Design and fabrication of hexagonal electrowetting multifunctional liquid lens

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Electrowetting devices offer tunable optical properties.
• Liquid lenses provide advantages in focal length adjustment.
• Multifunctional optical components are crucial for advanced systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a hexagonal electrowetting multifunctional liquid lens (HEM-LL).
• To demonstrate the tunable lens and prism capabilities of the HEM-LL.
• To explore the potential for array assembly and diverse applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hexagonal prism shell with six controllable electrodes.
• Utilizing two immiscible liquids with similar densities within the cavity.
• Applying variable voltages (0-200V) to alter the liquid interface via electrowetting.

Main Results:

• Achieved continuous zooming from -∞ to -32.9 mm by synchronous voltage adjustment.
• Demonstrated beam steering angles between -3.66° and 3.66° in multiple directions by non-uniform voltage application.
• Confirmed long-term operational stability and hexagonal shape facilitating array assembly.

Conclusions:

• The HEM-LL successfully integrates tunable lens and prism functionalities.
• The device exhibits stable operation and versatile control over optical properties.
• Potential applications include specialized photography, dynamic metrology, and solar energy concentration.