Optical element

US12111523B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• siOPTICA GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Andreas Bregulla · Duderstadt, DE
• André Heber · Weimar, DE
• Yannick Bourgin · Großgölitz, DE
• Markus Klippstein · Jena, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 1, 2022
• Grant date: Oct 8, 2024
• Expiry date: Aug 1, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F1/1677
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical element including: a substrate with first and second large surfaces and a second; a plurality of opaque surfaces near or on the first large surface; in a first alternative, a plurality of surfaces near or on the second large surface which are switchable between an opaque state and a transparent state, or, in a second alternative, a plurality of chambers in the substrate which are filled with a fluid, wherein the fluid contains up to 30 volume percent of electrophoretically movable particles which absorb light and can be localized in two different states in the chambers by a variable electromagnetic field so that, in a first state the optical element limits the propagation directions of light which impinges on the light entry surface and in a second state, the optical element does not limit the propagation directions of light impinging on the light entry surface.