Tunable micro-lens arrays

• US 7,106,519 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Megens, Mischa, Aizenberg, Joanna, Yang, Shu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, JOSEPH P
• Application Number:
  US10/631,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 359/620, 359/626, 359/665, 359/666
• US Class Current: 359/620
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/041 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0025 Machining, e.g. grinding, polishing, diamond turning, manufacturing of mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length

Abstract

An apparatus includes a planar substrate and an array of substantially transparent spherical micro-lenses forming a pattern. The pattern has an internal two-dimensional lattice symmetry on the planar substrate. Each micro-lens includes a convex bulge or a concave depression in a surface of the planar substrate. The micro-lenses and substrate include hydrogel that swells and contracts in a manner that is responsive to an environmental condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a planar substrate; and

an array of substantially transparent spherical micro-lenses on the substrate, the micro-lenses forming a pattern, the pattern having an internal two-dimensional lattice symmetry on the planar substrate; and

wherein each micro-lens comprises one of a convex bulge in a surface of the planar substrate and concave depression in a surface of the planar substrate; and

wherein the micro-lenses and substrate comprise hydrogel that significantly swells and contracts in a manner responsive to an environmental condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each micro-lens has one spherical surface and one flat surface, the flat surface being on an opposite side of the substrate as the spherical surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second planar substrate that is substantially transparent; and

wherein the array is constrained to rest on the second substrate in a manner than enables the array to swell and contract.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a center-to-center spacing between the micro-lenses of the array is less than about 500 microns.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a spatially segmented light intensity detector positioned to intercept light spots produced by the micro-lenses; and

a data processor configured to receive intensity and position data from the light intensity detector.