Elastomeric optical elements with deformable surface topographies: applications to force measurements, tunable light transmission and light focusing

We fabricated and characterized three elastomeric optical devices whose optical properties are controlled by distorting the surface topographies of the elastomeric elements. In the force sensor, an applied force distorts the retroreflective corner cube surface pattern increasing the transmissivity of the device. The magnitude and the location of the force can be related to the intensity of the transmitted light. In the thermal light valve, the corner cube topography is distorted thermally; the transmissivity is controlled by the amount of heat delivered to the device. In the elastomeric Fresnel lens, heating of the elastomer results in defocusing of light passing through the lens. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.