Modulation transfer function of liquid crystal microlenses and microprisms using double dielectric layer.

We investigate electrically tunable liquid crystal (LC) microlenses and microprisms based on double dielectric optically hidden (DDOH) layers. Comparative theoretical study of the spatial resolution limits in the creation of a spatially modulated electric field by the DDOH layer is conducted. Both the depth of the resulting optical phase modulation and its deviation from the desired wavefront are obtained for sine and sawtooth geometries of the DDOH layer's structure. A comparison is provided with the standard LC reorientation approach using patterned electrodes.