Solidifiable tunable liquid microlens
US6936196B2 · kind B2 · utility
17Cited by
11References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 12, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 30, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 12, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B3/14
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A microlens of the present invention may include a liquid droplet whose position and/or surface curvature may be changed (tuned), e.g., by selectively biasing one or more electrodes configured to said droplet. The droplet may then be solidified to fix a desired configuration (e.g., focal length) of the microlens. In one embodiment, the droplet has an optically curable liquid adhesive that is polymerized under exposure to UV light. Microlenses of the present invention may be used, for example, in optical devices to obtain and then maintain optimal coupling between various optical components.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.