Fluidic adaptive lens of transformable lens type

Fluidic adaptive lenses with a transformable lens type were demonstrated. By adjusting the fluidic pressure, not only can the lens properties, such as the focal distance and numerical aperture, be tuned dynamically but also different lens types, such as planoconvex, planoconcave, biconvex, biconcave, positive meniscus, and negative meniscus lenses, can be formed. The shortest focal length for a 20 mm aperture adaptive lens is 14.3 mm when the device is transformed into a positive lens, and -6.3 mm when transformed into a negative lens. The maximum resolution of the fluidic lens is better than 40 line pairs/mm. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.