Parallax barrier device, method for fabricating the same and display apparatus including a parallax barrier device

1. A parallax barrier device comprising a pair of transparent-electrode substrates each provided with a transparent electrode, and a pair of polarizers sandwiching the pair of transparent-electrode substrates therebetween,

wherein a barrier light-shielding part and a light-transmitting part are formed in a gap between the pair of transparent-electrode substrates,

a liquid crystal layer is formed in the barrier light-shielding part,

a resin layer having the property of transmitting light and not serving as a liquid crystal layer is formed in the light transmitting part,

the barrier light-shielding part and the light-transmitting part are alternately arranged along a direction in a plane parallel to the pair of transparent-electrode substrates;

the directions of transmission easy axes of the pair of polarizers are approximately parallel to each other, and

the barrier light-shielding part is configured to change a polarization state of light entering the liquid crystal layer according to a distribution state of liquid crystal molecules so that a polarization state of light which has passed through the liquid crystal layer differs from a polarization state of light which has passed through the resin layer having the property of transmitting light.

2. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein

the width of the barrier light-shielding part in the direction in the plane is larger than or equal to the width of the light-transmitting part in the direction in the plane.

3. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer is a liquid crystal layer exhibiting homogeneous alignment and containing a liquid crystal material whose dielectric-constant anisotropy is positive, and

the liquid crystal layer has a retardation of ½ of the wavelength of light entering the liquid crystal layer under application of no voltage.

4. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer is a liquid crystal layer exhibiting homeotropic alignment and containing a liquid crystal material whose dielectric-constant anisotropy is negative, and

the liquid crystal layer has a retardation of ½ of the wavelength of light entering the liquid crystal layer under application of a voltage.

5. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer is a liquid crystal layer exhibiting twisted nematic alignment.

6. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent electrode provided in each of the pair of transparent-electrode substrates is a common electrode.

7. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein the resin layer having the property of transmitting light also functions as a spacer for maintaining a uniform space between the pair of transparent-electrode substrates.

8. A method for fabricating the parallax barrier device of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:

applying a resin material having an approximately isotropic refractive index and having the property of transmitting light onto the transparent-electrode substrates; and

performing, on the resin material, processes of light exposure using a photo mask, development and baking, thereby forming the resin layer.

9. A display apparatus comprising:

the parallax barrier device of claim 1 ; and

an image display device including a first pixel part constituting a first image and a second pixel part constituting a second image.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first pixel part is a pixel part for a left eye, and

the second pixel part is a pixel part for a right eye.

11. The display apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a light source placed at a larger distance from a viewer than those from the parallax barrier device and the image display device.

12. The display apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the liquid crystal layer switches display between a first display and a second display by switching the state of light between opaque and transmission in accordance with an electric signal applied to the pair of transparent-electrode substrates.

13. The display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the liquid crystal layer switches display between a stereoscopic display and a plane display by switching the state of light between opaque and transmission in accordance with an electric signal applied to the pair of transparent-electrode substrates.

14. A parallax barrier device comprising a pair of transparent-electrode substrates each provided with a transparent electrode and a pair of polarizers sandwiching the pair of transparent-electrode substrates therebetween,

wherein a barrier light-shielding part and a light-transmitting part are formed in a gap between the pair of transparent-electrode substrates,

a liquid crystal layer is formed in the barrier light-shielding part,

a resin layer having the property of transmitting light and not serving as a liquid crystal layer is formed in the light-transmitting part,

the barrier light-shielding part and the light-transmitting part are alternately arranged along a direction in a plane parallel to the pair of transparent-electrode substrates, and

the barrier light-shielding part is configured to change a polarization state of light entering the liquid crystal layer according to a distribution state of liquid crystal molecules so that a polarization state of light which has passed through the liquid crystal layer differs from a polarization state of light which has passed through the resin layer having the property of transmitting light.

15. The parallax barrier device of claim 1 , wherein the resin layer is a negative resist for a spacer.

16. The parallax barrier device of claim 9 , wherein the resin layer is a negative resist for a spacer.

17. The parallax barrier device of claim 9 , wherein the first image and the second image incident on the light-transmitting part are separated from each other.