LIQUID CRYSTAL LENS ELEMENT AND CAMERA MODULE USING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal lens element in which a driving voltage can be reduced with less variance in optimal driving frequency and an optical axis of transmission light can be tilted, and to provide a camera module using the same.SOLUTION: A liquid crystal lens element 100 includes a first side surface electrode 41 connected to a first circular electrode 21, a second side surface electrode 42 connected to a first common electrode 31, and a plurality of third side surface electrodes 43a to 43d connected to a plurality of first peripheral electrodes 11a to 11d. A first liquid crystal layer 70 is smaller in thickness than a first substrate 50 and a second substrate 51, and the first circular electrode 21 and the plurality of first peripheral electrodes 11a to 11d are located between one principal surface of the first substrate 50 and the first liquid crystal layer 70, and the first common electrode 31 is located between a principal surface of the second substrate 51, which faces the first substrate 50, and the liquid crystal layer 70. 【課題】最適な駆動周波数にばらつきが生じることを低減しつつ、低駆動電圧、かつ、透過光の光軸を傾けることが可能な液晶レンズ素子およびそれを用いたカメラモジュールを提供すること。【解決手段】液晶レンズ素子１００は、第１の円形電極２１に接続される第１の側面電極４１と、第１の共通電極３１に接続される第２の側面電極４２と、複数の第１の周辺電極１１ａ〜１１ｄに接続される複数の第３の側面電極４３ａ〜４３ｄと、を含み、第１の液晶層７０は、第１の基板５０の厚みおよび第２の基板５１の厚みよりも薄く、第１の円形電極２１および複数の第１の周辺電極１１ａ〜１１ｄは、第１の基板５０の一方の主面と第１の液晶層７０との間に配置され、第１の共通電極３１は、第２の基板５１の第１の基板５０と対向する主面と第１の液晶層７０との間に配置される。【選択図】図１