PURPOSE: To drive an optical shutter array element at a low voltage by forming a light transmissive medium which has electrooptic effect is multilayer structure of at least two layers, providing three layers, i.e. a conductive layer, an insulating layer, and a conductive layer between the layers of the multilayer structure in order, and composing the element of a substrate forming an optical shutter array and polarizing plates arranged at right angles to lamination surfaces.
CONSTITUTION: A group 12 of electrodes for voltage application which are provided respective PLZT flat plates 11, a common electrode 13, and polarizing plates 14 and 15 are provided and there are axes of polarization present at +45° and -45° to an electric field vector established when a voltage is applied between the common elec trode 13 and an electrode 12 for voltage application. Light emitted by a light source 16 is polarized by the polarizing plate 14 into linear polarized light, which enters the PLZT flat plate. when no voltage is applied between the common electrode 13 and the electrode 12 for voltage application, the light is transmitted through the PLZT flat plate in the form of linear polarized light as it is and cut off the polarizing plate 15. When the voltage is applied between the common electrode 13 and electrode 12 for voltage application, on the other hand, birefringence is caused by Kerr effect as electroopic effect to change the polarization state of the light, so that the light is transmitted.
TAKUBO YONEJI
HORIBE YASUTAKA
