Electrostatically-actuated tunable optical components using entropic materials

Abstract

A cost-effective tunable optical component uses entropic, rather than enthalpic, materials to provide a compliant member that supports the optical element and is driven by an electrostatic actuator. Entropic materials exhibit an entropic plateau region over a wide frequency range with a Young's modulus much lower than enthalpic materials, linear elastic behavior over a wide deformation range, and, in certain geometries, energy and stress behavior that tend to stabilize the optical element during deformation. The compliant member can be configured in a variety of geometries including compression, tension, tensile/compressive and shear and of a variety of materials including elastomers, aerogels or other long chained polymers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.