Paper
17 March 2000 Circular geometry liquid crystal adaptive lens with Fresnel lens phase profile
Yi Sun, Stephen T. Kowel, Gregory P. Nordin
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
The liquid crystal adaptive lens (LCAL) is an electro-optical device using a set of electrodes to grade the refractive index across its aperture. We report initial efforts at developing an LCAL using circular electrodes to provide a simpler architecture and faster response than previous devices based on linear electrodes. A Fresnel lens phase profile is applied to yield a lens with a useful F-number. Numerical simulation is developed to study the aberration of the LCAL and predict its performance with a circular electrode geometry. The LCAL is designed with a set of high density electrodes in the conductive ladder meshing configuration which results in a small number of externally controlled electrodes. A new feedback auto-focusing system based on LabVIEW software has been developed to optimize control output voltages using signals from a CID camera. The application of LCAL in microscope imaging systems for focus adjustment without lens motion is described. A prototype LCAL is being designed that has a 7.86 mm diameter aperture and a focal length adjustable from 0.38 m to infinity. It is fabricated on a glass substrate with two layers of transparent electrodes, insulating layers, and vias to connect the two conducting layers. The special fabrication challenges involved will be reviewed.
© (2000) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Yi Sun, Stephen T. Kowel, and Gregory P. Nordin "Circular geometry liquid crystal adaptive lens with Fresnel lens phase profile", Proc. SPIE 3955, Liquid Crystal Materials, Devices, and Flat Panel Displays, (17 March 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.379972
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CITATIONS
Cited by 4 scholarly publications and 1 patent.
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KEYWORDS
Electrodes

Liquid crystals

Imaging systems

Refractive index

Fresnel lenses

Microscopes

Objectives

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