Electrically tunable gradient-index liquid crystal lenses: beyond the power law

Yi-Hsin Lin; Wei-Cheng Cheng; Viktor Y. Reshetnyak; Hao-Hsin Huang; Ting-Wei Huang; Chang-Chiang Cheng; Yung-Hsun Wu; Chiu-Lien Yang

doi:10.1117/12.3010521

13 March 2024 Electrically tunable gradient-index liquid crystal lenses: beyond the power law

Yi-Hsin Lin, Wei-Cheng Cheng, Viktor Y. Reshetnyak, Hao-Hsin Huang, Ting-Wei Huang, Chang-Chiang Cheng, Yung-Hsun Wu, Chiu-Lien Yang

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume PC12907, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies XIX; PC129070K (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3010521
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2024, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Since 1979, liquid crystal lenses have been a target of perfect parabolic lenses. However, the constraints of the so-called power law coming from the physics and chemistry of nematic LC limit the development in large-aperture GRIN LC lenses. In this study we present electrically tunable progressive lenses utilizing nematic liquid crystals (LC). The proposed LC lens is capable of dynamically adjusting its focal length, functioning as either a positive or negative lens. Our findings reveal that the spatial distribution of lens power within the progressive LC lens, ranging from +4D to -3D, far surpassing the range of -0.87D to +0.87D which one may expect within the parabolic wavefront approximation. For a lens with a 30 mm aperture a total tunable range is 7.6 D (from +5.6D to -2D) which is 4.75 times larger than the traditional parabolic prediction~1.6D (from +0.8D to -0.8D). This study not only challenges conventional limitations set by optical phase differences in gradient-index LC lenses but also paves the way for transformative advancements in optics and beyond.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Yi-Hsin Lin, Wei-Cheng Cheng, Viktor Y. Reshetnyak, Hao-Hsin Huang, Ting-Wei Huang, Chang-Chiang Cheng, Yung-Hsun Wu, and Chiu-Lien Yang "Electrically tunable gradient-index liquid crystal lenses: beyond the power law", Proc. SPIE PC12907, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies XIX, PC129070K (13 March 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3010521

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available