Electrowetting Aperture With Transparent Electrodes for Stable Light Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current programmable aperture technologies in photography lack stability and transmittance, limiting their ability to adapt to various application scenarios and user-defined aperture patterns.
Innovation Solution
An aperture system utilizing transparent and opaque fluids with drive electrodes, controlled by electric fields to form programmable aperture patterns without mechanical components, ensuring high stability and transmittance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a programmable aperture is implemented using conventional technologies, then aperture pattern control capability is improved, but stability and transmittance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical aperture blades with an electrowetting-based liquid crystal system. Drive electrodes arranged in a matrix pattern control liquid crystal droplets to form various aperture patterns (circular, rectangular, triangular, etc.) through electrical actuation rather than mechanical movement, eliminating mechanical wear and improving stability while maintaining pattern control versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and optical properties of liquid crystal materials through voltage application. By controlling the voltage applied to drive electrodes, the liquid crystal transitions between different refractive indices and optical densities, enabling dynamic aperture pattern formation without mechanical component movement, thus improving both stability and transmittance
2Adaptability or versatility
If a programmable aperture is implemented using conventional technologies, then aperture pattern control capability is improved, but transmittance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control by independently addressing individual liquid crystal droplets at specific electrode intersections. Each drive electrode pair controls a specific region's optical properties, allowing precise local modulation of light transmission while maintaining high overall transmittance. The liquid crystal material composition and thickness are optimized for maximum light transmission in the aperture regions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures including transparent conductive oxide electrodes, liquid crystal materials with optimized refractive indices, and transparent encapsulation layers. These composite materials are selected and configured to minimize light absorption and scattering, ensuring high transmittance while enabling programmable aperture pattern control through the interaction of multiple material properties
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables flexible aperture control with improved stability and transmittance, allowing for dynamic adjustment of aperture patterns based on user needs.
Implementation Method 1
Because the first fluid is the electrolyte, the first fluid flows to the drive electrode to which the voltage is applied under action of the electric field
Implementation Method 2
The area corresponding to the transparent drive electrode can be shielded. The second fluid still covers an area corresponding to a drive electrode to which no voltage is applied. Therefore, the area corresponding to the drive electrode that is not shielded by the first fluid can transmit light
Data Source
AI summary
This application describes an aperture and an aperture control method, an imaging lens, and an electronic device. The aperture includes a first substrate and a second substrate, and a first area and a second area are included between the first substrate and the second substrate. A drive electrode array on the second substrate is located in the first area, a common electrode on the second substrate is located in the second area, and the common electrode is covered by a first fluid located in the second area. The drive electrode array includes transparent drive electrodes arranged in an array. The aperture further includes a second fluid, and the second fluid covers the first fluid and the drive electrode array. The first fluid is an opaque electrolyte, the second fluid is a transparent liquid, and the first fluid is insoluble with the second fluid.