Design and Fabrication of Bi-Convex Variable Focusing Lens Arrays Using Liquid Crystal for Integral Photography

In this work, we propose integral photography using bi-convex variable focusing lens arrays (hereafter will be abbreviated as bi-convex VFLA-IP) to obtain wider viewing angle and faster response time and the enhanced depth without decreasing resolution of integrated image. We designed a bi-convex lens structure to apply to 3-dimensional moving pictures. We fabricated twodimensional bi-convex liquid crystal lens arrays using lithography. The response time and the focal lengths of the lens array are measured. Applied voltage to the cell alters the effective refractive index of the liquid crystal layer and results in a change of the focal length. From the results of measuring electro-optic properties of the fabricated cell, we discovered that synchronized elemental image array for real or virtual mode can be integrated in front of or behind the lens array without decreasing resolution by adjusting the focal length.