Method and apparatus for aligning a photo-tunable microlens
US6665127B2 · kind B2 · utility
98Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 16, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/28
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A tunable microlens uses a layer of photo-conducting material which results in a voltage differential between at least one of a plurality of electrodes and a droplet of conducting liquid when a light beam is incident upon the photo-conducting material. Such droplet, which forms the optics of the microlens, moves toward an electrode with higher voltage relative to other electrodes in the microlens. Thus, for example, when the light beam is misaligned with the microlens, the voltage differential causes the droplet, and hence the microlens, to realign itself with the beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.