Spatially conformable tunable filter

• US 6,753,994 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navy Secretary of The United of America Office of Naval Research
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Russell, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector, David N.
• Application Number:
  US10/267,529
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 359/254, 359/260, 359/263, 359/267, 359/578
• US Class Current: 359/254
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/055 wavelength filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/10 plasmon

Abstract

A spatially conformable tunable filter comprises a structure that includes a first flexible and optically reactive electrode; a second flexible and optically reactive electrode; a flexible electro-optic material layer affixed between the first and second electrodes and having a voltage dependent refractive index; and a voltage source connected to the first and second electrodes for establishing an electric field in the electro-optic material layer and dynamically controlling the index of refraction of the electro-optic material layer, wherein a section of said structure has an arcuate shaped neutral axis having a radius R, when said structure is flexed, where 0<R≦∞.

Claims

1. A spatially conformable tunable filter, comprising:

a structure that includes;

a first flexible and optically reactive electrode;

a second flexible and optically reactive electrode;

a flexible electro-optic material layer affixed between said first and second electrodes and having a voltage dependent refractive index; and

a voltage source connected to said first and second electrodes for establishing an electric field in said electro-optic material layer and dynamically controlling said index of refraction;

wherein a section of said structure has an arcuate shaped neutral axis having a radius R when said structure is flexed, where 0<

R≦

∞

.

2. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said electro-optic material includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

3. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said first electrode and said polymer dispersed liquid crystal form an optically reflective interface.

4. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 2 wherein said first electrode and said polymer dispersed liquid crystal form an optically transparent interface.

5. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said first electrode is a metal layer that includes silver.

6. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said first electrode includes an aluminum layer affixed to a rhodium layer.

7. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said second electrode consists essentially of a transparent oxide.

8. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 7 wherein said transparent oxide is a material selected from the group that includes tin oxide and indium tin oxide.

9. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 where in said second electrode includes an optically opaque material.

10. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 9 wherein said optically opaque material is selected from the group that includes aluminum, copper, silver, titanium and gold.

11. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 10 wherein said optically opaque material includes an electrically conductive polymer.

12. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 which further includes a semiconducting circuit that is responsive to optical energy that propagates trough said second electrode.

13. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said voltage source generates an alternating voltage.

14. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 1 wherein said voltage source generates a direct current voltage.

15. A spatially conformable tunable filter, comprising:

a structure that includes;

a first flexible electrode;

a second flexible electrode;

a flexible electro-optic material layer affixed between said first and second electrodes and having a voltage dependent refractive index;

an optically diffractive element affixed to said first flexible electrode and

a voltage source electrically coupled to said first and second electrodes for establishing a voltage field in said electro-optic material layer and controlling said index of refraction;

wherein a section of said structure has an arcuate shaped neutral axis having a radius R when said structure is flexed, where 0<

R≦

∞

.

16. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 15 wherein said optically diffractive element is a diffraction grating.

17. The spatially conformable tumble filter of claim 16 wherein said optically diffractive element is a diffractive lens.

18. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 16 wherein said electro-optic material layer includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

19. A method for filtering optical energy, comprising the steps of:

receiving a light signal at a plasmon interface between a flexible first electrode and a flexible electro-optic material;

applying a voltage potential across said first electrode and a flexible second electrode in contact with said electro-optic material; and

modulating said voltage potential to change the optical absorption characteristics of said plasmon interface, where said first and second electrodes and said electro-optic material define a structure with an arcuate sped neutral axis having a radius R when said structure is flexed, where 0<

R≦

∞

.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said electro-optic material includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

21. A spatially conformable tunable filter, comprising:

a structure that includes;

a substrate having a non-planar surface;

a first flexible and optically reactive electrode that is transparent;

a second flexible and optically reactive electrode that is transparent, and which is affixed to said non-planar surface;

a flexible electro-optic material layer affixed between said first and second electrodes and having a voltage dependent refractive index; and

a voltage source connected to said first and second electrodes for establishing an electric field in said electro-optic material layer and dynamically control said index of refraction;

wherein a section of said structure has an arcuate shaped neutral axis having a radius R when said structure is flexed, where 0<

R≦

∞

.

22. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 21 wherein said electro-optic material includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

23. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 21 wherein said substrate is transparent.

24. The spatially conformable tunable filter of claim 21 wherein said substrate is translucent.

25. A spatially conformable tunable filter, comprising:

a structure that includes;

a first flexible and optically reactive electrode;

a second flexible and optically reactive electrode;

a flexible electro-optic material layer affixed between said first and second electrodes and having a voltage dependent refractive index; and

a voltage source connected to said first and second electrodes for establishing an electric field in said electro-optic material layer and dynamically controlling said index of refraction;

wherein said structure has multiple arcuate shaped sections each having an arcuate shaped neutral axis.