Patent · US Active

Optical element, optical device, atmosphere provider, optical scanning device, light coupling device, and method of operating interfacial waves

US7724444B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
2References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 24, 2005
Grant dateMay 25, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 4, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B5/1828
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical element is provided for generating interfacial waves by means of electro wetting. The optical element comprises a fluid chamber with at least one side wall and an optical axis. Furthermore the fluid chamber includes a first fluid (A) and a second fluid (B) which are separated by an interface, the fluids (A, B) being immiscible. A first electro wetting electrode and a second electro wetting electrode are provided, the first electro wetting electrode is separated from the first fluid (A) and the second fluid (B) by a fluid contact layer. The second electro wetting electrode is arranged to act on the first fluid (A). The selected standing or running waves can be formed by providing selected voltages to the first and the second electro wetting electrodes respectively.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.