Graphene-Based Bioinspired Compound Eyes for Programmable Focusing and Remote Actuation

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Biomimetics

Background:

• Bioinspired compound eyes (BCEs) offer advantages like wide fields of view and vari-focal capabilities for micro-optical devices.
• Current actuation methods for BCEs are complex, hindering practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel actuation strategy for BCEs using photothermal conversion of graphene nanosheets (GNSs).
• To demonstrate the performance of GNS-based BCEs in terms of zoom, field of view, and focusing capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of BCE lenslets utilizing graphene nanosheets (GNSs) for photothermal conversion.
• Actuation of GNS-based BCEs using a near-infrared (nIR) pulsed laser to induce thermal expansion and curvature adjustment.
• Characterization of the zoom range (4-fold), field of view (FOV up to 160°), and programmable focusing capabilities.

Main Results:

• GNSs efficiently convert nIR laser energy into thermal energy, enabling lenslet curvature adjustment.
• Achieved a reversible 4-fold zoom and a wide FOV of 160° in the developed BCEs.
• Demonstrated programmable focusing by selectively targeting nIR laser illumination.

Conclusions:

• Graphene-based BCEs provide a versatile and effective solution for micro-optical devices, overcoming limitations of traditional actuation methods.
• The nIR laser actuation offers remote control and programmability for BCEs.
• These graphene-based BCEs show significant promise for applications in remote-driven microfluidic devices.