Electrowetting retroreflector devices, systems, and methods

摘要

Switchable retroreflector devices that are modulated via electrowetting. The devices include an electrically-conductive polar fluid and a non-polar fluid that is immiscible with the polar fluid. The polar and the non-polar fluids differ in at least one optical property. The fluids are contained in a fluid vessel, or an array of fluid vessels. The fluids are at least partially viewable. A voltage source is configured to selectively apply an electromechanical force to the polar fluid causing repositioning and/or geometrical change of the fluids such that retroreflection in created, or suppressed, by optical refraction or by optical attenuation.

主权项

1. A switchable retroreflector device comprising:
a fluid vessel having an area therein; an electrically-conductive, polar fluid occupying at least a portion of the fluid vessel;a non-polar fluid that is immiscible with the polar fluid, the non-polar fluid occupying a portion of the fluid vessel that is not occupied by the polar fluid and that differs from the polar fluid in at least one optical property;
retroreflective surface operably coupled to the fluid vessel and configured to retroreflect light that is incident onto the retroreflective surface as a reflected light, each of the incident light and the reflected light traveling through at least one of the polar and non-polar fluids; a capacitor disposed on at least a portion of the fluid vessel and in at least partial contact with the polar fluid; a voltage source electrically coupled to the capacitor, the voltage source configured to selectively apply a voltage to the capacitor and operable to cause the polar fluid to move within the area; wherein the polar and non-polar fluids have different relative geometrical configurations at different applied voltages and each one of the different geometrical configurations is operable to provide a different level of retroreflection; and wherein the retroreflective surface has a bead reflector geometry.