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 nm 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 at least two metal oxide layers and at least one metal layer, each metal layer between two of the metal oxide layers. 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 first substrate with an interior recess. A second substrate with a bore can be bonded to the first substrate, whereby the interior recess of the first substrate and the bore of the second substrate cooperatively define at least a portion of a cavity of the liquid lens. A first liquid and a second liquid can be disposed in the cavity. A variable interface can be disposed between the first liquid and the second liquid, thereby forming a variable lens. The interior recess of the first substrate can be positioned outside of a sidewall projection of a sidewall surface of the cavity through the first substrate.

Abstract: A liquid lens can include a chamber with first and second fluids and an interface between the fluids. A first electrode can be insulated from the fluids, and a second electrode can be in electrical communication with the first fluid. A position of the interface can be based at least in part on a voltage applied between the first and second electrodes. A flexure can be configured to cause a window to displace axially along an optical axis to change a volume of the chamber. The flexure can extend laterally outward from the window substantially linearly, and can be formed between a first recess on an outer side of the liquid lens and a second recess on an inner side of the liquid lens. The second recess can extend laterally outward farther than the first recess such that the first recess and the second recess are offset from each other.

Abstract: A liquid lens system includes a liquid lens and a heating device disposed in, on, or near the liquid lens. The liquid lens system can include a temperature sensor. The heating device can be responsive to a temperature signal generated by the temperature sensor. A camera module can include the liquid lens system. A method of operating a liquid lens includes detecting a temperature of the liquid lens and heating the liquid lens in response to the detected temperature. Various embodiments disclosed herein can reduce, impede, or prevent crosstalk between components of the liquid lens, or the effects thereof.

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: A liquid lens can include two or more liquids enclosed in a chamber. The liquid lens can be configured to reduce the chromatic aberration produced when the meniscus formed at the interface of two of the liquids is tilted. This can be accomplished in a number of ways including selecting the liquids to maximize the refractive index difference and minimize the Abbe number difference.

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 fluid lens includes a refractive interface positioned between two transparent plates where at least one surface of one of the plates has a fixed radius of curvature configured to compensate for aberration produced by the fluid lens. The refracting interface can be formed by a meniscus formed between two immiscible liquids or by a membrane positioned between two fluids. A method of reducing aberration of a fluid lens includes determining a fixed radius of curvature for at least one surface of one of the plates that is sufficient to compensate for aberration produced by the fluid lens.

Abstract: An optical device can include an optical member, positioned at an interface between a first liquid and a second liquid. The optical member can be positionally actuated using the first and second liquid. The optical member may include a plastic lens, a ball lens, a ball lens array, an actuated liquid lens, a biconcave lens, a biconvex lens, a plano-convex, a plano-concave, a negative meniscus lens, a positive meniscus lens, a convex-concave lens, or a concave-convex lens, or any other suitable lens type. The optical member can be actuated in an optical tilt direction, in a left-right horizontal direction, in an up-down vertical direction, in a yaw rotational direction, in an axial direction, or a combination thereof. The optical member can be actuated using electrowetting, using magneto rheological fluids, using static electrofields, using electrical actuation, or using mechanical actuation, for example.

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: A method of separating a portion of an object comprising: presenting an object having a thickness; using a laser emission at a wavelength to perforate at least a portion of the thickness of the object sequentially over a length to form a series of perforations between a first portion of the object on one side of the series of perforations and a second portion of the object on the other side of the series of perforations; and applying a stress to the object at the series of perforations to separate the first portion of the object from the second portion of the object, wherein the thickness of the object, at the series of perforations, is transparent to the wavelength of the laser emission.

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 a liquid lens and a heating device disposed in, on, or near the liquid lens. The liquid lens system can include a temperature sensor. The heating device can be responsive to a temperature signal generated by the temperature sensor. A camera module can include the liquid lens system. A method of operating a liquid lens includes detecting a temperature of the liquid lens and heating the liquid lens in response to the detected temperature.

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 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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.