Seung-tae Choi

Varifocal liquid-filled microlens operated by an electroactive polymer actuator.

We designed, fabricated, and characterized varifocal microlenses, whose focal length varies along with the deformation of a transparent elastomer membrane under hydraulic pressure tailored by electroactive polymer actuators. The microfluidic channel of the microlens was designed to be embedded between silicon and glass so that transient fluctuation of the optical fluid and elastomer membrane is effectively suppressed, and thus the microlens is optically stabilized in a reduced time. Multilayered poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-clorotrifluoroethylene) actuators were also developed and integrated onto the microfluidic chambers. We demonstrated that the developed microlenses are suitable for use in microimaging systems to make their foci tunable.

Liquid-filled varifocal lens on a chip

In this study we developed a liquid-filled varifocal lens operated by electroactive polymer actuators. A silicon wafer was structured with micromachining processes to have four microfluidic chambers and a circular hole working as an aperture. The structured silicon wafer (opaque frame) was bonded to a glass wafer (transparent frame), and thus microfluidic channels were formed between them. Top surface of the main frame was covered with a transparent elastomer membrane, and the internal volume confined by the membrane and the two frames was filled with optical fluid. In order to operate this varifocal lens system, multilayered P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) [poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-clorofluoroethylene)] polymer actuators were also developed, which show relaxor ferroelectric behavior, and thus produce large electrostrictive strain. When an electric field is applied, the multilayered P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) polymer actuators push the optical fluid so that the elastomer membrane together with the internal fluid changes their shape, which alters the light path of the varifocal lens. The original shape of the elastomer membrane is restored by the elastic recovery of the P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) actuators when an applied electric field is removed. We observed that with the applied voltage of 40 V the varifocal lens changes the optical power of more than 30 diopters within 20 ms. Optical analysis showed that the deformation shape of the optical membrane can be successfully used to design phone camera modules with auto-focus function.

Microfluidic design and fabrication of wafer-scale varifocal liquid lens

Microfluidic design and fabrication was developed for wafer-scale varifocal liquid lens which is slim less than 0.9mm. The liquid-filled varifocal lens has advanced functions such as auto macro and focusing to obtain a high quality of image. This varifocal lens is similar to human eye and it consists of main Si frame which has penetrated inner hole, upside-bonded PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) elastomer membrane, downside-bonded glass plate and optical fluid confined by these structures. Si frame, which has a circular hole for tunable lens chamber, several holes for actuator chamber and micro-fluidic channels between chambers, is fabricated using thin Si wafer and microelectromechanical system (MEMS) processes. When optical fluid is filled the internal cavity by conventional injection, void trapping which degrades optical performance or filling impossibility happens because of high aspect ratio between lens diameter and thickness for slim liquid lens. To prevent these problems, we developed wafer-based microfabrications of seal line dispensing, accurate dropping of optical fluid, pressing & bonding process in vacuum and UV sealant curing. Afterward, electro-active polymer actuators, which push the optical fluid to change the lens shape, was attached on the PDMS membrane of liquid lens wafer and sawing process of 9.4mm*9.0mm chip size followed. Finally, the varifocal liquid lens which is slim less than 0.6mm thickness (0.9mm included actuators), tunable more than 20diopter changes of refractive power, guaranteed reliability of 300,000 repetitions and suitable for mass production, was realized.

A flexible tactile-feedback touch screen using transparent ferroelectric polymer film vibrators

To provide tactile feedback on flexible touch screens, transparent relaxor ferroelectric polymer film vibrators were designed and fabricated in this study. The film vibrator can be integrated underneath a transparent cover film or glass, and can also produce acoustic waves that cause a tactile sensation on human fingertips. Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)] polymer was used as the relaxor ferroelectric polymer because it produces a large strain under applied electric fields, shows a fast response, and has excellent optical transparency. The natural frequency of this tactile-feedback touch screen was designed to be around 200–240 Hz, at which the haptic perception of human fingertips is the most sensitive; therefore, the resonance of the touch screen at its natural frequency provides maximum haptic sensation. A multilayered relaxor ferroelectric polymer film vibrator was also demonstrated to provide the same vibration power at reduced voltage. The flexible P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) film vibrators developed in this study are expected to provide tactile sensation not only in large-area flat panel displays, but also in flexible displays and touch screens.

Multilayered relaxor ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-clorotrifluoroethylene) actuators to operate a varifocal liquid-filled microlens

We designed and fabricated the multilayered P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) actuators, which can be operated by the applied voltage of only 40 V. To fabricate P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) films having a thickness of about 1∼2 µm, we also developed a new film transfer method, with which the P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) films of about 1.5 µm thickness were fabricated and stacked. The deflection of the fabricated P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) actuator was measured as a function of applied voltage, showing that with the applied voltage of 40 V the varifocal lens can change the optical power of more than 50 diopters. The response time of the actuator was also measured to be less than 20 ms. Therefore, we showed that the multilayered P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) actuators can be used to operate the varifocal liquid-filled microlens to realize the auto-focus function in mobile phone cameras.