Abstract: An apparatus for controlling light transmission from an optical input to an optical output can function as a tunable iris or eclipse, or as a privacy window. The iris/eclipse can use a liquid crystal matrix with a dispersion of dichroic particles that absorb light in one orientation and transmit light in another, such that controlling the liquid crystal with an electric field allows control of the dichroic particles. Alternatively, a layer may be used with a light absorbing liquid or powder material that moves with a charged material in response to a variable electric field applied to the layer. Privacy windows use a plurality of liquid crystal microlenses that can be controlled with an electric field to allow an image of an optical input to be obtainable at an optical output when in a first state, or to render the image irretrievable when in a second state.

Abstract: A focus free camera module uses fixed lenses within a housing that are combined with an electrically controllable active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens. The fixed lenses provide a desired amount of optical power, but the manufacturing tolerances of the module are insufficient to ensure a proper focus of an image on an image sensor. The active optical element is therefore used to compensate for any variations in the optical power to achieve the desired focus. To ensure an effective compensation, the module may be constructed so that, when the variation in optical power due to manufacturing tolerances is at a maximum, the desired focus is achieved when the active optical element is at zero optical power. All other variations may then be compensated by adjusting the active optical element to increase its optical power.

Abstract: A liquid crystal optical device is provided. The optical device includes a liquid crystal cell controlling optical properties of light passing therethrough and has: a liquid crystal layer, a planar electrode located to one side of said liquid crystal layer; an electric field control structure located to the opposite side of the liquid crystal layer; and a wavefront adjustment structure configured to provide optical phase front adjustment. In some embodiments the wavefront adjustment structure is a conductive floating electrode. In other embodiments the wavefront adjustment structure is a weakly conductive structure having spatially variable sheet resistance. In other embodiments the wavefront adjustment structure a weakly conductive structure having spatially variable sheet resistance having a frequency dependent characteristic.

Abstract: A motionless adaptive focus stereoscopic scene capture apparatus employing tuneable liquid crystal lenses is provided. The apparatus includes at least two image sensors preferably fabricated as a monolithic stereo image capture component and at least two corresponding tuneable liquid crystal lenses preferably fabricated as a monolithic focus adjustment component. Using a variable focus tuneable liquid crystal lens at each aperture stop provides constant magnification focus control. Controlled spatial variance of a spatially variant electric field applied to the liquid crystal of each tuneable liquid crystal lens provides optical axis shift enabling registration between stereo images. A controller implements coupled auto-focusing methods employing multiple focus scores derived from at least two camera image sensors and providing multiple tuneable liquid crystal lens drive signals for synchronous focus acquisition of a three dimensional scene.

Abstract: A motionless adaptive focus stereoscopic scene capture apparatus employing tunable liquid crystal lenses is provided. The apparatus includes at least two image sensors preferably fabricated as a monolithic stereo image capture component and at least two corresponding tunable liquid crystal lenses preferably fabricated as a monolithic focus adjustment component. Using a variable focus tunable liquid crystal lens at each aperture stop provides constant magnification focus control. Controlled spatial variance of a spatially variant electric field applied to the liquid crystal of each tunable liquid crystal lens provides optical axis shift enabling registration between stereo images. A controller implements coupled auto-focusing methods employing multiple focus scores derived from at least two camera image sensors and providing multiple tunable liquid crystal lens drive signals for synchronous focus acquisition of a three dimensional scene.

Abstract: A wafer level camera module can be easily connected to a host device via mounting surface contacts. The module includes an electrically controllable active optical element and a flexible printed circuit that provides electrical connection between the optical element and surface conductors on a mounting surface of the module. The surface conductors can be a group of solder balls, and the module can have another group of solder balls that make connection to another electrical component of the module, such as an image sensor. All of the solder balls can be coplanar in a predetermined grid pattern, and all of the components of the device can be surrounded by a housing such that the camera module is an easily mounted ball grid array type package.

Abstract: A tunable optical imaging system uses a fixed lens and a tunable liquid crystal lens that is operated only outside of an operational range of high aberration. A voltage range applied to change the optical power of the liquid crystal lens is limited to a continuous tunable range of low aberration. The relative positioning between the lens and a corresponding photodetector, and the relative lens powers of a fixed lens and the tunable lens, may be selected to compensate for any optical power offsets resulting from the limitation of the voltage range of the tunable lens. The lens may be operated in either positive tunability or negative tunability mode.

Abstract: An electromagnetic source has an electrode structure coupled to a substrate. The electrode structure has interspaced electrodes, at least one of which is spiral-shaped. At least one electrical contact interconnects the electrodes of the electrode structure. The electrode structure is responsive to an applied electrical current to generate a spatially non-uniform magnetic field. This field can act on a LC layer such that optical properties of the layer are controllable.

Abstract: A variable optical device for controlling the propagation of light has a body of liquid crystal optical material with a center and a periphery, a heating system including an electrically controllable heat source and a thermal radiator arranged at the periphery for cooling a portion of the body of material. The heating system is operative to generate a spatially modulated temperature gradient and to provide a desired light propagation behavior.

Abstract: Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device may be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and may be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable.

Abstract: Methods are provided for wafer scale manufacturing camera modules without adjustment components to compensate for assembly errors and optical errors incurred within manufacturing tolerances. Camera modules are assembled in wafer arrays from arrays of image sensors, arrays of lens structures and arrays of optical trim elements. At least one of the arrays is a wafer. Lens structures are configured to provide less optical power than necessary to focus an image at infinity on image sensors without trim elements. A test performed during the wafer scale assembly of camera modules, after at least the sensor array and the lens structure array assembled, determines optical errors by identifying optical distortions and aberrations quantified in terms of optical power, astigmatism, coma, optical axis shift and optical axis reorientation deficiencies. Corresponding trim elements are configured to counteract distortions and aberrations prior to singulating useful camera modules from the array.

Abstract: An electrically controllable optical lens apparatus makes use of fixed lenses and an active optical element together in a lens enclosure. The enclosure may be a barrel structure that is easily mounted to a camera device having an image sensor. The active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens, receives an electrical signal from the camera device via electrical conductors integral with the lens enclosure that provide electrical pathways between the active element on the interior of the enclosure and surface contacts on the camera device. The enclosure may be a two-piece structure, and the electrical conductors may be attached to either piece of the structure. The lens enclosure may also be threaded for attachment to the camera device. The electrical conductors may also use spring loaded contact portions or molded interconnect devices.

Abstract: A tunable-focusing liquid crystal lens (TLCL) cell has a liquid crystal layer arranged within a cell gap defined between substrates, a layer of optically transparent material arranged between the first substrate and the LC layer, and a liquid crystal alignment layer arranged between the optically transparent layer and the LC layer. The alignment layer is provided on a third optically transparent substrate having a non-planar shape for giving a non-planar profile to the LC layer, which substrate is obtained from a flexible sheet initially provided with the alignment layer and then formed into the non-planar shape. The lens further has a first optically transparent electrode provided on the second substrate, a second optically transparent electrode provided on either or both of first and third substrates. The electrodes are arranged to generate an electric field acting on the LC layer to change the focal distance of the LC cell. Methods for fabricating such TLCL cell are also provided.

Abstract: A tunable liquid crystal lens device is provided that uses a number of conductive elements and external contacts all located along a common side of a device housing. The device may include planar electrodes, a patterned electrode, a heating element and a sensor, which may be in different layers of the device. The device is produced as part of an array of such devices and, in addition to the devices in the array, a plurality of electrical conductive strips are used to provide high conductivity connection to conductive layers in each of the devices, thereby allowing simultaneous testing of the devices in the array.

Abstract: A tunable liquid crystal optical device defining an optical aperture and having a layered structure. The device includes a film electrode formed on a surface of a first substrate and covered by a second substrate, and a contact structure filling a volume within the layered structure and contacting the film electrode. The contact structure is located outside of the optical aperture and provides an electrical connection surface much larger than a thickness of the film electrode, such that reliable electrical connections may be made to the electrode, particularly in the context of wafer scale manufacturing of such a device.

Abstract: A wafer level method of manufacturing a liquid crystal optical device removes the need for a rigid barrier fillet while minimizing any risk of contamination of the liquid crystal. An uncured adhesive may be deposited on a bottom substrate and partially cured to form a liquid crystal barrier. After addition of the liquid crystal and a top substrate, the adhesive is fully cured to bond the substrate layers together. An uncured adhesive may be used together with the partially cured adhesive, and may be deposited separately or filled into an extracellular matrix surrounding a plurality of liquid crystal cells. The adhesive may be cured by a variety of means, including light that may be spatially modulated. One or both of the substrates may be deformed during assembly so as to create a structure with a lensing effect on light passing through the liquid crystal region.

Abstract: A tunable optical imaging system uses a fixed lens and a tunable liquid crystal lens that is operated only outside of an operational range of high aberration. A voltage range applied to change the optical power of the liquid crystal lens is limited to a continuous tunable range of low aberration. The relative positioning between the lens and a corresponding photodetector, and the relative lens powers of a fixed lens and the tunable lens, may be selected to compensate for any optical power offsets resulting from the limitation of the voltage range of the tunable lens. The lens may be operated in either positive tunability or negative tunability mode.

Abstract: Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device may be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and may be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable.

Abstract: Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device may be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and may be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable.

Abstract: Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device may be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and may be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable.