A transparent device for use in optical applications, and methods for using and manufacturing the device are disclosed. The device generally requires several layers, including (i) a first layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide (such as indium tin oxide (ITO)), (ii) a second layer comprising a transparent semiconductor (e.g., a pn-heterojunction or a pn-homojunction), the second layer having a surface facing the first layer, (iii) a third layer comprising a liquid crystal (such as E7), the third layer having a surface facing the second layer, and (iv) a fourth layer comprising either a second transparent conductive oxide or a second transparent semiconductor, the fourth layer having a surface facing the third layer. When light illuminates a surface of the transparent metal oxide pn-heterojunction or transparent metal oxide pn-homojunction, it induces photoconductivity, modifying the surface charges.

An optical device (100) for forming a distribution of a three-dimensional light field comprises: an array (102) of unit cells (104), a unit cell (104) being individually addressable for switching the optical property of the unit cell (104) between a first and a second condition; wherein the unit cells (104) are configured to be selectively active or inactive and wherein the array (102) comprises at least a first and a second disjoint subset (110; 112; 114; 116), and wherein the unit cells (104) in a subset (110; 112; 114; 116) are configured to be jointly switched from inactive to active, wherein the active unit cells (104) are configured to interact with an incident light beam (106) for forming the distribution of the three-dimensional light field; and wherein the optical device (100) is configured to address inactive unit cells (104) for switching the optical property of unit cells (104).

Disclosed is a liquid crystal X-ray detector in which only one substrate is used to make a liquid crystal unit by forming one of two alignment films for holding a liquid crystal layer therebetween on a selenium layer. Further disclosed is a method of manufacturing the same. The liquid crystal X-ray detector includes a photoconductor unit and a liquid crystal unit provided on the photoconductor unit. The photoconductor unit includes a first substrate, a selenium layer formed on the first substrate, and a first alignment film formed on the selenium layer. The first alignment film is formed of parylene deposited at a temperature lower than 45 C. in a vacuum atmosphere. The liquid crystal unit includes a second substrate, a second alignment film formed on the second substrate and opposed to the first alignment film, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first alignment film and the second alignment film.

A spectrally-selective reflective optical film comprises at least two anisotropic layers, each of the layers having a phase retardation value and an optical axis orientation pattern within the layer; the optical axis orientation patterns exhibiting a discontinuity at the boundary of the at least two layers; and at least one substrate holding the film. At least a part of the anisotropic layers may be chiral. The materials comprising the anisotropic layers may be selected from liquid crystal polymers, azobenzene liquid crystal polymers, liquid crystals, azobenzene liquid crystals, polymer films with stressed birefringence, and combinations thereof. The materials comprising the anisotropic layers may be doped with at least one dopant from the list comprising nanorods, photorefractive nanoparticles, photovoltaic nanoparticles, lasing dyes, and combinations of thereof. The anisotropic layers may be transparent to infrared wavelengths. The anisotropic layers may be arranged in a periodic pattern of retardation values, including zero.

The present invention relates to a display device.

The invention concerns a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (101) comprising: a liquid crystal layer (7); and on at least one side of the liquid crystal layer (7), at least one photovoltaic cell (456), each photovoltaic cell (456) comprising a photosensitive layer (5) comprising electron-donating (D) molecules and electron accepting (A) molecules, each photovoltaic cell (456) being arranged for spontaneous photovoltage under illumination. Electron-donating molecules and electron accepting molecules are preferably blended and form preferably an organic bulk heterojunction layer. The photosensitive layer (5) of each photovoltaic cell (456) is preferably comprised between: an electron conducting layer (4) arranged for a transfer of an electron from its contacting photosensitive layer (5) easier than a transfer of an electron hole from its contacting photosensitive layer (5), and an electron hole conducting layer (6) arranged for a transfer of an electron hole from its contacting photosensitive layer (5) easier than a transfer of an electron from its contacting photosensitive layer (5).

A projection screen according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a display member and a light-controlling layer stacked on the display member. The light-controlling layer includes a pair of conductive layers disposed to oppose each other, a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of conductive layers, the liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal and a dichroic pigment, and a photoconductive layer provided between one of the pair of conductive layers and the liquid crystal layer, and configured to have an application region whose resistance varies in accordance with application of light having a first wavelength.

A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer; a plurality of TFTs; a plurality of pixel electrodes; a common electrode placed in such a manner as to overlap the pixel electrodes via an insulating film; a color filter placed between the TFTs and the pixel electrodes and placed in such a manner as to overlap each of the plurality of pixel electrodes, that includes a plurality of colored portions that exhibit different colors from one another; and a light-blocking conducting film provided on an array substrate, placed closer to the liquid crystal layer than the TFTs while having a light blocking effect, placed in such a manner as to overlap a boundary portion between two adjacent colored portions of the plurality of colored portions, and electrically connected to the common electrode.

According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving light on a photoconductive layer of an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) device, the EPD device having a chamber defined by a first sheet, a second sheet and a spacer between the first and second sheets, where the first sheet is nonopaque and includes the photoconductive layer, where the second sheet is nonopaque and spaced from the first sheet, where a fluidic solution having a plurality of particles is in the chamber. The particles in the solution are attracted from suspension to illuminated portions of the photoconductive layer in the absence of an external voltage applied to the first and second sheets. The particles become deposited on the illuminated portions of the photoconductive layer.

According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving light on a photoconductive layer of an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) device, the EPD device having a chamber defined by a first sheet, a second sheet and a spacer between the first and second sheets, where the first sheet is nonopaque and includes the photoconductive layer, where the second sheet is nonopaque and spaced from the first sheet, where a fluidic solution having a plurality of particles is in the chamber. The particles in the solution are attracted from suspension to illuminated portions of the photoconductive layer in the absence of an external voltage applied to the first and second sheets. The particles become deposited on the illuminated portions of the photoconductive layer.