A simple focal-length measurement technique for adaptive microlenses using z-scan

Abstract

A simple technique for focal length measurements of adaptive micro-lenses using z-scan is reported. Focal length is one of the most important parameters of any lens. The effective focal length is measured with reference to the principal points that are not easy to find especially for micro-lenses. In addition, variable focal length microlenses pose a different challenge that makes the process of determining their exact focal length a tedious and difficult process. Classical methods such as nodal slide and magnification have been used for focal length determination. Also, advanced Interference techniques such as Talbot, Moire, Digital Speckle, Zygo and Joint Fourier Transform were used for focal length measurements. These techniques require more elaborate setups and difficult to implement, especially for microlenses. Recently a power meter was used to find the focal length of an unknown lens. Most of the techniques mentioned above proof to be not simple for microlens characterization. The z-scan technique has been implemented, for quite sometimes, to characterize the third-order effects of a nonlinear optical material. The z-scan provides information on both the sign and magnitude of the non-linear refractive index and offer advantage of simplicity. We have used a regular lens to collimate and focus light unto the lens under test. By scanning the lens under test and measuring the on-axis intensity, one can find the focal length. This is because the on-axis intensity is proportional to the phase of the lens and therefore the focal length. In the case of an adaptive lens with its focal length is a function of the applied voltage, the scanning occurs for each voltage value that will correspond to the on-axis refractive index change and therefore the far field on-axis intensity. This described technique above is easy to implement and can achieve good accuracy due to the inherent sensitivity of the z-scan.