CAREER: Electrowetting Microprisms - from Agile Fresnel Optics to Wide-Angle Phased Arrays

智力优势。 这个CAREER提案的目标是阵列电润湿微棱镜，并创建一种以前不存在的平面电光形式。 电润湿微棱镜电压调制盐水液体和电介质之间的接触角。 然后，这种接触角调制可以用于重新配置盐水弯月面几何形状，从而重新配置光的折射。 具体的研究目标包括：（1）硅集成和稳定长沟道器件;（2）将多个器件阵列到灵活的菲涅耳光学器件和相位连续平面光学器件中;（3）创建新颖的AC驱动方案和反馈控制以提高精度。 领先的智力问题包括：（a）通过圆柱形弯月面稳定的突破实现平面电润湿光学;（B）创建第一个电光2 p相位轮廓，而无需多电极步进索引;（c）开发先进的控制，用于精确多路复用众多电润湿设备;（d）展示用于研究微观电润湿非理想性的新光学工具。 教育目标是：（1）在四个工业研究合作伙伴之一将3个月的NSF支持的大二研究经验放大为18个月的合作研究经验;（2）通过创建一个高度可见的电润湿教育/科学资源中心来提升K学院的教育经验。 初步实验支持预测，电润湿微棱镜将提供性能飞跃液晶相控阵列的类别的转向角（10倍，30），在所有偏振的传输效率（2倍，80%），和开关速度（100倍，10 kHz）。 这些属性对于诸如用于激光雷达的波束转向的应用是高度期望的。 更广泛的影响包括电润湿微棱镜作为网络太阳能照明和敏捷内窥镜的推动者。 该项目提供的更好的理解将使PI能够将电润湿扩展到可切换光子晶体和用于芯片实验室的超精确液体采样等项目中。

Intellectual Merit. The objective of this CAREER proposal is to array electrowetting microprisms and create a form of flat electro-optics that has not existed before. Electrowetting microprisms voltage-modulate the contact angle between a saline liquid and a dielectric. This contact angle modulation can then be used to reconfigure the saline meniscus geometry and consequently the refraction of light. Specific research aims include: (1) silicon-integrate and stabilize long-channel devices; (2) array multiple devices into agile Fresnel optics and phase-continuous flat optics; (3) create novel AC drive schemes and feedback controls to increase accuracy. Leading intellectual issues include: (a) enabling flat electrowetting optics via a breakthrough in cylindrical meniscus stabilization; (b) creating the first electro-optical 2p-phase profile without need for multi-electrode step-indexing; (c) developing advanced controls for accurate multiplexing of numerous electrowetting devices; (d) demonstrating new optical tools for investigating microscopic electrowetting non-idealities.Broader Impact. The educational aims are: (1) amplify 3 months of NSF-supported sophomore research experience into 18 months of co-op research experience at one of four industrial research partners; (2) elevate the K-college educational experience by creating a highly-visible resource center for electrowetting education/science. Preliminary experiments support projections that electrowetting microprisms will provide performance leaps over liquid-crystal phased-arrays in the categories of steering angle (10X, 30), transmission efficiency at all polarizations (2X, 80%), and switching speed (100X, 10 kHz). These attributes are highly desired for applications such as beam steering for laser radar. Broader impacts include electrowetting microprisms as an enabler for networked solar-lighting and for agile endoscopy. The improved understanding provided by this project will allow the PI to expand electrowetting into projects such as switchable photonic crystals and ultra-accurate liquid sampling for lab-on-chip.