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

知识价值。CAREER计划的目标是排列电润湿微棱镜，并创造一种以前不存在的平面电光学形式。电润湿微棱镜电压调制盐水和电介质之间的接触角。这种接触角调制可以用来重新配置盐水半月板几何形状，因此光的折射。具体研究目标包括：(1)硅集成稳定长通道器件；(2)将多个器件阵列为灵敏菲涅耳光学器件和相位连续平面光学器件；(3)创造新颖的交流驱动方案和反馈控制，以提高精度。主要的知识问题包括：(a)通过突破圆柱形半月板稳定实现平面电润湿光学；(b)创建第一个无需多电极步进分度的光电2p相轮廓；(c)为众多电润湿装置的精确多路复用开发先进的控制；(d)展示用于研究微观电润湿非理想性的新光学工具。更广泛的影响。教育目标是：(1)将3个月的nsf支持的大二学生研究经验扩大到18个月的合作研究经验，在四个工业研究合作伙伴之一；(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-college的教育体验。初步实验支持电润湿微棱镜在转向角度（10X, 30）、所有偏振下的传输效率（2X, 80%）和切换速度（100X, 10 kHz）等方面的性能超越液晶相控阵的预测。这些属性对于激光雷达的光束转向等应用是非常需要的。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。该项目提供的改进理解将使PI将电润湿扩展到可切换光子晶体和芯片实验室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.