Sony Corporation

Fumitomo Hide

Akio Yasuda

Eriko Matsui

Hidehiko Takanashi

Keiichi Nito

Yang Ying Bao

Nobue Kataoka

An optical device according to this invention includes a phase modulating optical unit comprising a plurality of optically transparent base members each of which includes an optically transparent electrode and an alignment film formed in this order, and an optically transparent birefringent medium, wherein the optically transparent base members are spaced from one another at predetermined intervals so that the electrode and the alignment film of a base member is confronted to the electrode and the alignment film of another base member, and at least one kind of liquid crystal selected from the group consisting of ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC), antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) and smectic liquid crystal having an electro clinic effect (SmA) (or mixed liquid crystals thereof) is injected into gaps between the base members.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Fumitomo Hide