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Liquid crystals have been recognized as practical adaptive optical components for imaging and nonimaging applications. We have studied a liquid crystal lens without power modulation, as distinct from a focus modulating lens, and have simulated the effects of transient birefringence on the energy distribution on the focal plane. Our results indicate that owing to the particular transient spreading energy patterns on the focal plane, a focusing reversal phenomenon takes place during the operation of this lens, and the characteristic of the modulation transfer function (MTF) of this device indicates that this lens can serve as a spatial frequency filter.