Photo-tunable liquid microlens
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsTimofei N. Kroupenkine, Shu Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprising a tunable liquid microlens that includes a transparent supporting layer and a transparent photoresponsive layer disposed on a first surface of the supporting layer. A droplet of a transparent liquid is disposed on the photoresponsive layer. The photoresponsive layer separates the supporting layer and the droplet. At least a portion of the photoresponsive layer that contacts the droplet may be selectively irradiated by at least one light source such that a contact angle between the droplet and the photoresponsive layer may be varied and the droplet may be repositioned along the photoresponsive layer. In this manner, at least one of a focal length and a lateral position of a focal spot of the microlens may be adjusted directly by irradiation with a light beam.
Claims33
An apparatus, comprising a tunable liquid microlens, said tunable liquid microlens comprising:
- a transparent supporting layer;
- a transparent photoresponsive layer disposed on a first surface of said supporting layer;
- and
- a droplet of a transparent liquid disposed on said photoresponsive layer, said photoresponsive layer separating said supporting layer and said droplet,
- wherein at least a portion of said photoresponsive layer contacting said droplet may be selectively irradiated by at least one light source such that a contact angle between said droplet and said photoresponsive layer may be varied and said droplet may be repositioned along said photoresponsive layer,
- whereby at least one of a focal length and a lateral position of a focal spot of said microlens may be adjusted.
A method of tuning a liquid microlens, said liquid microlens including a transparent supporting layer, a transparent photoresponsive layer disposed on a first surface of said supporting layer, and a droplet of a transparent liquid disposed on said photoresponsive layer, said photoresponsive layer separating said supporting layer and said droplet, said method comprising the step of:
- selectively irradiating at least a portion of said photoresponsive layer contacting said droplet with at least one light source to vary an interfacial surface tension between said droplet and said portion of said photoresponsive layer such that a contact angle between said droplet and said photoresponsive layer may be varied and said droplet may be repositioned along said photoresponsive layer.
A method of transmitting an optical signal, comprising the steps of:
- directing said optical signal from a first location towards a liquid microlens, said liquid microlens including a transparent supporting layer, a transparent photoresponsive layer disposed on a first surface of said supporting layer, and a droplet of a transparent liquid disposed on said photoresponsive layer, said photoresponsive layer separating said supporting layer and said droplet;
- and
- tuning said liquid microlens to optically process in a prescribed manner said optical signal, said tuning step comprising the step of:
- selectively irradiating at least a portion of said photoresponsive layer contacting said droplet with at least one light source to vary an interfacial surface tension between said droplet and said portion of said photoresponsive layer such that a contact angle between said droplet and said photoresponsive layer may be varied and said droplet may be repositioned along said photoresponsive layer,
- whereby at least one of a focal length and a lateral position of a focal spot of said microlens are adjustable in tuning said liquid microlens.
An apparatus comprising a tunable liquid microlens, said tunable liquid microlens comprising:
- transparent supporting means;
- transparent photoresponsive means disposed on a first surface of said supporting means;
- and
- a droplet of transparent liquid disposed on said photoresponsive means, said photoresponsive means separating said supporting means and said droplet,
- wherein at least a portion of said photoresponsive means may be selectively irradiated such that at least one of a focal length and a lateral position of a focal spot of said microlens are adjustable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.