Dynamic optical beam steering

摘要

A system for dynamically steering a light beam alters the path of a light beam using refraction. The light beam passes through multiple layers of optically transparent elastic material. Electrodes are attached to the bottom and top surfaces of the optically transparent layers. Voltages applied to the electrodes cause the optically transparent layers to deform. This deformation causes a change in the angle at which the light beam intercepts the surfaces of the optically transparent layers. The light beam is refracted based upon the angle of intercept and the index of refraction of the optically transparent layers. The direction of travel of the light beam can thus be controlled by varying the voltages across the electrodes.