Abstract

A polymer that has been used for the development of optical components and has had a significant impact is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) due to its remarkable mechanical and optical properties and easy handling. We present a practical and straightforward technique for designing and manufacturing a tunable graded index, graphical input (GRIN)-type lenses, and tunable lenses with a homogeneous refractive index made of PDMS. Implementing a biconical surface profile in a tunable plane-convex lens is proposed for elaborating both a homogeneous refractive index lens and a multilayered GRIN-type lens with a constant increased variation of 0.014 on its refractive index. Likewise, we introduce a mechanical mounting system that aims to modify their curvatures and therefore their focal lengths through mechanical stimuli applied on the lenses. Simulations of the optomechanical behavior and optical characterization of the lenses are also presented.

© 2022 Optica Publishing Group

Achromatic GRIN singlet lens design

Richard A. Flynn, E. F. Fleet, Guy Beadie, and James S. Shirk
Opt. Express 21(4) 4970-4978 (2013)

Analytical ray transfer matrix for the crystalline lens

Rafael Navarro, Veronica Lockett-Ruiz, and José L. López
Biomed. Opt. Express 13(11) 5836-5848 (2022)

Design of a confocal dispersion objective lens based on the GRIN lens

Chunyan Li, Ke Li, Jihong Liu, Zheng Lv, Gengpeng Li, and Danlin Li
Opt. Express 30(24) 44290-44299 (2022)

Simulation, fabrication, and characterization of a tunable electrowetting-based lens with a wedge-shaped PDMS dielectric layer

Mohammadreza Salehi Moghaddam, H. Latifi, Hamidreza Shahraki, and Mohammad Sadegh Cheri
Appl. Opt. 54(10) 3010-3017 (2015)

Current status of aplanatic gradient-index lens systems

Ichiro Kitano
Appl. Opt. 29(28) 3992-3997 (1990)