Cellulose based soft gel like actuator for reconfigurable lens array

Abstract

Reconfigurable lens is biomimetic as it mimics human eye and is a transparent actuating material that can change its curvature in the presence of external stimuli. Focus tunable, adaptive lenses provide several advantages over traditional lens assemblies in terms of compactness, cost, efficiency and flexibility. To further improve the simplicity and compact nature of adaptive lenses, we present lens system which makes use of an inline, transparent electro active polymer actuator. This paper reports the preliminary development we have achieved in reconfigurable lens systems made with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) using the principle of Kerr effect. Preparation of the hydrophobic CNC solution as well as the optical properties of the lens has been discussed. This soft gel actuator was analyzed by measuring the electric birefringence in the pulse field of constant and sinusoidal voltage based on the use of modulation of elliptic light polarization.