A complex light modulator including a first polarization plate, a second polarization plate provided, an amplitude modulator provided between the first polarization plate and the second polarization plate, a phase modulator provided between the amplitude modulator and the second polarization plate, and color filters provided between the amplitude modulator and the phase modulator.

A transmittance-variable device is provided in the present application. The present application provides a transmittance-variable device, which can be applied to various applications without causing problems such as a crosstalk phenomenon, a rainbow phenomenon or a mirroring phenomenon, while having excellent transmittance-variable characteristics.

Provided is a transmissive liquid crystal diffraction element that can diffract different polarized light components in the same direction and can maintain a polarization state during incidence. The transmissive liquid crystal diffraction element includes: first and second optically-anisotropic layers each of which has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which an orientation of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction; and two retardation layers that are disposed on a side of the second optically-anisotropic layer opposite to the first optically-anisotropic layer and between the first optically-anisotropic layer and the second optically-anisotropic layer, respectively, in which a rotation direction of the optical axis in the liquid crystal alignment pattern of the first optically-anisotropic layer is opposite to that of the second optically-anisotropic layer, a single period of the liquid crystal alignment pattern of the first optically-anisotropic layer is the same as that of the second optically-anisotropic layer, the retardation layer is a positive C-plate or an O-plate, and the positive C-plate satisfies Expression (1).

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An achromatic wave plate using multiple twisted nematic liquid crystal polymer films or negative dispersion A-plate films is described. Each layer of twisted nematic liquid crystal polymer film aligns a next layer during forming achieving a monolithic structure. The achromatic wave plate with multiple layers of negative dispersion A-plate material has a non-continuous, easy to fabricate structure. Both types of films may be flexible and allow application to curved surfaces. The films of both examples also allow for high achromaticity in forward and backward propagation, thus, permitting the wave plate to operate as an optical isolator. A quarter wave of retardance across the entire visible spectrum and up to a 30-degree angle of incidence may be achieved.

The present invention relates to a variable transmittance optical laminate and a manufacturing method therefor, a smart window comprising same, and a window and a door for a vehicle and a building, having same applied thereto.

A device is provided. The device includes a light guide configured to guide a first light propagating therein. The device also includes an optical film coupled with the light guide, optically anisotropic molecules in the optical film being configured with an in-plane orientation pattern having an in-plane pitch along the predetermined in-plane direction. Within the in-plane pitch of the in-plane orientation pattern, azimuthal angles of the optically anisotropic molecules are configured to vary nonlinearly along the predetermined in-plane direction. The optical film is configured to diffract the first light as a plurality of second lights at a plurality of locations of the optical film, with a plurality of predetermined, different diffraction efficiencies.

A device is provided. The device includes a light guide configured to guide a first light propagating therein. The device also includes an optical film coupled with the light guide, optically anisotropic molecules in the optical film being configured with an in-plane orientation pattern having an in-plane pitch along the predetermined in-plane direction. Within the in-plane pitch of the in-plane orientation pattern, azimuthal angles of the optically anisotropic molecules are configured to vary nonlinearly along the predetermined in-plane direction. The optical film is configured to diffract the first light as a plurality of second lights at a plurality of locations of the optical film, with a plurality of predetermined, different diffraction efficiencies.

Provided is an optically anisotropic layer formed of a liquid crystal compound, which includes first and second layers in direct contact along a thickness direction, an alignment state of the liquid crystal compound in the first layer is different from the second layer, and the optically anisotropic layer satisfies a relationship of Expression (2A) Xmax/Xmin<1.10 where a region within a square having a largest size that can be drawn on a surface of the optically anisotropic layer is subdivided into 64 square-shaped sub-regions having the same area, a thickness d1 of the first layer and a thickness d2 of the second layer at a center position of the sub-region are obtained, X represented by Expression (1) X=d1/(d1+d2) for each sub-region is calculated, and among the calculated 64 X's, a maximum value is defined as Xmax and a minimum value is defined as Xmin.

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed on a viewer side relative to the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, a polarizer disposed on the viewer side relative to the liquid crystal layer, and a phase difference layer disposed between the polarizer and the liquid crystal layer, and also includes a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix shape. The first substrate includes a reflective layer that reflects light, a first electrode and a second electrode that can generate a transverse electrical field in the liquid crystal layer, and a first horizontal alignment film in contact with the liquid crystal layer. The second substrate includes a second horizontal alignment film in contact with the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer takes a twist alignment when no voltage is applied.

A liquid crystal panel includes a first vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal cell, a first compensation layer and a first polarizer arranged on the first VA liquid crystal cell in turn, and a second compensation layer and a second polarizer arranged below the first VA liquid crystal cell in turn. A slow axis of the first compensation layer is configured to be 135 degrees, an absorption axis of the first PVA polarizer is configured to be 45 degree, a slow axis of the second compensation layer is configured to be 45 degrees, and an absorption axis of the second polarizer is configured to be 135 degrees. In this way, the VA liquid crystal panel may display normally, and the polarizer structure is the same with that of the conventional TN liquid crystal panel.