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Ionic polymer metal composite for an optical zoom in a compact camera.
Optics Express
|June 16, 2015
Summary
Ionic polymer metal composite deformable mirrors enable compact thin cameras with optical zoom. These mirrors achieve significant optical power changes at low voltage, facilitating a 1.6x zoom ratio in a foldable optical path design.
Area of Science:
- Optics
- Materials Science
- Camera Technology
Background:
- Traditional cameras use bulky optical paths.
- Reflective optics offer path folding advantages.
- Deformable mirrors can dynamically alter optical power.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a thin camera with optical zoom using reflective optics.
- To investigate the use of ionic polymer metal composite deformable mirrors for zoom functionality.
- To achieve a compact camera module with a foldable optical path.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a reflective method for optical zoom in a thin camera.
- Employed ionic polymer metal composite deformable mirrors with a polydimethylsiloxane buffer layer.
- Fabricated a camera module with two deformable mirrors for zoom.
Main Results:
- Achieved large deformations in the mirror at low bias voltage (3 volts).
- The deformable mirror reached an optical focusing power of 73.8 m⁻¹ diopters.
- A zoom ratio of approximately 1.6× was realized in the reflective camera module.
Conclusions:
- Ionic polymer metal composite deformable mirrors are effective for optical zoom in thin cameras.
- The reflective zoom system enables a compact, foldable optical path.
- The technology shows promise for miniaturized camera applications.
