Optical system having a variable focal length
AssigneeQuantel Limited
InventorGuy Michelet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
It comprises a container made at least partly from a transparent material and filled with an index adapting medium. At least one of the walls of the container through which the optical axis of the system extends comprises a piezoelectric multilayer structure for modifying the curvature of the wall in accordance with the voltage applied to the multilayer structure.
Claims13
An optical system having a variable focal length, comprising a container defined by walls at least a part of which walls is of transparent material, an index adapting medium filling said container, the optical system having an optical axis which extends through at least a first of said walls, at least said first wall of said walls comprising a piezoelectric bimorph structure comprising interconnected adjoining layers and means for applying voltage to said interconnected layers for modifying the curvature of said first wall in accordance with the voltage applied to the bimorph structure through said voltage applying means.
A catadioptric system having a variable focal length, comprising a container defined by walls at least a part of which walls is of transparent material, an index adapting medium filling said container, the optical system having an optical axis which extends through at least a first of said walls, at least said first wall of said walls comprising a piezoelectric bimorph structure comprising interconnected adjoining layers and means for applying voltage to said interconnected layers for modifying the curvature of said first wall in accordance with the voltage applied to the bimorph structure through said voltage applying means, said bimorph structure having a reflecting surface which is in contact with the index adapting medium contained in the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.