Polarisation independent liquid crystal lenses and contact lenses using embossed reactive mesogens. Issue 3 (24th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jones, J. Cliff; Wahle, Markus; Bailey, James; Moorhouse, Tom; Snow, Benjamin; Sargent, Joe
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Society for Information Display. Volume 28:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 211
• Page End: 223
• Publication Date: 2020-01-24
• Subjects: adaptive optics -- embossing -- liquid crystal lens -- nematic -- reactive mesogens -- switchable contact lens; Information display systems -- Periodicals; 621.38154205
• DOI: 10.1002/jsid.874
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1071-0922

Abstract

Abstract: Liquid crystal lenses have promise in optical systems owing to their tunability combined with low electrical power, cost, and weight. A good example of such a system is switchable contact lenses for the correction of age‐related presbyopia. Sufficiently large phase modulation can be done using nematic liquid crystals in a meniscus lens configuration. However, the birefringent materials are inherently polarisation dependent, usually requiring orthogonal polarisations to be focussed separately. A novel method is presented for producing polarisation independent lenses based on reactive mesogens. Results are presented for a 2‐level and 3‐level diffractive Fresnel lenses, and the promise of the technique for use in refractive lenses such as contact lenses is discussed. Abstract : Polarisation independence for either diffractive or refractive switchable lenses is described, using birefringent lens structures that are index matched to a contacting liquid crystal. The production method and results for a diffractive Fresnel lens are described in detail and the prospects for using the method in refractive lenses such as adaptive contact lenses considered.