Elastomeric optical device and related methods
US10775649B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 17, 2018 |
| Grant date | Sep 15, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2202/36
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention provides an elastomeric optical device having a first optical state and a second optical state. The device is transparent when in the first optical state and is translucent or opaque when in the second optical state. The device comprises, in sequence, an optional substrate, a first transparent electrode, an optional dielectric layer, an elastomer layer, and a second transparent electrode. In some embodiments, the second transparent electrode comprises an electrically-conductive polymer, transparent electrically-conductive nanoparticles, or both. In such embodiments, the second transparent electrode is configured to compress the elastomer layer in response to an electric field between the first and second transparent electrodes, such that when the elastomeric optical device is in the second optical state the elastomer layer is compressed between the first and second transparent electrodes. One or both of the elastomer layer and the second transparent electrode has one or more non-uniformity features.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.