One-dimensional straight-stripe-electrode tunable self-focusing cylindrical liquid crystal lens to realize the achromatic function in time domain

Abstract

In view of the urgent needs of current optical system for tunable focus and achromatism, this paper presents a one-dimensional tunable cylindrical liquid crystal lens based on FPGA controlled liquid crystal cell, which can realize tunable focus and achromatic function in time domain. Based on the indium tin oxide (ITO) one-dimensional stripe electrode structure, the lens can realize the self-focusing function through controlling the order and amplitude of external voltage applying on each unit electrode stripe. Experimentally, we designed 128 stripes electrode on the liquid crystal lens within 10 mm × 10 mm. The experimental result shows that the focal length varying range is from 300 mm to infinite in 633 nm. What’s more, this liquid crystal lens has the ability to realize the transverse achromatic function to obtain the almost same focal point for both 405 nm and 633 nm incident beam by computer- electrically- controlled method within the time domain. The new type of electrically controlled element has the characteristics of high efficiency and small volume, which will hopefully play an important role in microscopic imaging and color display system in the future.