Stretchable bioinspired compound eye structures with curved microlens arrays via a dry-phase rubbing process

Area of Science:

• Optics and Materials Science
• Bioinspired Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing stretchable optical components is crucial for advanced applications.
• Existing stretchable optics often compromise resolution or shape under strain.
• Bioinspired designs offer novel solutions for mechanical robustness in optical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel stretchable bioinspired compound (BIC) eye structure for printed optical components.
• To investigate a hierarchical structure combining a macrolens and a microlens array for strain resilience.
• To demonstrate the fabrication and performance of this stretchable optical system.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hemispherical macrolens using a dispensing method.
• Arrangement of microparticles into monolayers on the macrolens surface via dry-phase rubbing.
• Replication of the hierarchical structure in intrinsically stretchable soft materials.
• Integration of a microlens array as rigid islands on the macrolens surface.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of a stretchable BIC eye structure.
• Demonstration of a hierarchical design with a macrolens and a strain-resilient microlens array.
• Maintenance of lens shape and optical resolution despite applied mechanical strain and macrolens deformation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed stretchable BIC eye structure offers robust optical performance under mechanical strain.
• The hierarchical design, with rigid microlens islands, effectively preserves optical integrity.
• This approach enables the development of advanced, durable printed optical components for flexible electronics and wearable devices.