Varifocal liquid-filled microlens operated by an electroactive polymer actuator

Abstract

We designed, fabricated, and characterized varifocal microlenses, whose focal length varies along with the deformation of a transparent elastomer membrane under hydraulic pressure tailored by electroactive polymer actuators. The microfluidic channel of the microlens was designed to be embedded between silicon and glass so that transient fluctuation of the optical fluid and elastomer membrane is effectively suppressed, and thus the microlens is optically stabilized in a reduced time. Multilayered poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-clorotrifluoroethylene) actuators were also developed and integrated onto the microfluidic chambers. We demonstrated that the developed microlenses are suitable for use in microimaging systems to make their foci tunable.

Haptic feedback using an all-organic electroactive polymer composite

“…In order to increase the absolute deflection values at limited voltages, certain designs have been proposed [29][30][31]. The majority of these designs currently work in bender mode.…”

Electroactive liquid lens driven by an annular membrane

“…Although liquid/hydrogel-droplet-based focusing components are simple in configuration, droplets exposed to vapor are vulnerable to evaporation and external disturbances. To address this, the liquid droplet can be encapsulated within an elastomeric envelope, where focus can be changed by deforming the envelope by mechanical [11], magnetic [12], or electric means [13].Among various actuation mechanisms, the use of a dielectric elastomer (DE) is a popular approach due to its simple configuration, operation efficiency, relatively fast response, and low cost [14]. For example, an intraocular lens-mimicking structure was demonstrated by radially deforming the circular DE actuator surrounding an elastomer-encapsulated liquid lens by electrical actuation, thereby changing the focal length [15].…”

Insect–Human Hybrid Eye (IHHE): an adaptive optofluidic lens combining the structural characteristics of insect and human eyes

“…This response time can be reduced by integrating an actuation mechanism within the IHHE device where external pumping and tubing are abolished, e.g. using an integrated electric or magnetic actuators [44][45][46] .…”