# US 10,371,936 B2 · Wide angle, broad-band, polarization independent beam steering and concentration of wave energy utilizing electronically controlled soft matter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,936 B2 - Document ID: US10371936B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/480,053 - Filed: 2017-04-05 - Published: 2017-08-17 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-10 - Applicants: Leo D. DiDomenico - Inventors: Leo D. DiDomenico - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371936B2 ## CPC - G02B 26/005: {based on electrowetting} - F24S 23/70: with reflectors - F24S 23/82: {characterised by the material or the construction of the reflector} - G02B 19/0023: {at least one surface having optical power} - G02B 19/0042: {for use with direct solar radiation} - G02B 26/004: {based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid} - G02B 26/0825: {the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus (flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24)} - G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection - H10F 77/484: {Refractive light-concentrating means, e.g. lenses} - H10F 77/488: {Reflecting light-concentrating means, e.g. parabolic mirrors or concentrators using total internal reflection} - F24S 23/12: {Light guides} - F24S 23/79: with spaced and opposed interacting reflective surfaces - F24S 2023/878: {Assemblies of spaced reflective elements in the form of grids, e.g. vertical or inclined reflective elements extending over heat absorbing elements} - G02F 2203/24: beam steering - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A general method is provided for electronically reconfiguring the internal structure of a solid to allow precision control of the propagation of wave energy. The method allows digital or analog control of wave energy, such as but not limited to visible light, while maintaining low losses, a multi-octave bandwidth, polarization independence, large area and a large dynamic range in power handling. Embodiments of the technique are provided for large-angle beam steering, lenses and other devices to control wave energy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling wave energy, comprising: (a) providing at least one rigid material; (b) providing at least one rigid control channel formed internal to said rigid material; (c) providing at least one soft matter material; wherein said one or more rigid control channels within said rigid material are arranged to receive and release said at least one soft matter material progressively in response to one or more time varying stimuli, thereby progressively changing the reflection and transmission properties along said one or more rigid control channels, to induce an angular change in the propagation direction of said wave energy; and (d) providing at least one reservoir for said soft matter; wherein said one or more rigid control channels within said rigid material are arranged to receive and release said at least one soft matter material from said at least one reservoir thereby progressively changing the extent of said at least one soft matter in said at least one control channel to continuously change the reflection and transmission properties along the boundary formed on the surfaces of said at least one control channel that is formed by said rigid material and said soft matter to allow a change in the reflection properties of said at least one control channel to angularly redirect said wave energy as it propagates through said at least one rigid material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides steering of electromagnetic waves from one direction into electromagnetic waves in a different direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy utilizes gallery waves for steering wave energy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides concentration or expansion of wave energy from a source region to a real or virtual focus region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said rigid material is transparent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigid control channel is uniform in thickness. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigid control channel is variable in thickness. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one soft matter material is transparent to said wave energy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one soft matter material is reflective to said wave. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one soft matter material comprises a first refractive index matching fluid and a second index matching fluid which are non-miscible. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein one of said first refractive index matching fluid and said second refractive index matching fluid is a polar liquid and a remaining one of said first and second refractive index matching fluids is a non-polar liquid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein said first refractive index matching fluid and said second refractive index matching fluid have different refractive indices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said wave energy is one of: electromagnetic; acoustic; a liquid surface wave; a surface plasmon polariton; and seismic. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wave energy is controlled using one or more stages of steering. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wave energy is passed through a device for controlling wave energy so that input and output surfaces of the device are separate and distinct. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wave energy comprises at least one of: a continuous wave; and a pulsed wave. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said soft matter material comprises at least one of: a liquid; a soft solid; a gas; and a plasma. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said soft matter material comprises a refractive index matching fluid having substantially the same refractive index as said at least one transparent solid. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigid control channel forms one of: a periodic array; and an aperiodic array. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigid control channel comprises at least one of: a curved cross section; and a flat cross section. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein different angular steering ranges are associated with different physical layers. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein different angular steering ranges are multiplexed into the same physical layer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one soft matter distributor operative to emit at least one control signal and to distribute said at least one soft matter material; wherein said distributor comprises at least one of: a thermal expansion/contraction actuator; a thermal vaporization actuator; a magnetohydrodynamics actuator; a pressure gradient actuator; a dielectrophoresis pump; an acoustic actuator; an electro-wetting actuator; an electro-hydrodynamics actuator; an electro-osmosis actuator; an electro mechanical actuator; and an array of plasma inducing electrodes. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said rigid material supports electrodes in close proximity to said at least one rigid control channel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one rigid material has substantially the same refractive index as said at least one soft matter material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a device for harvesting solar energy. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a device for a display. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a device for directing wave energy. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a device for focusing wave energy. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a device for remote sensing of the environment. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a device for dynamically configuring a computer network. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said method for controlling wave energy provides a display pixel. ### Claim 33 A system for controlling wave energy, comprising: (a) at least one rigid material; (b) at least one rigid control channel formed internal to said rigid material; and (c) at least one soft matter material; wherein said one or more rigid control channels within said rigid material are arranged to receive and release said at least one soft matter material progressively in response to one or more time varying stimuli, thereby progressively changing the reflection and transmission properties along said one or more rigid control channels, to induce an angular change in the propagation direction of said wave energy; and (d) at least one reservoir for said soft matter; wherein said one or more rigid control channels within said rigid material are arranged to receive and release said at least one soft matter material from said at least one reservoir thereby progressively changing the extent of said at least one soft matter in said at least one control channel to continuously change the reflection and transmission properties along the boundary formed on the surfaces of said at least one control channel that is formed by said rigid material and said soft matter to allow a change in the reflection properties of said at least one control channel to angularly redirect said wave energy as it propagates through said at least one rigid material. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wave energy is redirected by a reflecting surface so that input and output surfaces of a device for controlling wave energy are the same.