ELECTROSTATIC AND DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS OF A LIQUID-CRYSTAL DEVICE UTILIZING FRINGING FIELDS - APPLICATIONS TO 3-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAYS

The development and modeling of a liquid-crystal phase grating for rea l-time diffractive three-dimensional displays are discussed. The syste m being developed, which is called the ICVision system, utilizes a num ber of ideas that will result in a rugged, low-power three-dimensional display offering both vertical and horizontal parallax and eventually full color. Fringing fields created between interdigitated electrodes formed on top of VLSI die will induce a diffraction pattern in a thin layer of liquid crystal that will cover the die. A detailed electrost atic and diffraction analysis of liquid-crystal phase-grating regions that will make up the final display is given here. The electrostatic a nalysis is developed by use of the method of moments. The diffraction analysis is developed by use of rigorous coupled-wave diffraction theo ry. The numerical results obtrained from the mathematical model are co mpared with experimental diffraction results from preliminary LCD cell s that have been assembled as prototype ICVision devices.