A variable-focus liquid lens using a transparent flat cell is demonstrated. The top substrate has an aperture which is sealed with a thin elastic membrane on the outer surface and the bottom aperture is sealed on the inner surface of the bottom substrate. By applying a pressure to the outer membrane inward causes the liquid to redistribute and swell the inner membrane outward which, in turn, forms a plano-convex lens. To prove principles, a water lens with 5 mm aperture was fabricated. The resolution is better than 25 lp/mm and the response time is ∼40 ms. Potential applications of such a lens for real-time active imaging are emphasized.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

1. M. Vallet, B. Berge, and L. Vovelle, "Electrowetting of water and aqueous solutions on poly (ethylene terephthalate) insulating films," Polymer 37, 2465 -2470 (1996). [CrossRef]
2. T. Krupenkin, S. Yang, and P. Mach, "Tubable liquid microlens," Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 316-318 (2003). [CrossRef]
3. S. Kuiper and B. H. W. Hendriks, "Variable-focus liquid lens for miniature cameras," Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 1128-1130 (2004). [CrossRef]
4. G. C. Knollman, J. L. Bellin, and J. L. Weaver, "Variable-focus liquid-filled hydroacoustic lens," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 49, 253-261 (1971). [CrossRef]
5. N. Sugiura and S. Morita, "Variable-focus liquid-filled optics lens," Appl. Opt. 32, 4181-4186 (1993). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. D. Y. Zhang, V. Lien, Y. Berdichevsky, J. Choi, and Y. H. Lo, "Fluidic adaptive lens with high focal length tenability," Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 3171-3172 (2003). [CrossRef]
7. K. H. Jeong, G. L. Liu, N. Chronis, and L. P. Lee, "Tunable microdoublet lens array," Opt. Express 12, 2494-2500 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. J. Chen, W. Wang, J. Fang, and K. Varahramyan, "Variable-focusing microlens with microfluidic chip," J. Micromech. Microeng. 14, 675-680 (2004). [CrossRef]
9. N. Chronis, G. L. Liu, K. H. Jeong, and L. P. Lee, "Tunable liquid-filled microlens array integrated with microfluidic network," Opt. Express 11, 2370-2378 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. P. M. Moran, S. Dharmatilleke, A. H. Khaw, and K. W. Tan, "Fluid lenses with variable focal length," Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 041120 (2006). [CrossRef]
11. K. S. Hong, J. Wang, A. Sharonov, D. Chandra, J. Aizenberg, and S. Yang, "Tunable microfluidic optical devices with an integrated microlens array," J. Micromech. Microeng. 16, 1660-1666 (2006). [CrossRef]
12. H. Ren, D. Fox, P. Anderson, B. Wu, and S. T. Wu, "Tunable-focus liquid lens controlled using a servo motor," Opt. Express 14, 8031-8036 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. M. Ye and S. Sato, "Optical properties of liquid crystal lens of any size," Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 41, L571-L573 (2002). [CrossRef]
14. H. Ren, Y. H. Fan, S. Gauza, and S. T. Wu, "Tunable flat liquid crystal spherical lens," Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 4789-4791 (2004). [CrossRef]
15. E. Hecht, Optics, 4th edition (Addison Wesley, New York, 2002).

Appl. Opt.

• N. Sugiura and S. Morita, "Variable-focus liquid-filled optics lens," Appl. Opt. 32, 4181-4186 (1993). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• D. Y. Zhang, V. Lien, Y. Berdichevsky, J. Choi, and Y. H. Lo, "Fluidic adaptive lens with high focal length tenability," Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 3171-3172 (2003). [CrossRef]
• T. Krupenkin, S. Yang, and P. Mach, "Tubable liquid microlens," Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 316-318 (2003). [CrossRef]
• S. Kuiper and B. H. W. Hendriks, "Variable-focus liquid lens for miniature cameras," Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 1128-1130 (2004). [CrossRef]
• P. M. Moran, S. Dharmatilleke, A. H. Khaw, and K. W. Tan, "Fluid lenses with variable focal length," Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 041120 (2006). [CrossRef]
• H. Ren, Y. H. Fan, S. Gauza, and S. T. Wu, "Tunable flat liquid crystal spherical lens," Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 4789-4791 (2004). [CrossRef]

J. Acoust. Soc. Am.

• G. C. Knollman, J. L. Bellin, and J. L. Weaver, "Variable-focus liquid-filled hydroacoustic lens," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 49, 253-261 (1971). [CrossRef]

J. Micromech. Microeng.

• K. S. Hong, J. Wang, A. Sharonov, D. Chandra, J. Aizenberg, and S. Yang, "Tunable microfluidic optical devices with an integrated microlens array," J. Micromech. Microeng. 16, 1660-1666 (2006). [CrossRef]
• J. Chen, W. Wang, J. Fang, and K. Varahramyan, "Variable-focusing microlens with microfluidic chip," J. Micromech. Microeng. 14, 675-680 (2004). [CrossRef]

Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.

• M. Ye and S. Sato, "Optical properties of liquid crystal lens of any size," Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 41, L571-L573 (2002). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• N. Chronis, G. L. Liu, K. H. Jeong, and L. P. Lee, "Tunable liquid-filled microlens array integrated with microfluidic network," Opt. Express 11, 2370-2378 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. Ren, D. Fox, P. Anderson, B. Wu, and S. T. Wu, "Tunable-focus liquid lens controlled using a servo motor," Opt. Express 14, 8031-8036 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• K. H. Jeong, G. L. Liu, N. Chronis, and L. P. Lee, "Tunable microdoublet lens array," Opt. Express 12, 2494-2500 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Polymer

• M. Vallet, B. Berge, and L. Vovelle, "Electrowetting of water and aqueous solutions on poly (ethylene terephthalate) insulating films," Polymer 37, 2465 -2470 (1996). [CrossRef]

Other

• E. Hecht, Optics, 4th edition (Addison Wesley, New York, 2002).

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