一种新型液晶透镜的光学成像特性研究

在前人的单圆孔电极液晶透镜的基础上进行了改进,使用聚酰亚胺取代玻璃作为绝缘层,得到了通光孔径为2mm、工作电压最低为1.1V_(rms)的新型液晶透镜.结合几何光学和液晶理论提出了不同于前人解释液晶透镜原理的模型,推导出该液晶透镜的焦距公式以及相位延迟公式.在1.1～20V_(rms)电压范围下测试,得到与公式计算值基本一致的该液晶透镜的焦距范围20～480mm.重点研究了该液晶透镜的调制传递函数(MTF),发现该液晶透镜的光学成像能力与控制电压成正比关系,随着电压的增大该液晶透镜的成像性能逐渐增强.     

梯形凸起电极液晶变焦透镜

液晶变焦透镜由于其结构紧凑,低功耗,性能稳定,易于制备等特点,在图像处理,光通信,机器视觉,可切换2D/3D显示等方面应用广泛,但是工作电压高阻碍了其实际应用和商业化。本文提出了一种梯形凸起电极结构的液晶变焦透镜,用TechWiz LCD 3D软件模拟了此种结构的电场和液晶分子分布,对比分析了液晶盒厚、电极高度、电极梯角和电极宽度与间隔比对液晶透镜工作电压的影响。模拟结果显示,当液晶盒厚为10μm时,液晶透镜的驱动电压可以降低到10V以内;在焦距变化范围相同的情况下,梯形凸起电极液晶透镜比传统的平面电极液晶透镜的工作电压降低了35.8%。对于梯形凸起电极结构的液晶变焦透镜,当电极高度占液晶盒厚40%,电极梯角选为60°,电极宽度与间隔比为100∶50时,其工作电压最低。     

模式液晶透镜的制备与光学成像特性研究

在原有圆孔型液晶透镜和模式液晶透镜(MLCL)理论的基础上,将MLCL的等效电路模型和液晶的连续弹性体理论相结合,提出了一种简洁的MLCL的理论仿真方法。利用已有的实验工艺制备出了通光孔径为4 mm,盒厚为50μm,方阻为2 MΩ/sq的MLCL。此透镜的成像特性和焦距都可以通过调节施加在透镜上的电压的幅值和频率来调控。搭建实验平台,来实际测量、观测不同电压值和频率下透镜的焦距和成像效果,并对之进行详细的分析。     

使用梯度折射率液晶微透镜阵列的光场成像

光场成像可以获取场景的三维信息。通过在主透镜和图像传感器之间插入一个微透镜阵列,不仅可以记录光线的辐射度,还记录了光线入射的方向。提出了使用梯度折射率液晶微透镜阵列进行光场成像的方法。该阵列基于向列相液晶材料,利用其各向异性和双折射的特点,通过紫外光刻技术和湿法刻蚀技术制作,具有圆孔阵列图案。在该阵列的上下电极之间加载一个交流电压信号后,每个微透镜可以有效会聚入射光,搭建了测试系统来测试该阵列的聚焦特性和焦距。将该阵列与一个主透镜和一片图像传感器耦合得到一个光场成像相机,并使用该相机采集了图像。     

基于聚合物突起的液晶透镜阵列

提出了一种基于聚合物突起液晶透镜阵列。该液晶透镜阵列的周期性聚合物突起上镀有氧化铟锡透明电极，利用介电层抹平相剖面，通电状态下在液晶层内部产生沿透镜孔径呈线性变化的垂直电场，在液晶层内形成了呈中心对称的梯度折射率分布，从而使液晶层对入射光线有聚焦作用。优化后的液晶透镜阵列采用较薄的液晶层，大幅缩短了液晶透镜阵列的响应时间。所提液晶透镜阵列具有工作电压较低、电极简单、基板内部侧平面化和液晶层厚度均匀等优点。仿真结果表明，通过改变驱动电压，该液晶透镜阵列的焦距可以从无穷大连续调节到1.28 mm。     

基于大Δn液晶材料的短焦距透镜阵列

为了在不改变液晶透镜孔径的基础上减小其焦距,本文提出了一种基于大Δn液晶材料的短焦距透镜阵列。该透镜阵列采用大Δn液晶材料,使其在低驱动电压下便可以积累较大的光程差。下基板采用ITO驱动电极与ITO接地电极交替排列的结构,且ITO驱动电极位于介电层上方。ITO接地电极使其边缘区域内存在弱电场,介电层平滑了液晶层内的电场。该设计不仅在大孔径范围内实现抛物线形的相位分布,且减小了驱动电压。仿真结果表明,当驱动电压为6V时,该液晶透镜阵列的相位分布曲线与理想抛物线匹配较好。单个液晶透镜中心与边缘的相位差为42.17π左右,使其达到最小焦距约1.72mm。当驱动电压从0V增加到6V时,液晶透镜阵列的焦距从∞减小到1.72mm左右。因此,该液晶透镜阵列可以应用于2D/3D可切换显示、AR显示等领域。     

蓝相液晶及其在微透镜器件中的应用

聚合物稳定蓝相液晶(PSBPLC)具有响应速度达到亚毫秒量级,偏振光独立及工艺无需取向工艺等特点,在显示技术及光电子器件领域有潜在的巨大应用空间。文章论述了PSBPLC微观相变模型、宏观克尔效应等特性。在此基础上,论述了蓝相液晶微透镜技术的发展。介绍了PSBPLC实现微透镜阵列的主要结构,包括圆孔电极的蓝相液晶透镜;曲面电极的蓝相液晶透镜;多电极蓝相液晶GRIN透镜;模式控制的蓝相液晶透镜,以及采用ZnO纳米棒为电极实现蓝相液晶透镜,对比了上述几种透镜的结构和特点。     

液晶微透镜阵列直接成像

针对传统显微镜结构复杂且视场角小等问题，提出一种两路低电压驱动的液晶微透镜阵列结构，透镜的焦距由3个电极控制，中间电极为圆孔阵列图案电极，作为孔径光阑以阻止微透镜外的杂散光。对该阵列的波前和光焦度进行了测试，搭建了一套简易液晶微透镜阵列直接成像系统，每个微透镜都对待观察物体的不同区域成像，通过近平行光照明减小相邻微透镜间的串扰，拼接所有单元图像得到完整图像。该系统无需额外的光学器件，结构简单紧凑。液晶微透镜阵列具有大视场，成像区域具备可扩展性，为实现大视场下的简易显微成像提供了新思路。     

方块电阻阶梯分布的模式控制液晶透镜的仿真

为了解决传统模式控制型液晶透镜折射率分布偏离理想抛物面的问题,提出了高阻层的方块电阻阶梯分布的模式控制液晶透镜的设计方案。采用模式控制型液晶透镜的电阻-电容等效电路模型,对该设计方案的液晶透镜折射率分布进行仿真研究。将方块电阻等距分为不同阶梯数量,计算了液晶透镜折射率分布与理想折射率分布的偏差,得到不同焦距情况下的最小分段数量。研究了方块电阻阶梯分布固定条件下,改变驱动电压和频率调节液晶透镜焦距时,液晶透镜折射率分布与理想分布的偏差,得到了液晶透镜焦距在280mm至无穷远范围变化的方块电阻分布方式。     

液晶微透镜阵列在波前传感领域的应用概述

液晶微透镜阵列是利用液晶的电控双折射特性和微电子工艺制作的微光学元件,具有焦距可调、工作电压低甚至阵列数目、透镜孔径以及形状可调的优点,应用于哈特曼波前探测技术时可以有效提升哈特曼波前传感的动态探测能力,显示出良好的竞争力。简要概述了哈特曼波前传感技术和液晶微透镜阵列制作技术的发展、现状,对不同类型的液晶微透镜阵列制作技术的优缺点进行了分析,并着重介绍了基于液晶空间光调制器的微透镜阵列在波前探测领域的应用。     

用于自适应红外焦平面探测器的液晶微透镜阵列

主要讨论了面阵电控液晶微透镜在设计、制作和测试等方面的若干关键性问题,主要包括:(一)进行了液晶结构电极间的电场分布仿真;(二)通过标准微电子工艺制作了原理性器件;(三)采用高斯激光束照射液晶结构,在改变驱动电压的情形下获得了所需要的电控光学干涉性能.所制作的阵列液晶微透镜具有制作工艺简单、器件紧凑、灵巧、功耗低、操作方便、易于匹配耦合与集成等特点.分析了将所发展的液晶微透镜技术用于改善和增强红外焦平面探测结构的光电性能等方面的问题.     

微小光学与异形孔径微透镜阵列研究

讨论了微小光学的发展和异形孔径(正方形和六角形)微透镜阵列的制作。自聚焦透镜的制作加速了微小光学的产生,微透镜阵列器件的应用,促使微小光学迅猛发展,异形孔径微透镜阵列的研制,开创了微小光学新的研究领域。重点对异形自聚焦透镜和异形孔径微透镜阵列的理论和实验研究工作进行讨论,给出了有益的结果。     

大口径硅基空间红外透镜的高精度加工与检测（特邀）

随着红外技术的不断发展,空间大口径红外光学元件的需求日益增长,其各项制造指标也逐渐接近可见光级光学元件的制造要求,由此对新型空间红外光学元件的加工和检测技术均提出了更高的挑战。针对大口径的高陡度超薄硅基红外透镜,提出了以超声铣磨-机器人研抛-离子束精抛为工艺链路的加工方案,改善了传统红外工艺路线存在的低效率、表面高频误差等问题。针对凸非球面轮廓检测中支撑引起的测试误差,在粗抛和精抛阶段分别采用了柔性缓冲支撑与三点强迫位移支撑方法,有效解决了大口径高陡度超薄透镜测试中的支撑变形问题。经过理论仿真与实验验证,证明该测试方法具有较好的一致性。通过改进的轮廓检测方法,实现了轮廓测试中支撑误差的准确分离,有效提升了加工的极限精度。最终大口径红外透镜凸非球面加工精度达RMS λ/50 （λ=632.8 nm）,满足设计指标要求。     

极坐标激光直写技术制作微结构

简述了极坐标激光直写技术原理,并利用该技术研究了在铬板、光刻胶版表面制作微 结构的工艺,制作了光栅、非涅耳透镜、曲面衍射透镜、平面连续微结构衍射透镜掩模以及基于MEMS技术的微型太阳敏感器光学掩模。     

A comparison among 1-, 3-, and 7-horn feeds for a 37-beam MBA

A very common multiple beam antenna (MBA) configuration consists of a collimating device illuminated by an array of feeds. The collimating device is usually a reflector or a lens. The feeds are usually horn antennas with a circular aperture. The reflector is usually offset-fed to eliminate aperture blockage; the lens is center fed. The antenna's feeds are excited to produce a finite number of beams, so as to provide contiguous coverage of the field of view. The designer is forced to minimize the angular spacing between adjacent beams in order to maximize the minimum gain over the antenna's field of view. On the other hand, the feed horn's aperture gain is maximized when the feed horn spacing and its aperture diameter are equal. This results in antenna efficiency of the order of 30% when a single feed horn is excited to produce a beam. When a cluster of 3 or 7 adjacent feed horns are excited to produce a single beam, antenna efficiency can be increased to 50%. When it is tolerable, several identical antenna apertures can be used to replace a single aperture configuration. In this case, each of M apertures produces approximately N/M beams of an MBA that produces N beams. Horns producing adjacent beams do not illuminate the same aperture. This permits the use of a much larger horn aperture for a given beam spacing. This results in reduced spillover, higher gain of each beam, and increased antenna efficiency of each aperture. This paper investigates the maximization of gain for several lens antennas. It shows that antenna gain is increased as its focal length is decreased. That is, a focal length-to-diameter ratio (F/D) less than 1 is preferred     

Fabrication of Copper Window Electrodes with ≈108 Apertures cm−2 for Organic Photovoltaics

A powerful approach to increasing the far‐field transparency of copper film window electrodes which simultaneously reduces intraband absorption losses for wavelengths <550 nm and suppresses reflective losses for wavelengths >550 nm is reported. The approach is based on incorporation of a random array of ≈100 million circular apertures per cm² into an optically thin copper film, with a mean aperture diameter of ≈500 nm. A method for the fabrication of these electrodes is described that exploits a binary polymer blend mask that self‐organizes at room temperature from a single solution, and so is simple to implement. Additionally all of the materials used in electrode fabrication are low cost, low toxicity, and widely available. It is shown that these nanostructured copper electrodes offer an average far‐field transparency of ≥80% and sheet resistance of ≤10 Ω sq⁻¹ when used in conjunction with a conventional solution processed ZnO electron transport layer and their utility in inverted organic photovoltaic devices is demonstrated.     

An improved solution for integrated array optics in quasi-opticalmm and submm receivers: the hybrid antenna

A dielectric lens antenna that is a special case of an extended hemispherical dielectric lens and is operated in the diffraction-limited regime is considered. The dielectric lens antenna is fed by a planar antenna that is mounted on the flat side of the dielectric lens antenna, using it as a substrate, and the combination is termed a hybrid antenna. Beam pattern and aperture efficiency measurements were made at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths as a function of the extension of the hemispherical lens and of lens size. An optimum extension distance for which excellent beam patterns and simultaneously high aperture efficiencies can be achieved is found experimentally and numerically. At 115 GHz the aperture efficiency was measured to be (76±6)% for a diffraction-limited beam with sidelobes below -17 dB. Results for a single hybrid antenna with an integrated superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) detector and a broadband matching structure at submillimeter wavelengths are presented. The hybrid antenna is space efficient in an array due to its high aperture efficiency, and is easily mass produced, thus being well suited for focal plane heterodyne receiver arrays     

Use of microwave lenses in phase retrieval microwave holography of reflector antennas

The Misell (1973) phase retrieval algorithm for microwave holography requires the capability to axially move an antenna's subreflector or feed to obtain a defocused far-field magnitude pattern. A microwave lens may be used as an alternative method of defocusing an antenna. A metal plate lens has been designed and constructed for use in phase retrieval holography at the Georgia Tech Woodbury Research Facility. Its phase variation across the aperture was chosen to have a parabolic profile in order to imitate the effect of subreflector or feed translation. A two-dimensional (2-D) finite-difference time-domain simulation has been performed to characterize the lens. Measurements, using the measured aperture phase of the lens transfer function as a phase correction term in the Misell algorithm, show the results to be comparable with that of phase coherent holography. Other types of microwave lenses such as a Fresnel zone plate, a bed of circular waveguides, and a standard dielectric lens are also being studied.     

Design and numerical simulation of coaxial beam-rotating antennalens

A simple lens concept that transforms the aperture field of a conical horn antenna driven by an azimuthally symmetric mode is presented. It is shown that with the appropriate lens geometry the radiated field of the conical horn will exhibit a boresight null (no lens), a boresight peak with linear polarisation, or a boresight peak with circular polarisation