A tunable liquid lens driven by a concentric annular electroactive actuator

This paper presents a new design of tunable liquid lens operated by electromagnetic actuation for autofocus (AF) in miniature cameras and its optical performance is experimentally verified. When an electrical voltage is applied to an electric coil inside the electromagnetic system beneath the liquid lens, a magnetic field is generated around the electromagnetic system based on Faraday's law of induction. The magnetic field is used to actuate a ring type neodymium magnet placed on the top of an elastic membrane in the liquid lens. Based on the proposed liquid lens, the measurement of the lens sag height with respect to an applied voltage is carried out. The lens sag height is linearly increased from -1 mm to 0.8 mm while the applied voltage is changed from 0 V to 50 V at a 5 V increment. The average sag height variation per voltage is about 32 μm. The focal length with respect to an applied voltage is also measured using a custom-built testing system consisting of a laser, a mirror, a liquid lens and a detection screen and compared with theory. Finally, the ability of the liquid lens to change its focal plane to distinguish two objects positioned at different distances is successfully tested.

show abstract

“…8 [6]. Two letters printed in each transparent film are used as the objects stood 16 mm and 20 mm apart from the liquid lens, respectively.…”

Section: Experiments Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hence, most imaging systems have the external actuators to mechanically control the position of lenses for variable focuses. However, these actuators often make the imaging systems bulky and costly [4][5][6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Liquid lens based on electromagnetic actuation for high-performance miniature cameras

Seo

Jeon

et al. 2015

2015 Transducers - 2015 18th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (TRANSDUCERS)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A DEAP actuator has a dielectric elastomer membrane sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. When a high electric field is applied across the deflected DEAP membrane with fixed boundaries, the membrane bulges and causes fluid redistribution in the chamber, which in turn deflects the lens membrane [79][80][81][82]. In an alternative design, the in-plane extension of the DEAP membrane squeezes the lens aperture, generating the out-of-plane deflection of the lens membranes (figure 4(d)).…”

Section: Type Ii: Lenses With Tunable Solid/fluid Interface(s)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optofluidic lenses for 2D and 3D imaging

Huang

Zhao

2019

J. Micromech. Microeng.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Optofluidic lenses that modulate light using fluidic materials have been recognized as a powerful alternative to solid lenses. These lenses can achieve many advanced imaging capabilities that are difficult to achieve otherwise. In particular, such adaptive optical elements have shown great potentials in a broad array of applications in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) imaging, including macro/microscopic imaging, optical coherence tomography, wide-angle imaging, spectral imaging, optical zooming, and switchable monocular/binocular vision. This article reviews current research efforts on optofluidic lenses for 2D/3D imaging. The configurations and actuation mechanisms of different types of optofluidic lenses and their representative imaging applications are introduced. The opportunities and challenges in this field are also discussed. This review is expected to provide a snapshot of the current landscape of optofluidic lenses research to attract more interests in this exciting field and foster the development of next-generation optofluidic lenses.

show abstract

“…Adaptive liquid lens has been widely used in optical systems due to its tunable optical power without lens displacement [1][2][3]. There are two major mechanisms to achieve variable optical powers: liquid-liquid lens and elastomer-liquid lens [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved optical resolution for elastomer-liquid lens at high diopter using varied thickness membrane

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Adaptive elastomer-liquid lens can find a variety of optical applications due to the tunable optical powers without additional lens replacement or displacement. Most current elastomer-liquid lenses use elastomer membrane with a constant thickness. This approach, however, suffers from substantial optical aberration due to the edge clamping effect. In this study, a varied thickness elastomer membrane with customized aspherical profile is designed and developed to encapsulate a plano-convex liquid lens. Such varied thickness membrane is fabricated by double-side replica molding against a deformed elastomer-liquid lens membrane with a constant thickness. Such configuration could alleviate the edge clamping effect. Simulation and experimental results both show that the lens with a varied thickness membrane exhibits improved optical resolutions at both the center and the peripheral regions at the back focal length of 10 mm comparing to the lens with a constant thickness membrane. This study provides an effective solution to suppress the optical aberrations without sacrifice of the optical aperture.

show abstract

A tunable liquid lens driven by a concentric annular electroactive actuator

Cited by 9 publications

References 19 publications

Liquid lens based on electromagnetic actuation for high-performance miniature cameras

Liquid lens based on electromagnetic actuation for high-performance miniature cameras

Optofluidic lenses for 2D and 3D imaging

Improved optical resolution for elastomer-liquid lens at high diopter using varied thickness membrane

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About