Optical unit and production thereof

• Main Authors: ISE; KOICHI, MIYAGAKI; HIDEHARU
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.09.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF

An optical unit which comprises a pair of substrates 1, 1', which are provided with electrodes of specific configuration 4a, 4b, 4a', 4b', facing each other with the electrodes inside, a substance 7 placed between said paired substrates, said substance being capable of controlling the amount of transmitted light in response to a specific voltage applied to said electrodes, and light shielding films 2, 2' to confine the area to be shielded, said light shielding films being formed on the same side of the substrates 1, 1' that on which the electrodes 4a, 4b, 4a', 4b' are formed. A process for producing an optical unit, said process comprising the steps of forming light shielding films 2, 2' in the area to be shielded on a pair of substrates 1, 1', forming electrodes of specific configuration 4a, 4b, 4a', 4b' on that side of the substrate on which said light shielding films have been formed, and filling the gap between said paired substrates 1, 1' with a substance 7 capable of controlling the amount of transmitted light in response to a specific voltage applied to said electrodes 4a, 4b, 4a', 4b'. The optical unit exhibits good display and optical characteristics (such as good light shielding properties, narrow light shielding width, and large display part). The process is superior in productivity.