Abstract: Provided are a three-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus, and a method of generating a depth image in the 3D image acquisition apparatus. The method may include sequentially projecting a light transmission signal, which is generated from a light source, to a subject, modulating reflected light, which is reflected by the subject, using a light modulation signal, calculating a phase delay using a combination of a first plurality of images of two groups, from among a second plurality of images of all groups obtained by capturing the modulated reflected light, and generating a depth image based on the phase delay.

Abstract: An imaging optical system includes an objective lens configured to focus light having a first wavelength band and light having a second wavelength band, an optical shutter module configured to reflect the light having the first wavelength band, which is focused by the objective lens, without modulating the light having the first wavelength band and to modulate the light having the second wavelength band, which is focused by the objective lens, and reflect the modulated light having the second wavelength band, and an image sensor configured to respectively sense the light having the first wavelength band and the modulated light having the second wavelength band, which are reflected by the optical shutter module, and to output a first image signal with respect to the light having the first wavelength band and a second image signal with respect to the modulated light having the second wavelength band.

Abstract: Disclosed are a transparent optical shutter which may be manufactured at the wafer level, and a method of manufacturing a transparent optical shutter at the wafer level. In the disclosed optical shutter, a polymer-based material is used as a transparent protective layer for ensuring the mechanical or chemical stability of the optical shutter, and thus, the shutter may be manufactured at the wafer level in large quantities. Also, a layer which is optically transparent and has excellent heat conductivity is disposed under the transparent protective layer.

Abstract: An imaging optical system includes an objective lens configured to focus light having a first wavelength band and light having a second wavelength band, an optical shutter module configured to reflect the light having the first wavelength band, which is focused by the objective lens, without modulating the light having the first wavelength band and to modulate the light having the second wavelength band, which is focused by the objective lens, and reflect the modulated light having the second wavelength band, and an image sensor configured to respectively sense the light having the first wavelength band and the modulated light having the second wavelength band, which are reflected by the optical shutter module, and to output a first image signal with respect to the light having the first wavelength band and a second image signal with respect to the modulated light having the second wavelength band.

Abstract: A photonic crystal type light modulator is provided. The photonic crystal type light modulator includes: a substrate; a first electrode disposed on the substrate; an active layer disposed on the first electrode, where an optical characteristic of the active layer changes according to application of an electric field; a second electrode disposed on the active layer; and a photonic crystal layer disposed on the second electrode and comprising a 2D grating.

Abstract: Provided are examples of light modulators and optical apparatuses that may include the light modulators. A light modulator may include a plasmonic nano-antenna and an element for changing plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna. The plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna may be changed due to a change in refractive index of the element, and thus light may be modulated.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus capable of simultaneously obtaining a color image and a depth image in a single shooting operation is provided. The apparatus includes a light source for radiating illumination light having a predetermined wavelength onto an object; a lens unit having at least four object lenses; an image sensor including at least four sensing regions for individually receiving light focused by the object lenses and for generating images; and at least three optical shutters individually facing at least three of the at least four object lenses and for modulating incident light with predetermined gain waveforms.

Abstract: An infrared transmission large-area shutter is provided. The infrared transmission large-area shutter includes a first contact layer on a substrate, a plurality of stacks formed in a two-dimensional (2D) array pattern on a first region of the first contact layer, each stack comprising a lower reflection layer, an active layer, an upper reflection layer, and a second contact layer which are formed sequentially in this order on the first contact layer, a first electrode formed on the first contact layer, a plurality of second electrodes on the second contact layers, a first polymer layer that surrounds sidewalls of the plurality of stacks on the first contact layer, and a second polymer layer, which is transparent to infrared rays, to cover the second electrode on the second contact layer. A through hole corresponding to the plurality of stacks is formed in the substrate.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus and a method of calculating depth information in the 3D image acquisition apparatus, the 3D image acquisition apparatus including: an optical modulator for modulating light reflected from a subject by sequentially projected N (N is 3 or a larger natural number) light beams; an image sensor for generating N sub-images by capturing the light modulated by the optical modulator; and a signal processor for calculating depth information regarding a distance to the subject by using the N sub-images.

Abstract: An optical imaging system for a three-dimensional image acquisition apparatus includes an object lens which focuses light, a first image sensor which senses light in a visible light band of the light focused by the object lens, and a second image sensor which senses light in an infrared ray band of light transmitted through the first image sensor. A three-dimensional image acquisition apparatus includes the optical imaging system for a three-dimensional image acquisition apparatus.

Abstract: An imaging optical system and a three-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus which includes the imaging optical system are provided. The imaging optical system includes an object lens configured to transmit light; first and second image sensors having different sizes from each other; a beamsplitter on which the light transmitted by the object lens is incident, the beamsplitter being configured to split the light incident thereon into light of a first wavelength band and light of a second wavelength band, and to direct the light of the first wavelength band to the first image sensor and the light of the second wavelength band to the second image sensor; and at least one optical element, disposed between the beamsplitter and the second image sensor, configured to reduce an image that is incident on the second image sensor, the optical element including at least one of a Fresnel lens and a diffractive optical element.

Abstract: Provided are a wavelength separation device and a 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus including the same. The wavelength separation device includes a first prism having an inclined surface and a second prism bonded to a first region of the inclined surface of the first prism. A wavelength separation coating may be disposed at a junction between the first portion of the inclined surface of the first prism and the second prism, and a second portion of the inclined surface of the first prism, different from the first portion, is a total reflection surface that totally internally reflects light.

Abstract: In embodiments, a T-O-F depth imaging device renders a depth image of an object that has corrected depth values. The device includes a pixel array that uses an Electronic Rolling Shutter scheme. The device also includes a light source that transmits towards the object light that is modulated at an operating frequency, and an optical shutter that opens and closes at the operating frequency. The optical shutter further modulates the light that is reflected from the object, before it reaches the pixel array. The transmission of the light and the operation of the shutter change phase relative to each other while at least one of the pixels is sensing the light it receives, which permits a faster frame rate. Depth is determined by the amount of light sensed by the pixels, and a correction is computed to compensate for the changing phase.

Abstract: Provided are examples of light modulators and optical apparatuses that may include the light modulators. A light modulator may include a plasmonic nano-antenna and an element for changing plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna. The plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna may be changed due to a change in refractive index of the element, and thus light may be modulated.

Abstract: An imaging device includes at least a first group of pixels. A driver block is configured to generate at least two shutter signals, each having on-phases periodically alternating with off-phases. The shutter signals might not be in phase. The imaging device may have an optical shutter that is partitioned in two or more parts, or a set of two or more optical shutters. The shutter parts, or the shutters, may receive the shutter signals, and accordingly open and close. A design of the driver block requires reduced power, which is highly desirable for mobile applications. Moreover, 3D imaging may be implemented that uses various time-of-flight configurations.

Abstract: Disclosed is an LCD device. The LCD device comprises a panel, a data driver configured to output a data voltage to a data line; a gate driver configured to sequentially output a scan signal to a plurality of gate lines, a common electrode formed at the panel in correspondence with each of the pixels, a common voltage generator configured to generate a common voltage to be supplied to the common electrode, a timing controller configured to output a first selection signal or a second selection signal, and a selector configured to output a correction common voltage corresponding to a negative liquid crystal driving voltage or the common voltage to the common electrode by using the scan signal, the first selection signal, or the second selection signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating a depth image are provided. The apparatus includes an optical modulator, an optical sensor, and a depth image processor. The optical modulator optically modulates light which is reflected from an object to which light modulated using a first pseudorandom (PN) sequence is irradiated. The optical modulator optically modulates the reflected light using second PN-sequences, where each of the second PN-sequences has a same PN sequence as the first PN-sequence, but the second PN-sequences have N different time shifts. The optical sensor senses the optically modulated reflective light. The depth image processor samples N intensity images from the optically modulated reflective light sensed by the optical sensor and generates a depth image of the object using the sampled N intensity images.

Abstract: Provided are examples of light modulators and optical apparatuses that may include the light modulators. A light modulator may include a plasmonic nano-antenna and an element for changing plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna. The plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna may be changed due to a change in refractive index of the element, and thus light may be modulated.

Abstract: An LCD device is disclosed which includes: a liquid crystal display panel in which there are a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines; a data driver configured to apply data voltages to the data lines; a gate driver configured to apply gate pulses to the gate lines; and a charge share device configured to selectively perform a charge share operation by storing charges corresponding to a data voltage applied to one of the data lines during a first interval and providing the stored charges to said one or another one of the data lines during a second interval based on a comparison of first video data corresponding to said one of the data lines in the first interval with second video data corresponding to said one or another one of the data lines in the second interval.

Abstract: An optical device is provided including an active layer having two outer barriers and a coupled quantum well between the two outer barriers. The coupled quantum well includes a first quantum well layer, a second quantum well layer, a third quantum well layer, a first coupling barrier between the first quantum well layer and the second quantum well layer, and a second coupling barrier between the second quantum well layer and the third quantum well layer. A thickness of the first quantum well layer and a thickness of the third quantum well layer are each different from a thickness of the second quantum well layer. Also, an energy level of the first quantum well layer and an energy level of the third quantum well layer are each different from an energy level of the second quantum well layer.