Waveguide Plate Metasurface Optical Path Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to increase the magnification ratio of mobile phone optical lens assemblies while maintaining a compact size, as higher magnification leads to increased back focal length, making it difficult to accommodate the lens within the phone without compromising other internal components.
Innovation Solution
A waveguide plate with metasurfaces is introduced, featuring a substrate with linearly arranged metastructure arrays and groups, which increase the deflection angle of light through phase differences, allowing for optical path folding without increasing the lens assembly's size, thus enhancing magnification and reducing size constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the magnification ratio of the optical lens assembly is increased, then the magnification capability is improved, but the back focal length increases making it difficult to accommodate within the mobile phone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a waveguide plate with metasurfaces that manipulates light propagation in three-dimensional space within the plate, enabling optical path folding. This allows the back focal length to be extended along the waveguide thickness dimension rather than increasing the overall lens assembly length, effectively resolving the contradiction between magnification and compact size
Solution Approach 2:
The optical path is folded and nested within the waveguide plate structure, with light reflecting multiple times between the metasurfaces and waveguide boundaries. This nesting of the optical path within the waveguide enables extended effective focal length while maintaining a compact external footprint suitable for mobile phones
2Length of stationary object
If the periscope design is used to accommodate the optical lens assembly, then the size constraint is satisfied, but the arrangement space for other elements is compressed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the optical path horizontally as in traditional periscope designs, the patent utilizes the vertical thickness dimension of a thin waveguide plate to fold and extend the optical path. This dimensional approach achieves the required back focal length while maintaining a compact footprint that preserves arrangement space for other mobile phone elements
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
This solution effectively increases the back focal length and magnification ratio of the optical lens assembly while maintaining a compact size, streamlining manufacturing and reducing production costs by eliminating the need for reflective coatings.
Implementation Method 1
which increase the deflection angle of light through phase differences
Implementation Method 2
allowing for optical path folding without increasing the lens assembly's size
Data Source
AI summary
A waveguide plate includes a substrate and at least two metasurfaces. The at least two metasurfaces are disposed on the substrate, wherein each of the metasurfaces includes at least two metastructure arrays, and the at least two metastructure arrays are linearly arranged. Each of the metastructure arrays includes at least two metastructure groups, and each of the metastructure groups includes at least two metastructures.