Light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens and its dynamic shape adjustment system and method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens and a dynamic shape adjustment system and method thereof, comprising a first injection pump, a first inlet, a channel, a second inlet, a second injection pump, a microfluidic lens chamber, an optical fiber groove, a coupler, a first laser, a second laser and a waste liquid port, wherein the first injection pump is fixedly connected to the first inlet, and the first inlet is fixedly connected to one side of the channel; the present invention dynamically adjusts the focal length of the lens by changing the power of the laser, realizes real-time adjustment of the light beam divergence angle, and has broad application prospects in some optical fields; utilizes non-contact optical flow control technology to achieve precise and non-invasive control of the lens curvature, avoids the response delay and system complexity that may be caused by traditional mechanical valves and pumps, and improves the response speed and control accuracy of the system; by reducing the use of mechanical components, the integration and stability of the system are improved, and the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the system are also reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of microfluidic chips, and in particular to a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens and a dynamic shape adjustment system and method thereof. Background Art

[0002] A fluid lens is an optical element realized by using fluid control technology. It adjusts the focal length by changing the curvature or refractive index of the liquid, thereby achieving the purpose of focusing or defocusing. This type of lens has important applications in fields where the focal length of the imaging system needs to be dynamically adjusted, such as cameras with adjustable focal length, optical data storage, biomedical imaging, etc. Currently, the widely used methods for dynamically controlling the focal length of liquid lenses using physical fields are mainly the following: electric field control technology, thermal field control technology, acoustic wave control technology, and magnetic force control technology; however, the above methods still have many shortcomings. First, the above methods have a long response time, low control accuracy, and relatively complex control equipment; Second, when the above methods are used, they cannot adjust the beam divergence angle in real time, and lack application prospects in some optical fields; third, the above methods all contain a large number of mechanical components, and the system's integration and stability are insufficient, while increasing manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulties; the light-controlled microfluidic lens system realizes a new dynamic focal length adjustment mechanism through the interaction between light and microfluidics; the system uses a light beam of a specific wavelength to interact with the medium in the microfluidic, causing deformation of the microfluidic interface through photothermal or photomechanical effects, thereby dynamically adjusting the focal length of the lens, so it is very necessary to design a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens and its dynamic shape adjustment system and method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens and a system and method for dynamic shape adjustment thereof, so as to solve the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens, comprising a first injection pump (1), a first inlet (2), a channel (3), a second inlet (4), a second injection pump (5), a microfluidic lens chamber (6), an optical fiber groove (7), a coupler (8), a laser and a waste liquid port (11), characterized in that: the first injection pump (1) is fixedly connected to the entry end of the first inlet (2), the exit end of the first inlet (2) is fixedly connected to the upper side of the channel (3), the exit end of the second inlet (4) is fixedly connected to the lower side of the same side of the channel (3), and the other side of the channel (3) is connected to the microfluidic lens chamber (6); the entry end of the second inlet (4) is fixedly connected to the second injection pump (5), the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is fixedly connected to the optical fiber groove (7), the optical fiber groove (7) is located in the middle of the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber (6), the optical fiber passes through the optical fiber groove (7) and is connected to the coupler (8), the laser is connected to the coupler (8), and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is provided with a waste liquid port (11);

[0005] Wherein, the laser is a plurality of lasers connected in parallel or a tunable laser;

[0006] The first injection pump (1) is provided with a pigment control module (20), the pigment control module (20) is controlled and connected to a pigment switch module (21), and the pigment switch module (21) is provided in the first injection pump (1);

[0007] The second injection pump (5) is provided with a glycerol control module (22), and the glycerol control module (22) is controlled and connected to a glycerol switch module (23); the glycerol switch module (23) is provided in the second injection pump (5);

[0008] The first injection pump (1) is filled with a pigment mixture; the second injection pump (5) is filled with glycerol;

[0009] The pigment mixture is prepared by mixing pigment and glycerin in a volume ratio of 1:25.

[0010] As a further technical solution of the present invention, multiple lasers connected in parallel respectively emit lasers of different wavelengths.

[0011] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the number of the lasers is 2 to 5.

[0012] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is rectangular.

[0013] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is prepared by using soft photolithography technology, and the materials and substrates used to prepare the microfluidic lens chamber (6) are made of materials with good biocompatibility and light transmittance.

[0014] The present invention provides a method for dynamically adjusting a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens. The method is implemented by the following steps:

[0015] Step 1: Install the light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens as described above;

[0016] Step 2: Control the first injection pump (1) through the pigment switch module (21) to inject the pigment mixture into the channel (3); control the second injection pump (5) through the glycerol switch module (23) to inject glycerol into the channel (3); control the injection speed of the first injection pump (1) through the pigment control module (20), and control the injection speed of the second injection pump (5) through the glycerol control module (22), and control the pigment mixture and glycerol in the channel (3), the microfluidic lens chamber (6), and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) to always keep the Reynolds number lower than the critical value of laminar flow, thereby avoiding the generation of turbulence, and then maintaining a stable flow rate of the two-phase flow of the pigment mixture and glycerol; after the two-phase flow flows through the microfluidic lens chamber (6), the flow channel becomes wider upward, so that the interface of the two-phase flow bulges upward to form a convex lens shape;

[0017] Step 3: Turn on the laser and irradiate the laser vertically into the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) through the coupler (8), and change the shape of the lens by using different incident laser wavelengths, thereby dynamically adjusting the focal length of the lens and the beam divergence angle;

[0018] The pigment mixture is prepared by mixing pigment and glycerin in a volume ratio of 1:20 to 30.

[0019] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the laser wavelengths emitted by the laser include 638nm, 520nm, and 488nm.

[0020] As a further technical solution of the present invention, the pigments in the pigment mixture are brilliant blue, amaranth, sunset yellow and lemon yellow; the pigment mixture is formed by mixing the pigments and glycerol in a volume ratio of 1:25.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the first injection pump is controlled by the pigment switch module to inject the pigment mixture into the channel, and the second injection pump is controlled by the glycerol switch module to inject glycerol into the channel. After the liquid flow rate in the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber stabilizes, the two-phase flow passes through the microfluidic lens chamber and becomes wider due to the upward widening of the flow channel, so that the interface of the two-phase flow bulges upward to form a convex lens shape. The laser is emitted and irradiated on the convex lens-shaped interface, and the laser will deviate to the side with the pigment; the non-contact optical flow control technology is used to achieve precise and non-invasive control of the lens curvature, avoiding the response delay and system complexity that may be caused by traditional mechanical valves and pumps. The system's response speed and control accuracy are improved; the first injection pump and the second injection pump are swapped, and the injection and laser irradiation operations are repeated. The deviation state of the two-phase flow interface is recorded, and the laser will still deviate to the side with the pigment; by changing the power of the laser, the shape of the lens is changed, so that the focal length of the lens can be dynamically adjusted, and the real-time adjustment of the light beam divergence angle can be achieved, which has broad application prospects in optical communications, optical data processing, optical sensing and other fields; the laser is used to irradiate the two-phase flow interface to achieve the change of the lens shape, which reduces the use of mechanical components, improves the integration and stability of the system, and also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the system.

[0022] The present invention utilizes the phenomenon that pigment mixtures of different colors have different absorption intensities for different wavelengths, combines it with device design to achieve light-induced deviation of the fluid interface, and further realizes an optofluidic lens system that can control the shape change of the fluid lens by light.

[0023] Compared with existing technologies that cause deformation of microfluidic interfaces through photothermal or photomechanical effects, the technical solution of the present invention has faster response speed and higher control accuracy, and can achieve non-contact and non-invasive focal length adjustment; it will be widely used in microfluidic optical systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a partial system flow chart of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 It is a partial flow chart of the operation of the system of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of part of the structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6is a flow chart of the method of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of the microfluidic lens chamber in the third embodiment;

[0031] Figure 8 The absorption spectra of the four pigments in SDBS aqueous solution in the sixth embodiment; Figure 8 (a) Brilliant Blue; (b) Amaranth; (c) Sunset Yellow; (d) Tartrazine;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a result diagram of a light-induced deviation experiment in a second embodiment; Figure 9 (a) Laminar flow formed by a mixture of brilliant blue pigment and glycerol and pure glycerol; (b) the shift effect of a 638 nm laser applied from above; (c) the shift effect of a 638 nm laser applied from below; (d) the laminar flow formed by a mixture of sunset yellow pigment and glycerol and pure glycerol; (e) the shift effect of a 488 nm laser applied from above; (f) the shift effect of a 488 nm laser applied from below; (g) the laminar flow formed by a mixture of amaranth pigment and glycerol and pure glycerol; (h) the shift effect of a 520 nm laser applied from above; (i) the shift effect of a 520 nm laser applied from below;

[0033] Figure 10 1 is a diagram showing the experimental results of the light control lens principle verification test in Example 1; Figure 10 (a) The shape of the lens when the pigment solution is at the bottom and the laser is not turned on; (b) The lens is compressed when the laser is turned on; (c) The shape of the lens when the pigment solution is at the top and the laser is not turned on; (d) The lens is stretched when the laser is turned on.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the experimental results of the light control lens in Example 2; Figure 11 (a) When the lens is not controlled, the beam divergence angle is 8°; (b) when the lens curvature is reduced by controlling the laser with a lower power, the beam divergence angle is 16°; (c) when the lens curvature is reduced by controlling the laser with a higher power, the beam divergence angle is 24°.

[0035] In the figure: 1. First injection pump; 2. First inlet; 3. Channel; 4. Second inlet; 5. Second injection pump; 6. Microfluidic lens chamber; 7. Fiber optic groove; 8. Coupler; 9. First laser; 10. Second laser; 11. Waste liquid port; 20. Pigment regulation module; 21. Pigment switch module; 22. Glycerol regulation module; 23. Glycerol switch module; 24. First control laser module; 26. Second control laser module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Reynolds number: A dimensionless number used to describe the dimensionless parameter of the fluid flow state. In the present invention, it is used to characterize the laminar or turbulent state of the fluid in the microfluidic lens chamber.

[0038] Laminar flow: The flow of a fluid in a smooth, orderly manner, in which the fluid particles flow in parallel layers without intermixing with each other.

[0039] Specific implementation method 1: Please refer to the attached Figure 1 -Attached Figure 5 The present embodiment is described. The light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens of the present embodiment comprises a first injection pump 1, a first inlet 2, a channel 3, a second inlet 4, a second injection pump 5, a microfluidic lens chamber 6, an optical fiber groove 7, a coupler 8, a laser and a waste liquid port 11, characterized in that: the first injection pump 1 is fixedly connected to the entry end of the first inlet 2, the exit end of the first inlet 2 is fixedly connected above one side of the channel 3, the exit end of the second inlet 4 is fixedly connected below the same side of the channel 3, and the other side of the channel 3 is connected to the microfluidic lens chamber 6; the entry end of the second inlet 4 is fixedly connected to the second injection pump 5, the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is fixedly connected to an optical fiber groove (7), the optical fiber groove (7) is located in the middle of the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber (6), the optical fiber passes through the optical fiber groove (7) and is connected to the coupler (8), the laser is connected to the coupler (8), and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber 6 is provided with a waste liquid port 11;

[0040] Wherein, the laser is a plurality of lasers connected in parallel or a tunable laser;

[0041] The microfluidic lens chamber 6 is rectangular, with a length and a width of 600 μm*300 μm.

[0042] The first injection pump 1 is provided with a pigment control module 20, and the pigment control module 20 is controlled and connected to a pigment switch module 21, and the pigment switch module 21 is provided in the first injection pump 1;

[0043] The second injection pump 5 is provided with a glycerol control module 22, which is controlled by a glycerol switch module 23; the glycerol switch module 23 is provided in the second injection pump 5;

[0044] The first injection pump 1 is filled with a pigment mixture; the second injection pump 5 is filled with glycerol;

[0045] The pigment mixture is prepared by mixing pigment and glycerin in a volume ratio of 1:25.

[0046] The microfluidic lens chamber 6 is made by using soft photolithography technology, and the materials and substrates used to make the microfluidic lens chamber 6 are made of materials with good biocompatibility and light transmittance.

[0047] Step 1: Install the light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens as described above;

[0048] Step 2: Control the first injection pump 1 through the pigment switch module 21 to inject the pigment mixture into the channel 3, and control the second injection pump 5 through the glycerol switch module 23 to inject glycerol into the channel 3; control the injection speed of the first injection pump 1 through the pigment control module 20, and control the injection speed of the second injection pump 5 through the glycerol control module 22, and regulate the pigment mixture and glycerol in the channel 3, the microfluidic lens chamber 6, and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber 6 to always keep the Reynolds number below the critical value of laminar flow to avoid the generation of turbulence, and then maintain a stable flow rate of the two-phase flow of the pigment mixture and glycerol; after the two-phase flow passes through the microfluidic lens chamber 6, the flow channel widens upward, so that the interface of the two-phase flow bulges upward to form a convex lens shape;

[0049] Step 3: Turn on the laser and irradiate the laser vertically into the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber 6 through the coupler 8. By changing the shape of the lens with different incident laser wavelengths, the focal length of the lens and the beam divergence angle are dynamically adjusted.

[0050] The width of the channel and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber 6 in this embodiment is 100 μm, and the experimental flow rate does not exceed 0.014 m / s. Therefore, the Reynolds number does not exceed 1 (the Reynolds number is far below the laminar critical value of 2100), ensuring that the two-phase flow of the pigment mixture and glycerol is always stable in a laminar state.

[0051] Specific embodiment 2: The difference between this embodiment and specific embodiment 1 is that: the light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens includes a first injection pump 1, a first inlet 2, a channel 3, a second inlet 4, a second injection pump 5, a microfluidic lens chamber 6, an optical fiber groove 7, a coupler 8, a laser and a waste liquid port 11. The first injection pump 1 is fixedly connected to the first inlet 2, the first inlet 2 is fixedly connected to one side of the channel 3, the other side of the channel 3 is fixedly connected to the second inlet 4, the second inlet 4 is fixedly connected to the second injection pump 5, the channel 3 is fixedly connected to the microfluidic lens chamber 6, the microfluidic lens chamber ( 6) is fixedly connected with an optical fiber groove (7), the optical fiber groove (7) is located in the middle of the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber (6), the optical fiber passes through the optical fiber groove (7) and is connected to the coupler (8), the laser is connected to the coupler (8), the first injection pump 1 is provided with a pigment control module 20, the pigment control module 20 is controlled and connected with a pigment switch module 21, the pigment switch module 21 is provided in the first injection pump 1, the second injection pump 5 is provided with a glycerol control module 22, the glycerol control module 22 is controlled and connected with a glycerol switch module 23, and the glycerol switch module 23 is provided in the second injection pump 5.

[0052] In this embodiment, the microfluidic lens chamber 6 is a double-sided rectangle (composed of two identical and symmetrical rectangles, with the length and width of a single-sided rectangle being 500 μm*300 μm.

[0053] Please see the attached Figure 6 and Figure 9 , this embodiment provides an example: a method for dynamically adjusting a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens: in step 1, corresponding modules are respectively installed in the first syringe pump 1, the second syringe pump 5, the laser, the coupler 8, and the optical fiber slot 7, and debugged. The first syringe pump 1 is installed on the first inlet 2, the second syringe pump 5 is installed on the second inlet 4, and an optical fiber slot 7 is fixedly connected under the microfluidic lens chamber 6. The optical fiber slot 7 is located in the middle of the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber 6. The optical fiber passes through the optical fiber slot 7 and is connected to the coupler 8. The laser is connected to the coupler 8 to form a tunable laser.

[0054] In step 2, the pigment switch module 21 controls the first syringe pump 1 to inject the pigment mixture into the channel 3, while the glycerol switch module 23 controls the second syringe pump 5 to inject glycerol into the channel 3. At the same time, the pigment control module 20 controls the injection speed of the first syringe pump 1, while the glycerol control module 22 controls the injection speed of the second syringe pump 5.

[0055] In step 3, the tunable laser is turned on to illuminate the microfluidic lens chamber 6, and the deviation state of the two-phase flow interface is recorded. It will deviate toward the side with the pigment.

[0056] In step 4, the position of the optical fiber slot 7 is exchanged and the optical fiber slot 7 is set in the middle of the top of the microfluidic lens chamber (6). The tuned laser is turned on again to irradiate the microfluidic lens chamber 6 with laser light. The deviation state of the two-phase flow interface is recorded. It will still deviate to the side with the pigment.

[0057] In step five, after the liquid flow rate in the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) stabilizes, the two-phase flow flows through the microfluidic lens chamber 6. As the flow channel widens upward, the interface of the two-phase flow bulges upward to form a convex lens shape. By tuning the laser light, the laser is irradiated on the convex lens-shaped interface, and the shape of the lens is changed by the laser, thereby dynamically adjusting the focal length of the lens.

[0058] The experiment was divided into three groups. One group of microfluidic lens chambers (6) was filled with pure glycerol and a mixed solution of glycerol and brilliant blue pigment (volume ratio, glycerol: brilliant blue = 25:1), corresponding to a 638nm laser (power set to 25mW); one group of microfluidic lens chambers (6) was filled with pure glycerol and a mixed solution of glycerol and sunset yellow pigment (volume ratio, glycerol: sunset yellow = 25:1), corresponding to a 488nm laser (power set to 20mW); one group of microfluidic lens chambers (6) was filled with pure glycerol and a mixed solution of glycerol and amaranth pigment (volume ratio, glycerol: amaranth = 25:1), corresponding to a 520nm laser (power set to 16mW).

[0059] Working principle: When in use, the first injection pump 1 is controlled by the pigment switch module 21 to inject the pigment mixture into the channel 3, and the second injection pump 5 is controlled by the glycerol switch module 23 to inject glycerol into the channel 3. After the liquid flow rate in the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) stabilizes, the two-phase flow flows through the microfluidic lens chamber 6. As the flow channel widens upward, the interface of the two-phase flow bulges upward to form a convex lens shape. The laser is turned on to irradiate the convex lens-shaped interface, and the deviation state of the two-phase flow interface is recorded. It will deviate to the side with the pigment; the non-contact optical flow control technology is used to achieve accurate and non-invasive control of the lens curvature, avoiding the possible The response delay and system complexity caused by this method are improved, and the response speed and control accuracy of the system are improved; the position of the optical fiber groove 7 is exchanged, the injection and laser irradiation operations are repeated, and the deviation state of the two-phase flow interface is recorded, and it will still deviate to the side with the pigment; by changing the power of the laser, the shape of the lens is changed, so that the focal length of the lens can be dynamically adjusted, and the real-time adjustment of the light beam divergence angle can be achieved, which has broad application prospects in the fields of optical communication, optical data processing and optical sensing; the two-phase flow interface is irradiated with laser to achieve the change of the lens shape, which reduces the use of mechanical components, improves the integration and stability of the system, and also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the system.

[0060] Specific implementation method three: Combination Figure 7 This embodiment is described. The difference between this embodiment and the first or second embodiment is that:

[0061] In this embodiment, the microfluidic lens chamber 6 is manufactured using soft lithography technology. The material and substrate of the microfluidic lens chamber 6 are made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The specific steps are as follows:

[0062] a. Mask production: Use software such as SOLIDWORKS, AutoCAD, Illustrator, or LEdit to create design drawings, which are then transferred to the mask by the mask manufacturer (usually film is used as the mask, with an accuracy of 20μm, which meets the requirements of optofluidic chip preparation and produces optofluidic chips with high-precision microchannel structures).

[0063] b. Mold: Spin-coat a 100 μm thick photoresist (SMIC Qiheng negative photoresist SU-8 3050) on a silicon wafer. After exposure and development, a microchannel SU8 positive mold is formed.

[0064] c. Molding: Prepare a 10:1 mixture of PDMS elastomer and curing agent, stir evenly, and remove bubbles in a vacuum oven. Pour the mixture onto a SU8 male mold. After heating and curing, peel off the PDMS and drill 1 mm holes at the inlet and outlet to serve as the microfluidic inlet and outlet.

[0065] d. Bonding: Use plasma bonding to bond the PDMS structure with holes to another flat PDMS without microchannels.

[0066] Specific embodiment 4: This embodiment differs from specific embodiments 1, 2 or 3 in that:

[0067] In this embodiment, the material and substrate for preparing the microfluidic lens chamber 6 are COC (cycloolefin copolymer) or PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate).

[0068] Specific embodiment 5: This embodiment differs from specific embodiments 1 to 4 in that:

[0069] This embodiment adopts the light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens prepared in the first embodiment, wherein the lasers are three lasers connected in parallel, and the wavelengths of the three lasers are 638 nm, 520 nm, and 488 nm respectively.

[0070] Specific embodiment 6: This embodiment differs from specific embodiments 1 to 5 in that:

[0071] The pigments in the pigment mixture of this embodiment are brilliant blue, amaranth, sunset yellow and lemon yellow respectively; the pigment mixture is prepared by mixing the pigments and glycerol in a volume ratio of 1:25.

[0072] The absorption spectra of brilliant blue, amaranth, sunset yellow and lemon yellow dissolved in SDBS aqueous solution at a volume ratio of 1:25 are shown in the following figure: Figure 8 shown.

[0073] Specific embodiment seven: The difference between this embodiment and any one of specific embodiments one to six is ​​that: the light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens includes a first laser 9, a second laser 10, a first control laser module 24, and a second control laser module 26; the first control laser module 24 is used to control the first laser 9; the second control laser module 26 is used to control the second laser 10.

[0074] Example 1

[0075] This embodiment adopts the apparatus and method of the first embodiment; the difference from the first embodiment is that:

[0076] Pure glycerol and a glycerol brilliant blue pigment mixture (glycerol: brilliant blue pigment = 25:1) are introduced into the first inlet 2 and the second inlet 4 respectively, with the pigment mixture located at the bottom of the channel and the pure glycerol located at the top of the channel.

[0077] Insert the flat-end optical fiber into the optical fiber groove so that the end face of the optical fiber is aligned flush with the lower surface of the microfluidic lens chamber 6 .

[0078] Set the flow rate of different inlets, set the flow rate of the first inlet to 300ul / h, and the flow rate of the second inlet to 100ul / h. Turn on the syringe pump, and after the flow rate stabilizes, the laminar flow interface bulges upward in the microfluidic lens chamber, forming a shape similar to a convex lens. Figure 10 As shown in (a).

[0079] The 638nm laser power is set to 25mW and the laser is turned on. Compared with the case when the laser is not turned on, after the beam passes through the laminar flow, the two-phase flow interface is compressed and the curvature becomes smaller, as shown in the figure. Figure 10 (b) shown.

[0080] The inlet positions of the two solutions are exchanged, with pure glycerol located at the bottom of the channel and the pigment mixture located at the top of the channel. The laser emission position remains unchanged. At this time, the two-phase flow interface forms a convex lens shape in the microfluidic lens chamber. Figure 10 (c) shown.

[0081] When the 638nm laser (25mW) is turned on, it can be seen that the interface of the convex lens is stretched and its curvature becomes larger. Figure 10 (d) shown.

[0082] Example 2 (Light Control Lens Experiment)

[0083] This embodiment adopts the apparatus and method of the first embodiment; the difference from the first embodiment is that:

[0084] The 520nm laser and the 638nm laser are coupled into the same optical fiber through a coupler. The 520nm laser is used as an indicator light to show the change of the optical path, and the 638nm laser is used as a driving light to drive the change of the lens interface.

[0085] Insert the optical fiber into the optical fiber slot, add an appropriate amount of pure water to the syringe and place it in the first syringe pump 1, add a mixture of glycerol and brilliant blue pigment (glycerol: brilliant blue pigment = 25:1) to another syringe and place it in the second syringe pump;

[0086] A 530nm short-wave filter was placed between the microscope objective lens and the microfluidic lens chamber. The flow rate of the first syringe pump was 300ul / h, and the flow rate of the second syringe pump was 100ul / h. The syringe pumps were turned on, and after the flow rates stabilized, the 520nm laser and the 638nm laser were turned on.

[0087] At this time, since the 638nm laser is filtered out by the filter, the 520nm laser is observed.

[0088] The phenomenon observed in the light control lens experiment of this embodiment is as follows Figure 11 By adjusting the wavelength and polarization direction of the light source, the present invention can precisely control the divergence angle of the light beam, thereby providing greater flexibility for optical operations in microfluidic systems.

[0089] This invention utilizes non-contact optical flow control technology, illuminating a pigment-containing laminar flow interface with a laser of a specific wavelength to achieve precise and non-invasive control of lens curvature. This method avoids the response delays and system complexity associated with traditional mechanical valves and pumps, improving system response speed and control accuracy.

[0090] This invention enables real-time adjustment of the beam divergence angle, promising broad applications in optical communications, optical data processing, and optical sensing. By varying the laser power, the curvature of the lens can be continuously adjusted, thereby precisely controlling the beam divergence angle. This dynamic adjustment capability is unavailable with traditional fixed optical components. Furthermore, this invention demonstrates applications for beam deflection and optical waveguide switching, further expanding the application scope of optically controlled lenses and providing more possibilities for the design and optimization of optical systems.

[0091] The present invention improves the integration and stability of the system by reducing the use of mechanical components, and also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of the system.

[0092] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, not the foregoing description, and all variations within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included therein. Any reference sign in a claim should not be construed as limiting the claim to which it relates.

Claims

1. A light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens, comprising a first injection pump (1), a first inlet (2), a channel (3), a second inlet (4), a second injection pump (5), a microfluidic lens chamber (6), an optical fiber slot (7), a coupler (8), a laser, and a waste liquid outlet (11), characterized in that: The first injection pump (1) is fixedly connected to the entrance end of the first inlet (2), the outlet end of the first inlet (2) is fixedly connected to the upper side of the channel (3), the outlet end of the second inlet (4) is fixedly connected to the lower side of the same side of the channel (3), and the other side of the channel (3) is connected to the microfluidic lens chamber (6); the entrance end of the second inlet (4) is fixedly connected to the second injection pump (5), the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is fixedly connected to the optical fiber groove (7), the front end of the optical fiber jumper is installed in the optical fiber groove (7), and the rear end is connected to the laser through the coupler (8), and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) is provided with a waste liquid port (11); Wherein, the laser is a plurality of lasers connected in parallel or a tunable laser; The first injection pump (1) is provided with a pigment control module (20), the pigment control module (20) is controlled and connected to a pigment switch module (21), and the pigment switch module (21) is provided in the first injection pump (1); The second injection pump (5) is provided with a glycerol control module (22), and the glycerol control module (22) is controlled and connected to a glycerol switch module (23); the glycerol switch module (23) is provided in the second injection pump (5); The first injection pump (1) is filled with a pigment mixture; the second injection pump (5) is filled with glycerol; The pigment mixture is prepared by mixing pigment and glycerin in a volume ratio of 1:

25.

2. The light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple lasers connected in parallel emit lasers of different wavelengths.

3. The light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens according to claim 1, wherein: The number of the lasers is 2 to 5.

4. The light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens according to claim 1, wherein: The microfluidic lens chamber (6) is prepared by using soft photolithography technology, and the materials and substrates used to prepare the microfluidic lens chamber (6) are made of materials with good biocompatibility and light transmittance.

5. A method for dynamically adjusting a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens, characterized by: This method is implemented as follows: Step 1: Install the light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens as described in any one of claims 1 to 4; Step 2: Control the first injection pump (1) through the pigment switch module (21) to inject the pigment mixture into the channel (3), and control the second injection pump (5) through the glycerol switch module (23) to inject glycerol into the channel (3); control the injection speed of the first injection pump (1) through the pigment control module (20), and control the injection speed of the second injection pump (5) through the glycerol control module (22), and control the pigment mixture and glycerol in the channel (3), the microfluidic lens chamber (6), and the outlet channel of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) to always keep the Reynolds number lower than the critical value of laminar flow, thereby avoiding the generation of turbulence, and then maintaining a stable flow rate of the two-phase flow of the pigment mixture and glycerol; after the two-phase flow flows through the microfluidic lens chamber (6), the flow channel becomes wider upward, so that the interface of the two-phase flow bulges upward to form a convex lens shape; Step 3: Turn on the laser and irradiate the laser vertically into the bottom of the microfluidic lens chamber (6) through the coupler (8). By changing the shape of the lens with different incident laser wavelengths, the focal length of the lens and the beam divergence angle are dynamically adjusted.

6. The method for dynamic adjustment of a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens according to claim 5, characterized in that: The laser wavelengths emitted by the laser include 638nm, 520nm, and 488nm.

7. The method for dynamic adjustment of a light-controlled pigment microfluidic lens according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pigments in the pigment mixture are brilliant blue, amaranth, sunset yellow and lemon yellow.

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