An optimization of the device parameter dependence in anamorphic liquid crystal microlenses using an elliptically-patterned electrode structure

Abstract

An anamorphic liquid crystal (LC) microlens can be obtained utilizing LC molecular orientation effects in a nonuniform electric field produced by the elliptically-patterned electrode structure. Since the focal length in the direction of the major axis is different from that of the minor axis, the anamorphic LC microlens is useful for the application to the collimation of an astigmatic beam emitted from a laser diode. In this work, we measured and estimated the aberration properties of the anamorphic LC microlenses, and discussed an optimization of the device parameter dependence in order to achieve the spherical aberration-free condition.