Since 1979, liquid crystal lenses have been a target of perfect parabolic lenses. However, the constraints of the so-called power law coming from the physics and chemistry of nematic LC limit the development in large-aperture GRIN LC lenses. In this study we present electrically tunable progressive lenses utilizing nematic liquid crystals (LC). The proposed LC lens is capable of dynamically adjusting its focal length, functioning as either a positive or negative lens. Our findings reveal that the spatial distribution of lens power within the progressive LC lens, ranging from +4D to -3D, far surpassing the range of -0.87D to +0.87D which one may expect within the parabolic wavefront approximation. For a lens with a 30 mm aperture a total tunable range is 7.6 D (from +5.6D to -2D) which is 4.75 times larger than the traditional parabolic prediction~1.6D (from +0.8D to -0.8D). This study not only challenges conventional limitations set by optical phase differences in gradient-index LC lenses but also paves the way for transformative advancements in optics and beyond.
Nowadays, augmented reality (AR) systems and virtual reality (VR) systems still suffer from two main problems related to human eyes. One is vergence accommodation conflict (VAC) and the other is vision corrections. To resolve those problems, we could use dynamic lenses to provide extra lens powers for changing the image plane of AR or VR systems and correcting vision. In this research, we used polarization-switching-type liquid crystal lenses as a varifocal lens and combined three liquid crystal lenses as a liquid crystal lens set. With applying different voltage, liquid crystal lens set exhibits four operating modes. Four operating modes present three electrically tunable lens powers: 0, -0.79 diopters, -2 diopters, and -3.06 diopters by means of passively anisotropic polymeric layers as well as active manipulation of polarization of incident light (<50 ms). Furthermore, we demonstrated the practical application of the LC lens set in AR and VR systems, effectively presenting its ability to perform varifocal image. This solves both the problems of VAC and vision correction in AR and VR systems. By adjusting the LC lens set, it could display even 7 switching modes and the lens power ranges from 0 to -4.5 D.
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