# US 2006/0132927 A1 · Electrowetting chromatophore > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2006/0132927 A1 - Document ID: US20060132927A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/290,970 - Filed: 2005-11-30 - Published: 2006-06-22 - Earliest claimed: 2004-11-30 - Inventors: Frank Yoon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20060132927A1 ## CPC - G02B 26/004: {based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A biomimetic optical stack that operates on the basis of electrowetting. The stack is comprised of several layers of solid and liquid materials sandwiched together to form a single hermetic panel. The first layer in the stack is a dielectric (10). The second layer in the stack is an electrode (12). The third layer in the stack is a discriminator (14). The fourth layer in the stack is an electrode (20) that is spaced apart from discriminator (14). The space between discriminator (14) and electrode (20) is filled with an anterior liquid (16) and a posterior liquid (18) that are immiscible. Liquid (16) is composed of an insulating fluid that exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of discriminator (14) than does liquid (18). Liquid (18) is composed of a conducting fluid that exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of electrode (20) than does liquid (16). The final layer in the stack is a dielectric (26). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrowetting optical stack, comprising: (a) an anterior dielectric layer, (b) an anterior electrode layer that coats the posterior surface of said anterior dielectric layer, (c) a discriminator layer composed of a nonporous dielectric that coats the posterior surface of said anterior electrode layer, (d) a posterior electrode layer that is spaced apart from said discriminator layer, (e) an anterior liquid composed of an insulating fluid that partly fills the space between said discriminator layer and said posterior electrode layer, (f) a posterior liquid composed of a conducting fluid that partly fills the space between said discriminator layer and said posterior electrode layer, (g) said anterior liquid and said posterior liquid are immiscible, (h) said anterior liquid exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of said discriminator layer than does said posterior liquid, (i) said posterior liquid exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of said posterior electrode layer than does said anterior liquid, (j) a posterior dielectric layer that coats the posterior surface of said posterior electrode layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stack of claim 1, further including an array or network of dividers composed of a nonporous dielectric that replaces portions of the posterior surface of said discriminator layer, and whose surface exhibits a stronger affinity for said posterior liquid than for said anterior liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stack of claim 1, further including an array or network of wicks composed of a dielectric that spans the space between said discriminator layer and said posterior electrode layer, and whose surface exhibits a stronger affinity for said anterior liquid than for said posterior liquid but a weaker affinity for said anterior liquid than does the surface of said discriminator layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The stack of claim 1 wherein said posterior liquid is comprised of a liquid metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stack of claim 1 wherein said posterior liquid is comprised of a liquid metal alloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The stack of claim 1 wherein said posterior liquid is comprised of an ionic liquid. ### Claim 7 An electrowetting optical stack, comprising: (a) an anterior dielectric layer, (b) an anterior electrode layer composed of a nonporous conductor that coats the posterior surface of said anterior dielectric layer, (c) a discriminator layer composed of a nonporous dielectric that is spaced apart from said anterior electrode layer, (d) an anterior liquid composed of a conducting fluid that partly fills the space between said anterior electrode layer and said discriminator layer, (e) a posterior liquid composed of an insulating fluid that partly fills the space between said anterior electrode layer and said discriminator layer, (f) said anterior liquid and said posterior liquid are immiscible, (g) said anterior liquid exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of said anterior electrode than does said posterior liquid, (h) said posterior liquid exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of said discriminator layer than does said anterior liquid, (i) a posterior electrode layer that coats the posterior surface of said discriminator layer, (j) a posterior dielectric layer that coats the posterior surface of said posterior electrode layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The stack of claim 7, further including an array or network of wicks composed of a dielectric that spans the space between said anterior electrode layer and said discriminator layer, and whose surface exhibits a stronger affinity for said anterior liquid than for said posterior liquid but a weaker affinity for said anterior liquid than does the surface of said anterior electrode layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The stack of claim 7 wherein said anterior liquid is comprised of a liquid metal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The stack of claim 7 wherein said anterior liquid is comprised of a liquid metal alloy. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The stack of claim 7 wherein said anterior liquid is comprised of an ionic liquid. ### Claim 12 An electrowetting optical stack, comprising: (a) an anterior dielectric layer, (b) an anterior electrode layer that coats the posterior surface of said anterior dielectric layer, (c) a discriminator layer composed of a nonporous dielectric that coats the posterior surface of said anterior electrode layer, (d) a posterior electrode layer that is spaced apart from said discriminator layer, (e) an array or network of wicks composed of a conductor that spans the space between said discriminator layer and said posterior electrode layer, and which is electrically continuous with the latter, (f) a posterior discriminator composed of materials similar to those used in said discriminator that coats the anterior surface of said posterior electrode between the array or network of said wicks, (g) an anterior liquid composed of a conducting fluid that partly fills the space between said discriminator layer and said posterior discriminator layer, (h) a posterior liquid composed of an insulating fluid that partly fills the space between said discriminator layer and said posterior discriminator layer, (i) said anterior liquid and said posterior liquid are immiscible, (j) said anterior liquid exhibits a stronger affinity for the surface of said wicks than does said posterior liquid, (k) said posterior liquid exhibits a stronger affinity for the surfaces of said discriminator layer and said posterior discriminator layer than does said anterior liquid, (l) a posterior dielectric layer that coats the posterior surface of said posterior electrode layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The stack of claim 12, further including an array or network of dividers composed of a nonporous dielectric that replaces portions of the posterior surface of said discriminator layer, and whose surface exhibits a stronger affinity for said posterior liquid than for said anterior liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The stack of claim 12 wherein said anterior liquid is comprised of a liquid metal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The stack of claim 12 wherein said anterior liquid is comprised of a liquid metal alloy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The stack of claim 12 wherein said anterior liquid is comprised of an ionic liquid.