Electrically controlled flexible and varifocal microlens array using liquid crystals on polymer

Abstract Microlens arrays (MLA) on flexible substrates have a wide range of applications in advancing curved integral imaging and three-dimensional (3D) display systems with a large field of view. We developed an electrically controlled varifocal MLA on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by infiltrating liquid crystals (LC) in polymeric concave lenses. The focusing and imaging characteristics of the flexible LC-MLA are studied experimentally. When voltage is applied across the LC layer, the refractive index of the LC changes, which causes a change in the effective focal length of the MLA. The electrically tunable focal length and tunable focusing of the MLA are experimentally demonstrated. The mathematical analysis of the LC MLA is performed using the MATLAB platform. The presented flexible LC-MLA is developed using simple and cost-effective fabrication methods, which can potentially be used in future 3D displays and imaging solutions.