To provide an optical modulator element capable of adjusting the viewing angle width, and its drive method.
The optical modulator element has a pair of substrates 11, 21 with at least one of them having light transmissivity, a first and second dimmer layers 30A, 30B containing liquid crystals in the area between those substrates 11, 21, an electrode layer 22 to apply a voltage at least to the first dimmer layer 30A, and a controller 60 to regulate the voltage to be applied to the first dimmer layer 30A from the electrode layer 22. The optical modulator element drive method controls the domain sizes of the liquid crystals contained in the first dimmer layer 30A by regulating the voltage to be applied to the first dimmer layer 30A from the electrode layer 20.
COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
HARADA HARUO
URANO CHISATO
GAN DAIKI
ARISAWA HIROSHI
Kato Kazunori
Katsuichi Nishimoto
Hiroshi Fukuda
Next Patent: OPTICAL CONNECTOR ACCOMMODATION DEVICE