Electric field sensor using liquid crystal and three-dimensional movie player/recorder using the same

Abstract

Liquid crystal is filled between a pair of transparent plate electrodes, and a DC voltage is applied between the electrodes to align the liquid crystal molecules along the electric field. When light enters the liquid crystal cell, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules deviates due to the electric field of the light. The change in the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is detected by a change in the capacitance or in the electric resistance between the plate electrodes. A liquid crystal panel constituted by a two-dimensional array of such liquid crystal cells is used as an image sensor, and the interference patterns of an object are produced on and detected by the liquid crystal pattern in real time. The detected interference patterns are recorded continuously, whereby a three-dimensional movie is recorded. In playing, while the recorded interference patterns are reproduced on the same liquid crystal panel a reading coherent light beam is irradiated onto the liquid crystal panel whereby a three-dimensional movie is viewed. By switching lights from the three primary color light sources by a beam chopper, interference patterns of the three colors are successively produced and recorded, whereby a three-dimensional color movie is recorded. The recorded interference patterns are reproduced on the liquid crystal panel and the three color lights are orderly irradiated onto the liquid crystal panel by the synchronous movement of the beam chopper, whereby the three-dimensional color movie is reproduced.