Solid state electrically variable-focal length lens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11493824-B2
Application number	US-202117190031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2021
Priority date	May 20, 2020
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

A solid state electrically variable focal length lens includes a plurality of concentric rings of electro-optical material, wherein the electro-optical material comprises any material of a class of hydrogen-doped phase-change metal oxide and wherein each respective concentric ring further includes a transparent resistive sheet on a first face of the respective concentric ring, wherein the transparent resistive sheet extends along the first face, and a first voltage coupled between a first end and a second end of the transparent resistive sheet, wherein the first voltage may be varied to select an optical beam deflection angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solid state electrically variable focal length lens comprising:
a plurality of concentric rings of electro-optical material, wherein the electro-optical material comprises any material of a class of hydrogen-doped phase-change metal oxide, and wherein each respective concentric ring further comprises:
a transparent resistive sheet on a first face of the respective concentric ring, wherein the transparent resistive sheet extends along the first face; and
a first voltage coupled between a first end and a second end of the transparent resistive sheet;
wherein the first voltage may be varied to select an optical beam deflection angle.

2. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 wherein:
the electro-optical material comprises NdNiO 3 , SmNiO 3 , PrNiO 3 , EuNiO 3 , or GdNiO 3 , or any combination of NdNiO 3 , SmNiO 3 , PrNiO 3 , EuNiO 3 , and GdNiO 3 .

3. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 further comprising:
a transparent electrode on a second face of the respective concentric ring, wherein the transparent electrode extends along the second face, and wherein the second face is opposite the first face; and
a second voltage coupled between the first end of the transparent resistive sheet and the transparent electrode;
wherein the second voltage may be varied to apply a beam forming phase-shift.

4. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 3 wherein:
the first voltage and the second voltage are direct current (DC) voltages.

5. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 wherein:
the first voltage is set for each respective concentric ring so that the solid state electrically variable focal length lens has a desired focal length.

6. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 wherein:
the first voltage is set for each respective concentric ring so that the solid state electrically variable focal length lens has a focal length at a far focal range; or
the first voltage is set for each respective concentric ring so that the solid state electrically variable focal length lens has a focal length at a close focal range; or
the first voltage is set for each respective concentric ring so that the solid state electrically variable focal length lens has a focal length between the far focal range and the close focal range.

7. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 wherein:
a different radial voltage gradient is applied across each respective ring of the plurality of concentric rings so that a radial gradient in the index of refraction steers light toward an optical axis of the solid state electrically variable focal length lens.

8. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 further comprising:
a Fresnel lens coupled to and adjacent to the solid state variable focal length lens;
wherein the Fresnel lens has a plurality of Fresnel rings and wherein each respective Fresnel ring of the plurality of Fresnel rings has a radius matching and aligned to a respective concentric ring of the plurality of concentric rings.

9. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 8 wherein:
the Fresnel lens has a focal length between a farthest focal length or focus for the solid state variable length lens and a closest focal length or focus to reduce a steering angle for the solid state electrically variable focal length lens.

10. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 :
wherein the solid state electrically variable focal length lens operates in transmission; or
wherein the solid state electrically variable focal length lens further comprises:
a mirror on the first face of the respective concentric ring;
wherein the solid state electrically variable focal length lens operates in reflection.

11. The solid state electrically variable focal length lens of claim 1 :
wherein the plurality of concentiric rings are arranged adjacent to one another in a radial direction.

12. A solid state zoom lens comprising:
a first plurality of first concentric rings of first electro-optical material, wherein the first electro-optical material comprises any material of a class of hydrogen-doped phase-change metal oxide, and wherein each respective first concentric ring further comprises:
a first transparent resistive sheet on a first face of the respective first concentric ring, wherein the first transparent resistive sheet extends along the first face; and
a first voltage coupled between a first end and a second end of the first transparent resistive sheet; and
wherein the first voltage may be varied to select a beam deflection angle; and
a second plurality of second concentric rings of second electro-optical material, wherein the second electro-optical material comprises any material of a class of hydrogen-doped phase-change metal oxide and wherein each respective second concentric ring further comprises:
a second transparent resistive sheet on a first face of the respective second concentric ring, wherein the second transparent resistive sheet extends along the first face; and
a second voltage coupled between a first end and a second end of the second transparent resistive sheet;
wherein the second voltage may be varied to select a beam deflection angle; and
wherein the first plurality of first concentric rings is optically coupled to the second plurality of second concentric rings.

13. The solid state zoom lens of claim 12 further comprising:
a first transparent electrode on a second face of the respective first concentric ring, wherein the first transparent electrode extends along the second face, and wherein the second face is opposite the first face; and
a third voltage coupled between the first end of the first transparent resistive sheet and the first transparent electrode;
wherein the third voltage may be varied to apply a beam forming phase-shift.

14. The solid state zoom lens of claim 12 further comprising:
a second transparent electrode on a second face of the respective second concentric ring, wherein the second transparent electrode extends along the second face, and wherein the second face is opposite the first face; and
a fourth voltage coupled between the first end of the second transparent resistive sheet and the second transparent electrode;
wherein the fourth voltage may be varied to apply a beam forming phase-shift.

15. The solid state zoom lens of claim 12 wherein:
a distance between the first plurality of concentric rings and the second plurality of concentric rings is the sum of a far focal length for the first plurality of concentric rings and a near focal length for the second plurality of concentric rings; or
a distance between the first plurality of concentric rings and the second plurality of concentric rings is the sum of a near focal length for the first plurality of concentric rings and a far focal length for the second plurality of concentric rings.

16. The solid state zoom lens of claim 12 further comprising:
a solid state optical tip-tilt-phased element optically coupled to the second plurality of concentric rings to provide a solid state pan-tilt-zoom “gimbal” with no moving parts.

17. The solid state zoom lens of claim 16 wherein the solid state optical tip-tilt-phased element further comprises:
a body of electro-optical material, wherein the body of electro-optical material comprises any material of a class of hydrogen-doped phase-change metal oxide;
a third transparent r

Assignees

• Hrl Lab Llc

Inventors

• Kremer Richard
• Son Kyung-Ah
• Moon Jeong-Sun
• Quarfoth Ryan G

Classifications

• G02F2202/06

  dopant · CPC title

• G02F1/292 Primary

  by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering (controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31) · CPC title

• G02F1/294 Primary

  Variable focal length devices · CPC title

• G02B27/0087

  Phased arrays · CPC title

• G02F1/0316

  Electrodes · CPC title