Fast Switchable Micro-Lenticular Lens Arrays Using Highly Transparent Nano-Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals

A polarization-dependent micro-lenticular lens array (MLA) based on phase modulation of the nanostructured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (nano-PDLC) is proposed. The transparent and optically isotropic composite is formed by photo-polymerization induced phase separation of the LC and pre-polymer mixture. The gradient field is generated by interdigitated electrodes and the LCs in nanosized droplets in nano-PDLC orient along the field direction, resulting in field-induced birefringence from the optically isotropic phase. Consequently, the MLAs are formed at the focal plane, in which its measured focal length is 22 µm at 50 V_rms. Besides, the position of focused beam in MLA device can be tuned depending on the polarization direction of an incident beam. The MLA device can realize a 3D image when the polarized 2D image arrays encounter the microlens. The proposed MLA device can pave the way toward upcoming fast switchable 2D/3D display device applications with a very fast switching time of 3.8 ms.