On-demand liquid microlens arrays by non-contact relocation of inhomogeneous fluids in acoustic fields. Issue 20 (14th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gao, Xiaoqi; Hu, Xuejia; Zheng, Jingjing; Hu, Qinghao; Zhao, Shukun; Chen, Longfei; Yang, Yi
• Is Part Of: Lab on a chip. Volume 22:Issue 20(2022)
• Page Start: 3942
• Page End: 3951
• Publication Date: 2022-09-14
• Subjects: Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Combinatorial chemistry -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; 543.0813
• DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00603k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-0197

Abstract

Abstract : A tunable and on-demand liquid microlens array was created contactlessly by different distributions of miscible liquids in an acoustic standing wave field. Abstract : Microlens arrays (MLAs) are key micro-optical components that possess a high degree of parallelism and ease of integration. However, rapid and low-cost fabrication of MLAs with flexible focusing remains a challenge. Herein, liquid MLAs with dynamic tunability are presented using non-contact acoustic relocation of inhomogeneous fluids. By designing ring-shaped acoustic pressure node (PN) arrays, the denser fluid of miscible liquids is relocated to PNs, and liquid MLAs with ideal morphology are obtained. The experimental results demonstrate that the liquid MLAs possess a powerful reconfigurability with long-term stability and sharp imaging that can conveniently switch between the on and off state and can dynamically magnify by simply adjusting the acoustic amplitude. Moreover, the high biocompatibility inherited from liquids accompanied by the acoustic treatment allows cells to be within working distance of the MLAs without immersion, as would be required for a solid lens. This innovative liquid MLA is inexpensive to manufacture and possesses continuous focus, fast response, and satisfactory bioaffinity, and thus offers promising potential for microfluidic adaptive imaging and biomedical sensing, especially for live cell imaging.