Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Having significant detail of cell structure only
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-24
2003-01-28
Ton, Toan (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Having significant detail of cell structure only
C349S200000, C349S187000, C359S254000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06512563
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a super-resolution optical panel applicable to an optical disc player and the like, and particularly, to a method of fabricating a super-resolution optical panel having a high optical utilization ratio and capable of electrically changing over a numerical aperture with ease, suitable for implementation of an optical pickup for common use in DVDs (digital versatile discs) and CDs (compact discs).
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
There has already been developed a liquid crystal lens capable of varying a focal length by an applied voltage as disclosed in, for example, JP, 4-240817, A.
As shown in
FIG. 40
, a variable focal length liquid crystal lens disclosed in this publication has a construction wherein 320×220 pixels are arranged in a lattice shape by use of transparent electrodes in a display area
102
which is recorded as a phase type Fresnel zone plate
101
of a liquid crystal space optical modulator
100
, and liquid crystal of an ECB (electrically controlled birefringence) mode is sealed in the display area
102
.
The liquid crystal space optical modulator
100
has a light wave modulation characteristic such that laser beams undergo continuous phase modulation in a range of 0 to 2&pgr; when a voltage is applied to the transparent electrodes.
At the time of such phase modulation, by applying a voltage signal Vs that affects every pixel with phase modulation corresponding to the spatial coordinates thereof, laser beams
103
incident on the liquid crystal space optical modulator
100
undergo phase modulation by every pixel, and are concentrated at a focal point Fa on the optical axis as shown in FIG.
41
.
Further, if a different voltage signal Vs is applied thereto, the light concentrating position of the laser beams
103
can be moved to a point Fb on the optical axis.
However, the publication described above discloses merely a theoretical configuration, and in the embodiments described therein, no description on a shape, construction, material, and so forth of the liquid crystal space optical modulator has been given in concrete terms, so that the invention cited has not been practicable.
Also, a liquid crystal lens is disclosed in JP, 3-2840, A. Referring to
FIG. 42
, the liquid crystal lens is briefly described hereinafter. The liquid crystal lens comprises a liquid crystal, a control electrode for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal, and a fixed electrode, and as shown in
FIG. 42
, the control electrode
105
is comprised of transparent electrode bands
106
in a circular and concentric ring-like shape, and insulating bands
107
for insulating the respective transparent electrode bands
106
from each other. The respective transparent electrode bands
106
are independently wired.
When a voltage is applied to the transparent electrode bands
106
, the polarization plane of incident light is rotated through 90 degrees in areas where the transparent electrode bands
106
exist during a period when the incident light passes through a liquid crystal layer while the incident light is permitted to pass therethrough as it is in other areas.
Accordingly, light beams outgoing from the liquid crystal lens form images at an identical point independently without interfering with each other, and the focal point length of the liquid crystal lens is varied by a voltage applied to the transparent electrode bands
106
.
However, description on a shape, material, and so forth, thereof is not set forth in practicable and concrete terms in this publication, and a method of fabricating the same is not available therein either, so that the invention cited has not so far been practiced.
Further, it has been theoretically shown that a super-resolution optical panel can be obtained by making use of a liquid crystal panel, and by differentiating the alignment direction of a portion of a light transmitting region thereof from that of other regions thereof. However, the super-resolution optical panel has not so far been put to commercial use, because the super-resolution optical panel has been unable to be fabricated at a high yield and at a low cost.
It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome the problems described above, and to provide a method of fabricating a super-resolution optical panel capable of varying intensity of laser beams with ease at a high yield and low cost.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To this end, a method of fabricating a super-resolution optical panel according to the present invention comprises:
a step of preparing a first substrate and a second substrate, both of which are transparent;
a step of forming a first circular transparent electrode on the first substrate;
a step of forming a second circular transparent electrode larger than the first circular transparent electrode on the second substrate;
a step of forming an alignment layer in a region covering at least the first circular transparent electrode on the first substrate, and in a region covering at least the second circular transparent electrode on the second substrate, respectively;
a step of applying an alignment treatment in a first direction to the respective alignment layers by use of a rubbing roll such that pre-tilt faces of the respective alignment layers are in parallel with each other when the first circular transparent electrode is opposed to the second circular transparent electrode;
a step of forming a resist patterned in a doughnut-like shape provided with an opening in a circular shape at the center thereof on the alignment layer of the second substrate with a rubbing treatment applied thereto;
a step of applying an alignment treatment in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to a portion of the alignment layer exposed inside the opening of the resist by use of a rubbing roll;
a step of subsequently peeling off the resist from the upper face of the second substrate;
a step of forming a sealing member on the first substrate so as to encircle the first circular transparent electrode;
a step of scattering gap members in a region encircled by the sealing member on the first substrate;
a step of bonding the first substrate with the second substrate so as to overlap each other with the gap members interposed therebetween by opposing the first circular transparent electrode to the second circular transparent electrode such that respective centers thereof coincide with each other, and the respective first directions in which the alignment treatment is applied to the respective alignment layers coincide with each other; and
a step of filling twisted nematic liquid crystal in a spacing encircled by the sealing member, and between the first substrate and the second substrate.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, it is preferable that,
in the step of forming the first circular transparent electrode on the first substrate, a first take-out electrode for connecting the first circular transparent electrode to an external terminal, and an isolated second take-out electrode are formed on the first substrate,
in the step of forming the second circular transparent electrode on the second substrate, a third take-out electrode for connecting the second circular transparent electrode to the second take-out electrode is formed on the second substrate, and
the method of fabricating the super-resolution optical panel further comprising a step of installing an electrically conductive adhesive on the third take-out electrode formed on the second substrate, subsequently to the step of scattering gap members,
wherein the second take-out electrode and the third take-out electrode are connected with each other by the electrically conductive adhesive in the step of bonding the first substrate with the second substrate so as to overlap each other.
Or the invention may be modified such that,
in the step of forming the first circular transparent electrode on the first substrate, a first take-out electrode for connecting the first circular transparent electrode to an external terminal, and an isolated second take-
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
Nguyen Hoan
Ton Toan
LandOfFree
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