Refractive-diffractive switchable optical element

摘要

A lens in accordance with the present invention includes an switchable cell consisting of optical substrate with diffraction surface, elastic film in contact with the diffraction surface of the substrate, optical fluid that fills the space between the film and diffraction surface and the mean to transfer the optical fluid in and out of the space between the film and diffraction surface. The refractive index of the optical fluid matches the refractive index of the optical substrate. The switchable cell changes focus positions between refractive focus in relaxed state when the pressure at both sides of the film is the same and diffraction focus when the optical fluid is transported from the space between the film and optical substrate for the film to largely conform to the diffraction surface shape of the optical substrate.

主权项

1. A switchable cell, comprising:
an optical substrate with a diffractive guiding surface; an elastic film movable to be in contact with the diffractive guiding surface, where in a first state an optical fluid fills a transparent chamber formed between the elastic film and diffractive guiding surface of the optical substrate with a refractive index of the optical fluid matching or close to a refractive index of the optical substrate where the elastic film forms an optically refractive lens characterized by the surface curvature, and wherein in a second state the optical fluid is removed from the transparent chamber where now the elastic film forms an optically diffractive lens with the periodicity of the diffractive guiding surface; and a means for transposing the optical fluid in or out of the transparent chamber to select between the first and second states.