Abstract: Control systems for liquid lenses can use feedback control using one or more measured parameters indicative of a position of the fluid interface in the liquid lens. Capacitance between a fluid and an electrode in the liquid lens can vary depending on the position of the fluid interface. Current mirrors can be used for making measurements indicative of the capacitance and/or the fluid interface position. The liquid lens can be calibrated using the measurements indicative of capacitance and/or fluid interface position as the voltage is driven across an operational range. A control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving a liquid lens, and a carrier frequency for the PWM signals can be varied to control power consumption in the liquid lens. The slew rate can be adjustable to control power consumption in the liquid lens.

Abstract: A liquid lens can tilt a fluid interface, such as for optical image stabilization or off-axis focus. Tilting the interface can cause coma aberration or other dynamic wavefront error. The liquid lens can be driven to reduce the coma aberration or other dynamic wavefront error. For example, input shaped signals can be used. In some cases, the signals can be overdriven and/or underdriven, which can increase response time, and/or encourage settling of the interface.

Abstract: A liquid lens system can include a liquid lens and a controller. The liquid lens can include a chamber, first and second fluids contained in the chamber and substantially immiscible to form a fluid interface therebetween, a plurality of insulated electrodes that are insulated from the first and second fluids, and one or more electrodes in electrical communication with the first fluid. A position of the fluid interface can be based at least in part on voltages applied between the plurality of insulated electrodes and the one or more electrodes in electrical communication with the first fluid. The controller can provide voltages to the plurality of insulated electrodes to tilt the fluid interface along a tilt direction, wherein a second average radius of curvature along a direction orthogonal to the tilt direction differs from a first average radius of curvature along the tilt direction by no more than about 20%.

Abstract: A liquid lens includes an orientation sensor such as a gyroscope to compensate for the effects of motion. A raw gyroscope signal, including noise components, can be provided to the controller without processing by phase-shifting filters. One or more filters can be applied to the raw gyroscope signal to allow a band of frequencies to pass without introducing phase delay. The controller can use a feed forward system to generate control output signals based at least in part on the raw gyroscope signal, including noise components. The control output signals can be used to drive voltage signals to electrodes to compensate for motion.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a testing assembly for conducting reliability tests on liquid lenses includes a liquid lens, and a test frame arranged to receive the liquid lens. The liquid lens includes a lens body defining a cavity, a first liquid disposed within the cavity, and a second liquid disposed within the cavity that is substantially immiscible with the first liquid such that an interface between the first liquid and the second liquid forms a lens. The test frame includes a front wall, and a back wall oriented substantially parallel to the front wall. The liquid lens mounts to at least one of the front wall or the back wall and the test frame simulates a smart device incorporating a liquid lens.

Abstract: Control systems for liquid lenses can use feedback control using one or more measured parameters indicative of a position of the fluid interface in the liquid lens. Capacitance between a fluid and an electrode in the liquid lens can vary depending on the position of the fluid interface. Current mirrors can be used for making measurements indicative of the capacitance and/or the fluid interface position. The liquid lens can be calibrated using the measurements indicative of capacitance and/or fluid interface position as the voltage is driven across an operational range. A control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving a liquid lens, and a carrier frequency for the PWM signals can be varied to control power consumption in the liquid lens. The slew rate can be adjustable to control power consumption in the liquid lens.

Abstract: A system includes a stage, a detector and a measuring device. The stage is configured to hold a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of tapered structures, and each of the plurality of tapered structures includes a tapered wall between first and second openings at opposite ends of the plurality of tapered structures. The detector is tilted at a first angle and configured to measure light reflected from the tapered wall at about 90 degrees to the tapered wall. The first angle depends at least in part a second angle between the tapered wall and a longitudinal axis running through the tapered structure. The measuring device is configured to determine a characteristic of the tapered wall and whether the characteristic of the tapered wall is above or below a threshold.

Abstract: A liquid lens can have a chamber configured to improve the performance of the liquid lens, such as by improving the tilt response time and/or by reducing optical aberrations. The chamber can have sidewalls that conform to a shape of a truncated cone. The cone angle, and wide end diameter, and narrow end diameter can be selected by balancing competing factors. The liquid lens can include two fluids, and the fluid fill ratio can be selected to improve the performance of the liquid lens. In some embodiments, the sidewalls can conform to a portion of a sphere.

Abstract: A system includes a stage, a detector and a measuring device. The stage is configured to hold a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of tapered structures, and each of the plurality of tapered structures includes a tapered wall between first and second openings at opposite ends of the plurality of tapered structures. The detector is tilted at a first angle and configured to measure light reflected from the tapered wall at about 90 degrees to the tapered wall. The first angle depends at least in part a second angle between the tapered wall and a longitudinal axis running through the tapered structure. The measuring device is configured to determine a characteristic of the tapered wall and whether the characteristic of the tapered wall is above or below a threshold.

Abstract: A liquid lens system includes first and second liquids disposed within a cavity. An interface between the first and second liquids defines a variable lens. A common electrode is in electrical communication with the first liquid. A driving electrode is disposed on a sidewall of the cavity and insulated from the first and second liquids. A controller supplies a common voltage to the common electrode and a driving voltage to the driving electrode. A voltage differential between the common voltage and the driving voltage is based at least in part on at least one of: (a) a first reference capacitance of a first reference electrode pair disposed within the first portion of the cavity and insulated from the first liquid or (b) a second reference capacitance of a second reference electrode pair disposed within the second portion of the cavity and insulated from the first liquid and the second liquid.

Abstract: A process for room temperature substrate bonding employs a first substrate substantially transparent to a laser wavelength is selected. A second substrate for mating at an interface with the first substrate is then selected. A transmissivity change at the interface is created and the first and second substrates are mated at the interface. The first substrate is then irradiated with a laser of the transparency wavelength substantially focused at the interface and a localized high temperature at the interface from energy supplied by the laser is created. The first and second substrates immediately adjacent the interface are softened with diffusion across the interface to fuse the substrates.

Abstract: A liquid lens can include a cavity between first and second windows, first and second liquids in the cavity, and a variable interface between the liquids, thereby forming a variable lens. The liquid lens can be operable to adjust a shape of the variable interface at an operating temperature less than a melting point of the first liquid. A liquid composition of the first liquid can include at least 65 wt. % water, at most 31 wt. % of a freezing point reducing agent, at most 20 wt. % of an alkali metal salt, a melting point of greater than or equal to ?10° C., a viscosity of at most 1.3 cSt, measured at a temperature of 20° C., a refractive index, measured at a wavelength of 589.3 nm, of at most 1.4, and/or an Abbe number of at least 45. A volume of the cavity can be at most 10 ?L.

Abstract: A process for room temperature substrate bonding employs a first substrate substantially transparent to a laser wavelength is selected. A second substrate for mating at an interface with the first substrate is then selected. A transmissivity change at the interface is created and the first and second substrates are mated at the interface. The first substrate is then irradiated with a laser of the transparency wavelength substantially focused at the interface and a localized high temperature at the interface from energy supplied by the laser is created. The first and second substrates immediately adjacent the interface are softened with diffusion across the interface to fuse the substrates.

Abstract: A liquid lens can be coupled to ground, such as to impede charge from building up in the liquid lens during operation thereof. For example, an electrode that is in electrical communication with a conductive fluid of the liquid lens can be coupled to ground. A switch can be used to selectively couple the liquid lens to ground, such as for discharging the liquid lens. An electrode can be selectively coupled to ground and to driving signals using a switch. In some cases, drive signals can be provided to electrodes other than the grounded electrode for driving the liquid lens. In some cases, the liquid lens can be driven using feedback control based on one or more measured parameters indicative capacitance between a fluid and one or more electrodes in the liquid lens.

Abstract: Control systems for liquid lenses can use feedback control using one or more measured parameters indicative of a position of the fluid interface in the liquid lens. Capacitance between a fluid and an electrode in the liquid lens can vary depending on the position of the fluid interface. Current mirrors can be used for making measurements indicative of the capacitance and/or the fluid interface position. The liquid lens can be calibrated using the measurements indicative of capacitance and/or fluid interface position as the voltage is driven across an operational range. A control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving a liquid lens, and a carrier frequency for the PWM signals can be varied to control power consumption in the liquid lens. The slew rate can be adjustable to control power consumption in the liquid lens.

Abstract: A variable focus lens system can include a variable focus lens, one or more electrodes, a signal generator configured to supply voltage to the one or more electrodes to vary the focal length of the variable focus lens, and a controller configured to apply a voltage to the one or more electrodes and receive information indicative of a capacitance that results from the applied voltage. The controller can be configured to determine a temperature of the variable focus lens based at least in part on the capacitance or applied voltage. The variable focus lens system can include a temperature sensor, and the controller can be configured to receive temperature information from the temperature sensor and calibrate the temperature sensor based at least in part on the received temperature information, the applied voltage, and the received capacitance information.

Abstract: A liquid lens article that includes: a first substrate; and an electrode disposed on a primary surface of the first substrate. The electrode comprises an electrically conductive structure disposed on the primary surface of the first substrate and an optical absorber structure disposed on the electrically conductive structure. The electrode comprises a reflectivity minimum of about 3% or less at a visible wavelength within a range of 390 mm to 700 nm, and a reflectivity of about 25% or less at an ultraviolet wavelength within a range of 100 nm to 400 nm. Further, the absorber structure comprises an absorber layer comprising a metal oxynitride and the electrically conductive structure comprises a metal layer comprising a metal that differs from the metal of the absorber layer of the absorber structure. In addition, the electrode can comprise a sheet resistance from about 5 ?/sq to about 0.5 ?/sq.

Abstract: A liquid lens can include a cavity, a first liquid disposed within the cavity, and a second liquid disposed within the cavity. A focus of the liquid lens can be adjustable by adjusting a shape of a variable interface defined by the first liquid and the second liquid. Upon adjusting the focus of the liquid lens in a periodic oscillation with a peak-to-valley amplitude of 20 diopter and a frequency of 2 Hz, a root mean square (RMS) wavefront error (WFE) of the liquid lens measured at 1 ms intervals can remain at 100 nm or less throughout one complete cycle of the periodic oscillation.

Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to systems and methods for separating an emulsion in a cavity of a device such as a liquid lens device. In one embodiment, the method comprises at least one of: applying a bias voltage to electrodes in the device, causing at least one of droplet migration, flattening of large droplets, and reduced droplet surface tension; applying an oscillating actuation voltage waveform comprising an actuation frequency to the electrodes, such that fluid pumping and turbulence is created within the device cavity; and applying an oscillating excitation voltage waveform comprising an excitation frequency to the electrodes, such that the varying electric field created by the oscillating voltage causes small droplets of the first liquid to coalesce.

Abstract: A liquid lens can include a chamber and a first fluid and a second fluid contained in the chamber. The first fluid and the second fluid may be immiscible, forming a fluid interface between the two fluids. The liquid lens may also include a first electrode insulated from the two fluids. The liquid lens may include a second electrode in electrical communication with the first fluid. The liquid lens may be configured such that a position of the fluid interface is based at least in part on voltages applied to the electrodes. The lens may further include a window configured to transmit light therethrough along an optical axis. Further, a flexible member may be configured to cause the window to displace axially along the optical axis to change the volume of the chamber.