Optical switch based on variable aperture

    Authors

    H. Ren; S. Xu;S. T. Wu

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Opt. Lett.

    Keywords

    LIQUID LENS; DIELECTROPHORESIS; MANIPULATION; ELECTRODES; DROPLET; Optics

    Abstract

    We report on a pixel whose aperture can be varied electrically. The pixel is confined by a hole-patterned polymer wall and a dielectric liquid forms a ring shape around the wall surface. Without an electric field, the pixel has the largest aperture. The applied fringing field stretches the liquid surface, leading to a decrease in the aperture size. The switchable aperture ratio of the pixel is over 80% and the response time is similar to 10 ms. Such a device is useful for an optical attenuator, a light shutter, an adaptive iris, and an information display. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America

    Journal Title

    Optics Letters

    Volume

    37

    Issue/Number

    9

    Publication Date

    1-1-2012

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1421

    Last Page

    1423

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000303662200010

    ISSN

    0146-9592

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