Wearable Optical Composite With Refractive Index Gradient Layers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing optical materials with refractive index gradients face technological complexity, limited gradient ranges, low transmittance, and restricted field of view, often resulting in devices with low refractive index gradients and limited visual capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A wearable optical device using a composite material with at least two layers of optically transparent polymer containing nanoparticles made of high-refractive materials like ZnO, TiO2, or van der Waals materials, with refractive indices differing by at least 0.3, produced through femtosecond laser fragmentation and centrifugation processes to create a radial-spherical refractive index gradient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If controlled diffusion of components in glass blanks is used to produce refractive index gradient, then radial and cylindrical gradients can be achieved, but the process is labor-consuming requiring grinding and polishing to high precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical grinding and polishing process with a chemical diffusion process. The refractive index gradient is created through controlled diffusion of components in the glass blanks, eliminating the need for labor-consuming mechanical precision work while achieving the required gradient precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from mechanical modification to chemical parameter control. By controlling the diffusion parameters (temperature, time, composition) of the glass components, the refractive index gradient is achieved through material composition changes rather than mechanical shape modification.
2Manufacturing precision
If diffusion process is used to create refractive index gradient, then gradient can be produced, but the gradient value is limited to about 0.01-0.03 due to diffusion laws
Solution Approach 1:
The patent overcomes the diffusion law limitation by changing the material parameters - using glass compositions with components that have significantly different refractive indices. This allows achieving much higher gradient values (up to 0.6) than the conventional 0.01-0.03 range through controlled diffusion.
3Manufacturing precision
If prior art methods are used to produce optical material with refractive index gradient, then gradient can be achieved, but transmittance in visible spectral range does not exceed 50%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters to use glass systems with high transparency in the visible range. By selecting appropriate base glass compositions and diffusion components, the patent achieves both the required refractive index gradient and high transmittance exceeding 50% in the visible spectral range.
4Manufacturing precision
If prior art methods are used to produce optical material with refractive index gradient, then gradient can be achieved, but field of view does not exceed 25-35 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves a higher refractive index gradient (up to 0.6) through controlled diffusion of glass components with different refractive indices. This enhanced gradient enables the production of optical elements with wider field of view exceeding 35 degrees, overcoming the limitation of prior art methods.
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 device achieves a significantly expanded field of view exceeding human physiological limits, up to 325 degrees, with high transmittance and reduced aberrations, utilizing a method that simplifies production and maintains material integrity.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the nanoparticles are produced from high-refractive material having the refractive index higher than 2.8 using the method of femtosecond laser fragmentation or ablation in liquid
Implementation Method 2
forming the layers with different refractive indices from the optically transparent polymer with nanoparticles, forming a multilayer blank and bonding the optical composite material together
Data Source
AI summary
Inventions relate to wearable optical devices. The device comprises optical composite layered polymer material with van der Waals nanoparticles with refractive index higher than 2.8. The difference between the refractive indices of layers comprises not less than 0.3. Method of producing such material comprises: (i) producing the nanoparticles from a high-refractive material, using the method of femtosecond laser fragmentation or ablation in liquid; (ii) distributing the nanoparticles over the polymer by mixing; (iii) forming the layers on substrates using the centrifugation process with subsequent polymerization; (iv) forming the optical composite material from the layers using the liquid transfer method. The technical effect—panoramically expanding the field of view up to the level exceeding physiological capabilities of the human eye.