| CPC G02F 1/294 (2021.01) | 20 Claims |
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1. An optical element sequentially comprising:
a first substrate;
a first liquid crystal layer containing first liquid crystal molecules;
a second substrate;
a third substrate;
a second liquid crystal layer containing second liquid crystal molecules; and
a fourth substrate,
the first substrate, the first liquid crystal layer, and the second substrate defining a first liquid crystal cell,
the third substrate, the second liquid crystal layer, and the fourth substrate defining a second liquid crystal cell,
the first liquid crystal cell including, as a first electrode for voltage application to the first liquid crystal layer, at least one of an electrode in the first substrate or an electrode in the second substrate,
the second liquid crystal cell including, as a second electrode for voltage application to the second liquid crystal layer, at least one of an electrode in the third substrate or an electrode in the fourth substrate,
the first electrode and the second electrode disposed to enable switching between a first state and a second state, the first state twist-aligning the second liquid crystal molecules and vertically aligning the first liquid crystal molecules, the second state twist-aligning the first liquid crystal molecules and vertically aligning the second liquid crystal molecules,
an alignment direction of second liquid crystal molecules near the third substrate in the first state and an alignment direction of second liquid crystal molecules near the fourth substrate in the first state being respectively at azimuthal angles resulting from a ¼ turn in the same direction of an azimuthal angle of an alignment direction of first liquid crystal molecules near the first substrate in the second state and an azimuthal angle of an alignment direction of first liquid crystal molecules near the second substrate in the second state.
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