The embodiments herein relate to electrochromic stacks, electrochromic devices, and methods and apparatus for making such stacks and devices. In various embodiments, an anodically coloring layer in an electrochromic stack or device is fabricated to include nickel-tungsten-tin-oxide (NiWSnO). This material is particularly beneficial in that it is very transparent in its clear state.

An optical device (20) includes an electro-optical layer, including a liquid crystal material (24) with a heliconical structure having a pitch that is less than 250 nm and is modifiable by an electric field. An array of excitation electrodes (28) extends over the electro-optical layer. Control circuitry (23) is coupled to apply control voltage waveforms to the excitation electrodes and is configured to modify the control voltage waveforms so as to locally modify a molecule director angle of the heliconical structure and thus to generate a specified phase modulation profile in the electro-optical layer.

A method of manufacturing a light modulation device is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method comprises transferring a first substrate between a first unwind roll and a take-up roll, wherein an adhesive layer is disposed on the a first surface of the first substrate, transferring a second substrate between a second unwind roll and the take-up roll, wherein the second substrate includes a spacer and a liquid crystal alignment film formed on a first surface of the second substrate during the transfer and prior to an attachment with the adhesive layer of the first substrate, and attaching the first and second substrates via respective first surfaces thereof by passing the first and second substrates through an opening between adjacent attachment rolls to form a light modulation device.

A light modulating device is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a light modulating device includes a first substrate having a first surface, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer or an adhesive layer formed on the first surface of the first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates; and a partition wall spacer, wherein the partition wall spacer maintains a distance between the first and second substrates, wherein the liquid crystal layer is capable of being configured in a twist orientation, and wherein a ratio of thickness of the liquid crystal layer relative to a pitch of the liquid crystal layer in the twist orientation is more than 2.8 and 10 or less. The light modulating device can have a wide transmittance variable range and does not have problems, such as liquid crystal defects or visibility deterioration, while implementing low transmittance in a black mode.

An optical device (20) includes an electro-optical layer, including a liquid crystal material (24) with a heliconical structure having a pitch that is less than 250 nm and is modifiable by an electric field. An array of excitation electrodes (28) extends over the electro-optical layer. Control circuitry (23) is coupled to apply control voltage waveforms to the excitation electrodes and is configured to modify the control voltage waveforms so as to locally modify a molecule director angle of the heliconical structure and thus to generate a specified phase modulation profile in the electro-optical layer.

A display device is provided. The display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a patterned electrode, a switch unit, and a liquid-crystal layer doped with a chiral dopant. The second substrate is disposed corresponding to the first substrate, and the patterned electrode is disposed on the first substrate or the second substrate. The switch unit is disposed adjacent to the patterned electrode. The liquid-crystal layer doped with the chiral dopant is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. In addition, an edge of the patterned electrode that is closest to the switch unit has an open area and a closed area, wherein the open area is adjacent to the closed area, and the patterned electrode extends a connecting portion out from the closed area and the connecting portion is connected to the switch unit.

An optical modulator includes a waveguide core; a first transition zone located between a first side of the waveguide core and a first electrical contact region; and a second transition zone located between a second side of the waveguide core and a second electrical contact region, wherein one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone has a variable thickness. The variable thickness is confined to the one or more of the first transition zone and second transition zone. The variable thickness removes a portion of the highly doped first transition zone and the highly doped second transition zone thereby reducing contact resistance.

Methods of fabricating electro-optical modulators and the resulting electro-optical modulators are described herein. In some embodiments, a method comprises defining a waveguide having a core region, implanting dopants into a contact region of the waveguide, and diffusing the dopants laterally toward the core region. In some embodiments, a method comprises implanting n-type and p-type dopants into respective first and second contact regions of the optical waveguide and annealing the optical waveguide to induce lateral diffusion of the n-type and p-type dopants toward a center of the optical waveguide. In some embodiments, an electro-optical modulator comprises a waveguide comprising a contact region and a core region, and the waveguide has a dopant concentration that decreases from the contact region to the core region according to a super-linear curve. Methods and resulting structures described herein provide desirable electrical resistance and low overlap between dopants and optical signals.

A solid state electrically variable focal length lens includes a plurality of concentric rings of electro-optical material, wherein the electro-optical material comprises any material of a class of hydrogen-doped phase-change metal oxide and wherein each respective concentric ring further includes a transparent resistive sheet on a first face of the respective concentric ring, wherein the transparent resistive sheet extends along the first face, and a first voltage coupled between a first end and a second end of the transparent resistive sheet, wherein the first voltage may be varied to select an optical beam deflection angle.

The present disclosure provides a display panel and a display device. The display panel includes a first electrode. An opening is defined at a side of the first electrode to improve problem that dark lines are prone to appear at a peripheral area of the first electrode of the display panel. The display device manufactured by using the display panel can improve transmittance and contrast of the display device, thereby improving display effect of the display device.