Large area adaptative fluidic lens

We have developed a large area (30mm diameter) adaptive fluid-lens using simple fabrication procedures that do not require elaborate micro-fabrication techniques. The lens structure consists of a 2mm thick liquid reservoir which is sandwiched between a solid borosilicate glass substrate, a thick PDMS-elastomer side-wall spacer and a more flexible PDMS-coated PET membrane. The reservoir is connected via a 0.3 mm tube to a commercially available micro-pump used to alter the pressure within the reservoir, thus altering the surface-curvature of the PET membrane and at the same time the optical power of the lens. The lens focal length can be changed from infinity to 0.5m.