parallel to the polarization axis of the refractive index material layer 7. The orthogonal component is light that vibrates in a direction orthogonal to the polarization axis of the refractive index material layer 7. In FIG. 27, the polarization axis of the refractive index material layer 7 is parallel to the direction orthogonal to the paper surface, and the direction is shown by reference numeral 141.

Incident light 143 that is natural light or unpolarized light
Let us assume that the incident light is incident on the deflection element 1. When a voltage lower than a predetermined applied voltage is applied between the electrodes 4 and 9,
As shown in FIG. 27A, the incident light 1
Only 43 parallel components 146 are reflected and quadrature components 147
Is transparent. Reference numerals 148 and 149 represent the polarization directions of the parallel component 146 and the orthogonal component 147 of the incident light 143. When a voltage equal to or higher than a predetermined applied voltage is applied between the electrodes 4 and 9, the parallel and orthogonal components 146 and 147 of the incident light 143 both pass through the boundary surface 144, as shown in FIG. 27 (2). . As described above, in the deflection element 1 of the first embodiment, the orthogonal component 147 of the incident light 143 cannot be dimmed.

Therefore, when the deflecting element 1 is used, as shown in FIG. 28, before the incident light 143 enters the deflecting element 1, it passes through the polarizing plate 151 whose polarization axis is parallel to that of the parallel component 146. . As a result, when the voltage between the electrodes 4 and 9 is less than the predetermined applied voltage, all the incident light is reflected by the boundary surface 144, as shown in FIG. When the voltage between the electrodes 4 and 9 is equal to or higher than the predetermined applied voltage, all the incident light passes through the boundary surface 144, as shown in FIG. 28 (2).

FIG. 29 is a graph showing the relationship between the applied voltage between the electrodes 4 and 9 and the on-state light and the off-state light emitted from the deflection element 1. The light intensities of the on-state light and the off-state light were measured by the detection method shown in FIG. The curve L15a shows the light intensity of the on-state light. Curve L16
a indicates the light intensity of the off-state light. The deflecting element 1 dims only the parallel component of the light source light emitted from the light source 32. Therefore, the maximum intensity of the on-state light is 0.5 when the light intensity of the light source light is 1. That is, in the deflection element 1 of the first embodiment, the utilization efficiency of the light source light is (1/2).
Becomes

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram for explaining the behavior of light in the deflection element 131. The variable refractive index substance layers 7 and 137 of the deflecting element 131 are made of the same liquid crystal material as that of the deflecting element 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, these refraction layers 7,
The refractive indices n1a and n1b of 137 are set to decrease as the applied voltage applied between the light reflecting electrode 4 and the transparent electrode 9 increases, for example. When a voltage lower than a predetermined applied voltage is applied between the electrodes 4 and 9, the refractive index material layers 5 and 7
At the boundary surface 144 and the boundary surface 158 between the refractive index material layers 135 and 137. The polarization axes of the variable refractive index substance layers 7 and 137 are orthogonal to each other, and the directions thereof are shown by reference numerals 155 and 156.

Consider that the incident light 143 is incident on the deflection element 131. When a voltage lower than a predetermined applied voltage is applied between the electrodes 4 and 9, the parallel component 146 of the incident light 143 is reflected by the refractive index material layer 1 as shown in FIG.
It is reflected by the boundary surface 158 of 35 and 137. Quadrature component 1
After passing through the boundary surface 158, the reference numeral 47 indicates the refractive index material layer 5,
Boundary surface 144 of No. 7 is reflected. When a voltage higher than a predetermined applied voltage is applied between the electrodes 4 and 9, FIG.
As shown in (2), the parallel and orthogonal components 146 and 147 of the incident light 143 both pass through the boundary surfaces 158 and 144. As described above, in the deflection element 131 of the present embodiment, the horizontal component 146 and the orthogonal component 14 of the incident light 143.
7 can be dimmed together.

The optical characteristics of the deflecting element 131 were measured by using the detection method shown in FIG. The results are also shown in the graph of FIG. A curve L21 shows the light intensity of the on-state light. Curve 22 shows the light intensity of the off-state light. The deflecting element 131 dims all the light source light emitted from the light source 32. Therefore, the maximum intensity of the on-state light is 1.0, which is equal to the light intensity of the light source light. As described above, the utilization efficiency of the light source light of the deflection element 131 of the present embodiment is improved as compared with the deflection element 1 of the first embodiment.

As described above, the incident light 143 is separated into its two components, the parallel component 146 and the orthogonal component 147, according to the direction of the polarization axis of the variable refractive index substance layer 137 that first enters. Therefore, the polarization axes of the plurality of variable refractive index substance layers that are stacked between the substrates 2 and 10 are at least 2
It is preferable that the two variable refractive index material layers are orthogonal to each other. When the polarization axis is selected in this way, the utilization efficiency of incident light can be made almost 100%.

31 and 32 are sectional views showing step by step the manufacturing process of the deflection element 131 of this embodiment. The deflection element 131 is manufactured by a process similar to the manufacturing process of the deflection element 1.

First, the other substrate member 1 of the deflection element 131
A method of manufacturing the first substrate member including 4a and the variable refractive index material layer 137 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 31A, a release material is applied to one surface of the counter substrate 171 to form a release material film 172. As the counter substrate 171, for example, a polishing substrate having a thickness of 2.0 mm is used. As the release material, for example, a fluorine-based material having a trade name CYTOP manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. is used. Then, as shown in FIG. 31 (2), a polymeric material is applied onto the release material film 172,
A thin film 173 having a substantially uniform film thickness is formed. As the polymer material, for example, a mixed material in which a photopolymerizable material such as trimethylolpropanate acrylate and isobornyl acrylate are mixed at a weight ratio of 2:17 is used. Ultraviolet rays 174 are irradiated on the thin film 173 of the polymer material. Accordingly, the isotropic refractive index substance layer 135, which is a polymer material layer, is formed.
Is formed.

A transparent electrode 9 is formed on one surface 10a of the transparent substrate 10. Alignment films 144 and 143 are formed on the one surfaces 9a and 135a of the transparent electrode 9 and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 135, respectively. This state is shown in FIG.
It is shown in (3). These alignment films 144 and 143 are first formed on the one surface by an offset printing method to have a film thickness of about 1000.
It is formed by forming a thin film of Å, baking the thin film at a temperature of 180 ° C. for 1 hour, and then subjecting the thin film to an alignment treatment such as a rubbing method. For example, the roller 175 is used for the orientation process.
Is rotated in the direction of arrow 176 and is brought into contact with the thin film. As the material of the thin film, for example, trade name RN-1024 manufactured by Nissan Chemical Co., Ltd. is used.

Subsequently, the transparent substrate 10 on which the alignment films 144 and 143 are formed and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 135 are superposed with a plastic spacer therebetween so that their one surfaces face each other. The particle size of the spacer is, for example, 5 μm. In this state, the translucent substrate 10 and the isotropic refractive index substance layer 135 are adhered to each other via the adhesive layer 177. As a result, a cell in which a gap having the same width as the grain size of the spacer is formed approximately uniformly between the alignment films 144 and 143 is formed.

A mixed material of a liquid crystal material and a polymer material is introduced into the gap between the cells while the liquid crystal material 178 undergoes a phase transition to an isotropic phase. This state is shown in FIG. 31 (4). As the liquid crystal material, a trade name ZII-4792 manufactured by Merck Ltd. is used. As the polymer material, for example, a mixed material of trimethylolpropanto acrylate and isobornyl acrylate, which are photopolymerizable materials, is used. The liquid crystal material and the polymer material are, for example, 0.78 g of ZII-
For 4792, 0.02 g of trimethylolpropanate acrylate and 0.17 g of isobornyl acrylate are mixed. As a method of introducing mixed materials,
A vacuum degassing method is used.

When the mixed material is introduced, the photomask 1 shown in FIG. 33 is applied to this cell from the transparent substrate 10 side.
Ultraviolet rays 174 are emitted via 79. A plurality of windows 181 are formed in the photomask 179. Window 181
Are arranged in rows and columns in parallel with each other in two orthogonal directions at predetermined intervals. UV rays 174 are windows 181
The liquid crystal material and the polymer material are phase-separated by being incident on the cell through. As a result, the polymer material in the mixed material is cured at the portion corresponding to the window 181, and the polymer columns 183 arranged in a matrix in the cell gap are formed. Polymer column 1
A portion where 83 is not formed becomes a liquid crystal region filled with a liquid crystal material. As a result, the variable refractive index substance layer 137 which is a liquid crystal layer is formed. When the variable refractive index substance layer 137 is formed, the counter substrate 171 and the peeling layer 172 are removed from the isotropic refractive index substance layer 135. Through the above steps,
The first substrate member shown in FIG. 31 (5) is formed.

Subsequently, the inclining means 3 is formed on the one surface 2a of the insulating substrate 2 by using the mold described in FIGS. 5 and 6. The other angle δ of the triangular prism of the tilting means 3
Is preferably half the incident angle θ1 of the incident light on the variable refractive index material layer 137 (θ / 2). The light reflecting electrode 4 is formed so as to cover the surface of the tilting means 3.
These constituent elements are the same as the constituent elements of the deflection element 1 of the first embodiment. Further, the isotropic refractive index material layer 5 is formed on the light reflecting electrode 4. This state is shown in FIG. The isotropic refractive index substance layer 5 is realized by a polymer material having a refractive index of about 1.5. As the polymer material, a mixed material obtained by mixing lithimerol propanate acrylate and isobornyl acrylate in a weight ratio of 2:17 is used.

Next, the isotropic refractive index material layer 5 of the insulating substrate 2 and the isotropic refractive index material layer 1 of the first substrate member described above.
Alignment film 1 is formed on the other surfaces 5b and 135b of 35, respectively.
41 and 142 are formed. This state is shown in FIG. The method of forming the alignment films 141 and 142 is the same as the method of forming the alignment films 143 and 144. And the alignment film 14
The alignment treatment direction of No. 2 is substantially orthogonal to the alignment treatment direction of the alignment film 143. As a result, the first substrate member 13a is formed.

Subsequently, the first substrate member and the first substrate member 13
a and the surfaces on which the alignment films 142 and 141 are formed face each other, and the alignment films 141 and 142 and the alignment films 143 and 144
And are overlapped with each other so that their orientation treatment directions are orthogonal to each other. Using these substrate members, the adhesive layer 1 is formed between the alignment films 141 and 142 by the same method as the above-described cell forming method.
A cell having a gap is formed through 83. In the gap between the cells, a mixed material 1 of the above-mentioned liquid crystal material and polymer material
85 is introduced while the liquid crystal material is isotropically phase-shifted.
This state is shown in FIG. Further, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the transparent substrate 10 side through the photomask 179 to cure the polymer material in the mixed material 185 and form the polymer columns 186. Thereby, the isotropic refractive index material layer 7 is formed.

Through the above manufacturing steps, the liquid crystal cell shown in FIG. 32 (4) is formed. Translucent substrate 1 of this liquid crystal cell
The prism 12 having the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the 0 side. As a result, the deflection element 131 is formed.

In the present embodiment, as a method of manufacturing each constituent element, a method other than the above-mentioned method may be used as long as a constituent element having a desired shape and characteristics can be formed. For example, the tilting means 3 and the light reflecting electrode 4 are shown in FIG.
It may have a structure shown in. At this time, it is preferable that the angle of the base of each triangular prism of the tilting means 3 be half the incident angle θ1 of the incident light (θ1 / 2). In addition, the alignment film 14
The alignment treatment method of Nos. 1 to 144 may be a method other than the rubbing method, for example, an oblique vapor deposition method. Further, in this embodiment, although the isotropic refractive index substance layers 5 and 135 and the variable refractive index substance layers 7 and 137 are formed between the substrates 2 and 10 of the deflection element 1, the prism 12 is bonded, but Instead of 10, the isotropic refractive index material layer or the variable refractive index material layer may be directly formed in the prism 12.

Further, as the liquid crystal material and the polymer material, materials other than those described above may be used as long as they exhibit the same effect on the incident light as the materials described above. For example, the liquid crystal material may include an optically active substance (chiral material). As the polymer material, a material other than the photopolymerizable material, for example, a thermopolymerizable material may be used. At this time, as a curing method for the polymer material, a method according to the material is used.

Further, two or more isotropic refractive index substance layers and variable refractive index substance layers may be provided between the substrates 2 and 10. At this time, like the isotropic refractive index substance layer 135 and the variable refractive index substance layer 137, each substance layer is formed on a substrate other than the constituent elements of the deflection element 131, and then the substance layer is peeled from the substrate. The deflecting element may be formed by forming and stacking the material layers thus formed. Alternatively, the respective material layers may be formed by sequentially laminating the same method as that of the isotropic refractive index material layer 5 and the variable refractive index material layer 7. Furthermore, the polymer columns may not be formed in each variable refractive index substance layer.

[0146]

As described above, according to the present invention, the light-reflecting layer has the inclined reflecting surface, so that the reflected light at the interface of the refractive index substance layer and the reflected light at the reflecting surface of the light-reflecting layer are The emission directions of and can be different. The intensity of reflected light and the intensity of transmitted light at the interface can be adjusted by applying energy from the energy transmitting means to the variable refractive index substance layer to change the refractive index of the variable refractive index substance layer. Therefore, it is possible to perform switching such as gradation display by using the reflected light at the interface or the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer and adjusting the reflected light intensity. The pair of energy transmission means are arranged with at least the variable refractive index substance layer interposed. Further, one of the pair of energy transfer means may be arranged on the opposite side of the light reflection layer from the refractive index material layer. On the other hand, the energy transmission means may be arranged between the light reflection layer and the refractive index material layer.

Further, since the light reflecting layer also serves as one of the energy transmitting means of the pair of energy transmitting means, the structure of the deflecting element is simplified.

Further, by disposing the pair of energy transfer means so as to be in direct contact with the variable refractive index material layer, it is possible to drive at a low voltage without capacity division.

Further, it is possible to realize a structure in which the light reflecting layer and one of the pair of energy transfer means are electrically connected to each other, and such a structure is active using a switching element. It can be suitably implemented when driving the deflection element by the matrix driving method.

Further, by providing a plurality of isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers in parallel with the energy transmitting means in the deflecting element, for example, when the polarization axes of the plurality of variable refractive index substance layers are made different, the polarization direction is changed. The natural light in which different lights are mixed can be reflected by the boundary surface of any variable refractive index material layer in which the directions of the respective polarization axes match.
Therefore, the reflectance of incident light can be improved. In addition, since the plurality of variable refractive index substance layers are interposed between the pair of energy transmitting means, parallax does not occur.

Further, since the polarization axes of at least two variable refractive index material layers are selected so as to be orthogonal to each other, natural light in which lights of different polarization directions are mixed is separated into lights which are respectively polarized in two orthogonal directions. The respective lights can be reflected at the boundary surface of either one of the two variable refractive index substance layers described above. As a result, the incident light is almost 10
It can reflect 0%. Therefore, an on / off ratio sufficient for use as an optical switch can be obtained.

Further, since at least one isotropic refractive index material layer is arranged between the plurality of variable refractive index material layers, the isotropic refractive index arranged between the plurality of variable refractive index material layers. By selecting the material layer material, for example, when a plurality of variable refractive index material layers are realized by solids, mutual adhesion can be enhanced. Alternatively, the refractive index can be adjusted more finely by selecting the number and refractive index of the isotropic refractive index material layers arranged between the plurality of variable refractive index material layers.

Since the inclination angle δ and the incident angle θ1 satisfy the relationship of the expression (1), the light reflected at the interface between the variable refractive index substance layer and the isotropic refractive index substance layer is the light transmitted through the interface. Light is emitted in a direction that does not intersect with, and if a display element is configured using, for example, a deflection element, high-contrast display,
Alternatively, high-definition display can be realized.

Further, since the refractive index of the refractive index material layer satisfies a predetermined relationship, good switching can be performed even when the variable refractive index material layer is made of a uniaxial light-transmitting material. .

Further, since the refractive index of the refractive index material layer satisfies a predetermined relationship, good switching is performed even when the variable refractive index material layer is made of an optically isotropic transparent material. be able to.

Further, with respect to the normal direction of the second surface of the prism, most of incident light having an incident angle in the range of -20 ° to 20 ° is not reflected, and the interface between the air layer and the prism is not reflected. Through. Therefore, even if the light has a divergence angle, the loss of light is suppressed and a large amount of light can be used.
The light utilization efficiency can be improved.

The angle formed by the first surface and the second surface of the prism is selected in the range of 50 ° or more and less than 90 °. Therefore, light can be incident on the interface between the variable refractive index substance layer and the isotropic refractive index substance layer at a critical angle.

The projection area of the second surface of the prism is larger than the actual switching area that contributes to the actual switching. Therefore, it is possible to obtain good switching characteristics by making light incident on the entire actual switching region.

Further, the prism has a third surface which is arranged in parallel to the first surface and outside the first surface and which is larger than the actual switching region, and has an interface of the refractive index material layer or the reflection of the light reflection layer. The light reflected by the surface exits from the third surface of the prism. Since the third surface is larger than the actual switching area, stray light does not occur, all reflected light can be emitted from the third surface, and good switching characteristics can be obtained.

Further, when the variable refractive index substance layer is made of liquid crystal, good switching can be performed. Further, the liquid crystal molecules forming the variable refractive index substance layer are randomly oriented. At this time, the light is blocked, and the light intensity of the emitted light becomes zero. Further, when energy is applied, liquid crystal molecules are regularly aligned as energy is applied, and light is transmitted. Good switching can be performed by selecting the relationship between the two alignment states of the liquid crystal molecules and the refractive index of the refractive index substance layer.

Further, a plurality of pixel regions arranged in a matrix are set, and a pair of energy transfer means are opposed to each other in each pixel region. By combining the states of the respective pixels, for example, image display can be performed.

Further, the light from the light source is made incident on the refractive index material layer, and the reflected light from the interface of the refractive index material layer or the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer is received by the light receiving means. Therefore, it is possible to realize a projection display device using the deflection element as a light bubble. Further, since the non-polarized light is incident on the refractive index material layer, the light utilization efficiency is improved. Further, since the polarized light is made incident on the refractive index material layer, switching with a high contrast ratio is possible.

The light reflection layer is a triangular prism whose one side is isotropic and parallel to the interface of the variable refractive index substance layer, which is perpendicular to the interface of the refractive index substance layer and orthogonal to the extending direction of the triangular prism. The cross-sectional shape of the isosceles triangle is an isosceles triangle, and the inclination angle δ that is an equal angle of the isosceles triangle is the incident angle θ.
It is almost equal to one half of one. The light reflecting layer having such a shape allows the light reflected by the light reflecting layer to pass through the third light of the prism.
The light can be emitted from the surface almost perpendicularly to the surface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a deflection element 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the size of a prism 12.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the structure of an insulating substrate 2 on which a tilting means 3 and a light reflecting electrode 4 are formed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an insulating substrate 2 on which another shape of tilting means 3a and a light reflecting electrode 4 are formed.

FIG. 5 is a process drawing showing the manufacturing method of the mold 28 used for making the inclining means 3, 3a.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a method of making the mold 28 step by step.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a basic operation principle of the deflection element 1.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing changes in the light intensity of reflected light 16 and transmitted light 17 depending on the incident angle θ1 of the incident light 15 when the refractive indices n1 and n2 have a relationship of n1> n2.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the critical angle θc when the refractive index n2 is set to 1.5 and the refractive index n1 is changed.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing light intensity when the refractive index n1 is changed.

FIG. 11: Inclination angle δ of the inclining means 3 and emitted light 20a, 20
It is a figure which shows b.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing the light intensities of reflected light 16 and transmitted light 17 depending on the incident angle θ1 between the air layer and the glass.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the size of the area A2 of the third surface 12c of the prism 12 and the size of the actual switching area A1.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting the light intensity of the light emitted from the deflection element 1.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an applied voltage and light 36 emitted from the deflection element 1.
It is a graph which shows the relationship with the light intensity of 37.

FIG. 16 is a deflection element 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure for demonstrating the method of detecting the light intensity of the emitted light from a.

FIG. 17: Applied voltage and light 3 emitted from the deflection element 1a
It is a graph which shows the relationship with the light intensity of 6,37.

FIG. 18 is a deflection element 4 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
It is a perspective view which shows the structure of 1.

FIG. 19 is a deflection element 5 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of 1.

FIG. 20 is a process chart showing the method for manufacturing the TFT element 52.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a configuration of a projection display device 61 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a configuration of a projection display device 71 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a configuration of a projection display device 81 which is a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a configuration of a projection display device 91 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a diagram roughly showing a configuration of a deflection element according to the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a deflection element 1 according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of 31.

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram for explaining the behavior of light in the deflection element 1 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state when the deflection element 1 according to the first embodiment is used.

FIG. 29: Applied voltage between electrodes 4, 9 and deflection elements 1, 13
3 is a graph showing the relationship between on-state light and off-state light emitted from No. 1.

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram for explaining the behavior of light in the deflecting element 131 of the ninth embodiment.

31A to 31C are cross-sectional views showing stepwise a manufacturing process of the deflection element 131 of the ninth embodiment.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the deflection element 131 of the ninth embodiment step by step.

33 is a plan view showing a photomask 179 used for manufacturing the deflection element 131. FIG.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing the configuration of a conventional optical switch 101.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the optical switch 101.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a, 41, 51, 131 Deflecting element 2 Insulating substrate 3 Inclining means 4 Light reflecting electrode 5,135 Isotropic refractive index substance layer 6, 8; 141, 142, 143, 144 Alignment film 7,137 Variable refractive index Material layer 9, 43, 44 Transparent electrode 10 Light-transmissive substrate 11 Adhesive layer 12 Prism 42 Light reflection film 52 TFT element 61, 71, 81, 91 Projection display device 62 Polarizing plate 63, 63a, 63b Light source 64 Projection lens 72 Polarization beam splitter 73,74,76,78 Reflector 75,77 Phase difference plate

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. An isotropic refractive index material layer made of a transparent material having a constant refractive index regardless of energy applied from the outside, and a transparent material having a refractive index changed by the energy applied from the outside. A variable refractive index substance layer, a pair of energy transmission means for applying energy to the variable refractive index substance layer, at least through the variable refractive index substance layer, and a pair of energy transmitting means for passing the isotropic refractive index substance layer and the variable refractive index substance layer A deflection element comprising: a light reflection layer having an inclined reflection surface for reflecting the above-described light; and a light guide means arranged on the outermost side of the light incident side. 2. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the light reflection layer also serves as one of the pair of energy transfer means. 3. An energy transfer means of one of the pair of energy transfer means is in contact with one surface of the variable refractive index material layer, and the other energy transfer means is opposite to the one surface of the variable refractive index material layer. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the deflection element is in contact with the other surface. 4. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the light reflection layer and one of the pair of energy transfer means are electrically connected to each other. 5. A plurality of isotropic refractive index material layers and a plurality of variable refractive index material layers are present, and the isotropic refractive index material layer and the variable refractive index material layer are parallel to the energy transfer means. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the deflection element is arranged. 6. The deflection element according to claim 5, wherein at least two polarization axes of the polarization axes of the plurality of variable refractive index material layers are orthogonal to each other. 7. The deflection element according to claim 5, wherein at least one isotropic refractive index material layer is disposed between the plurality of variable refractive index material layers. 8. The inclination angle δ of the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer and the incident angle θ1 with respect to the normal direction of the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers of the incident light are θ1 / 2 ≦ δ ≦ θ1. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the deflection relationship is satisfied. 9. The refractive index of one of the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers is n2, the refractive index of the other refractive index material layer is n1, and the refractive index material layer is equal. If the refractive index material layer is realized by a variable refractive index material layer made of a uniaxial translucent material having an ordinary light refractive index no and an extraordinary light refractive index ne, the refractive index material layer n1, n2, no, and ne satisfy the relationship of no ≦ n1 ≦ ne no ≦ n2 ≦ ne θ1 ≧ arcsin (n2 / ne), while the refractive index material layer has an ordinary refractive index n.
o, when the variable refractive index material layer is made of a uniaxial translucent material having an extraordinary refractive index ne, and the refractive index material layer is an isotropic refractive index material layer, the refractive indices n1 and n2 are ，
The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein no and ne satisfy a relationship of no ≦ n2 ≦ ne no ≦ n1sin θ1 ne ≧ n1. 10. The refractive index of one of the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers is n2, the refractive index of the other refractive index material layer is n1, and the one refractive index material layer is equal. Is realized by a birefringence material layer, while the refraction material layer is
When the variable refractive index material layer is formed of an optically isotropic transparent material having a maximum refractive index nmax and a minimum refractive index nmin, the refractive index n1, n2, nmax, nmin
Satisfies the relation of nmin ≦ n1 ≦ nmax nmin ≦ n2 ≦ nmax θ1 ≧ arcsin (n2 / nmax), while the refractive index substance layer has a maximum refractive index nm.
ax, a variable refractive index material layer made of an optically isotropic transparent material having a minimum refractive index nmin, while the refractive index material layer is realized by an isotropic refractive index material layer, the refractive index n1 , N2, nmax, nmin satisfy the following relationship: nmin ≦ n2 ≦ nmax nmin ≦ n1sin θ1 nmax ≧ n1. 11. The first light guide means is disposed substantially parallel to an interface between at least the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers.
A surface and a second surface intersecting with the first surface, and within a range of an angle of ± 20 ° of light incident from the second surface with reference to the normal direction of the second surface. The deflection element according to claim 1, comprising a prism for guiding light to the isotropic and variable refractive index material layers. 12. The deflection element according to claim 11, wherein an angle formed by the first surface and the second surface of the prism is selected in a range of 50 ° or more and less than 90 °. 13. The projection area of the second surface projected onto the first surface by the incident light from the second surface of the prism,
The deflection element according to claim 11, which is larger than an actual switching region that contributes to switching. 14. The prism has a third surface parallel to the first surface and disposed outward of the first surface and larger than an actual switching region that contributes to switching. Deflection element. 15. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the variable refractive index material layer is made of liquid crystal. 16. The deflection element according to claim 15, wherein liquid crystal molecules forming the variable refractive index material layer are randomly oriented. 17. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pixel regions arranged in a matrix are set, and the pair of energy transfer means face each other in each pixel region. 18. The deflection element according to claim 1, further comprising a light source that irradiates the light guide unit with light, and a light receiving unit that receives light emitted from the light guide unit. 19. The deflection element according to claim 18, wherein the light incident on the light guide means is non-polarized light. 20. The deflecting element according to claim 18, wherein the light incident on the light guide means is polarized light. 21. The light reflection layer has a triangular prism shape whose one side is parallel to the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers, and is perpendicular to the interface between the isotropic and variable refractive index substance layers. The cross-sectional shape in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction is an isosceles triangle, and the inclination angle δ of the reflecting surface of the light reflecting layer, which is an equal angle of the isosceles triangle, is relative to the normal direction of the interface of the incident light. The deflection element according to claim 1, wherein the deflection angle is substantially equal to one half of the incident angle θ1.