Autostereoscopic Displays

Three-dimensional (3-D) display is an ultimate display technology. From the theaters to TVs at home, to naked eye mobile devices, 3-D displays [1-3] have been gaining popularity in our daily lives. In this chapter, we will outline the basic operation principles for generating depth perception, in order to reahze 3-D displays. Several types of 3-D display devices stereoscopic displays, autostereoscopic displays, integral imaging, holography, and volumetric displays are discussed. 

Autostereoscopic displays [36] can generate stereoscopic images and form 3-D perception without the viewer wearing special glasses. 

Figure 16.10 Working principle of a two-view autostereoscopic display based on a parallax barrier (top view).

Figure 16.13 Working principle of an autostereoscopic display based on a time-division parallax barrier (a) odd frame, and (b) even frame. Reproduced with permission from Wiley.

Autostereoscopic displays based on lenticular lens array... 

Figure 16.15 shows the basic operating principle of an autostereoscopic display using a switchable liquid crystal lens array proposed by PhUips [42]. 

S. Shestak and D. Kim, Application of pi-cells in time-multiplexed stereoscopic and autostereoscopic displays based on LCD panels, Proc. SPIE 6490, 64900Q (2007). 

N. A. Dodgson, Analysis of the viewing zone of the Cambridge autostereoscopic display, Appl. Opt. 35,... 

Autostereoscopic display This kind of monitor displays simultaneously the left and the right images but, thanks to the construction of fhe screen, each image can be seen only with one eye. The correct visualization of the images and the stereoscopic effect work only at specific viewer positions [53]. 

There are many nondisplay applications of liquid crystals, and it is not possible to do justice to aU of them here in this section. Here we will outline some key examples, and summarize briefly a wider selection. Some of the most developed applications that are currently being researched are in optical correlators, optical interconnections, wavelength filters, and optoelectronic neural networks. Most of these systems use liquid crystal spatial light modulators (SLMs). In addition, we will describe how SLMs are used in autostereoscopic displays. 

M has demonstrated a autostereoscopic 3-D display based on a directional backlight unit [48-50]. 

R. Brott and J. Schultz, Directional backlight lightguide considerations for full resolution autostereoscopic 3D displays, SID Tech. Digest 41, 218 (2010). 

---