1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Design Considerations for High Efficiency Liquid Crystal Decentered Microlens Arrays for Steering Light
Author(s)
Abstract

We have investigated the causes of low efficiency for optical beam steering devices based on liquid crystal decentered microlens arrays (DLAs). We show that the efficiency is effected by the relative phase of light exiting the individual lenses, the imperfect focusing of small lenses due to diffraction, the aberrations related to off-axis light going through a lens, and the diffraction spreading of light beams going through the DLA structure. A high steering efficiency of over 94.4% is demonstrated by modeling the transmitted light through the DLA with scalar diffraction theory. We also propose modified phase profiles for the lenses that are a function of angle that substantially improve the performance of these types of device over the unmodified profiles. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America
Format
Article
Identifier(s)
10.1364/AO.49.000409
Publication Date
2010-01-20
Publication Title
Applied Optics
Volume
49
Issue
3
First Page
409
Last Page
421
Keywords
Subject
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Community
Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program
Comments

This paper was published in Applied Optics and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/AO.49.000409. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.
Permalink https://oaks.kent.edu/cpippubs/315
Shi, J., McManamon, P., Shi, L., & Bos, P. (2010). Design Considerations for High Efficiency Liquid Crystal Decentered Microlens Arrays for Steering Light. Applied Optics. https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.49.000409
Shi, Jianru, Paul McManamon, Lei Shi, and Philip Bos. 2010. “Design Considerations for High Efficiency Liquid Crystal Decentered Microlens Arrays for Steering Light”. Applied Optics. https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.49.000409.
Shi, J., P. McManamon, L. Shi, and P. Bos. Design Considerations for High Efficiency Liquid Crystal Decentered Microlens Arrays for Steering Light. Applied Optics, 20 Jan. 2010, doi:10.1364/AO.49.000409.