Diffractive Transmission Grating Tuned by Dielectric Elastomer Actuator

A technology for the implementation of electrically tunable optical elements is presented. We illustrate, on the example of a transmission grating (TG), that dielectric elastomer actuators can be used to continuously adjust the properties of diffractive optical elements. The demonstrated TG operates...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE photonics technology letters 2007-07, Vol.19 (14), p.1090-1092
Main Authors: Aschwanden, M., Beck, M., Stemmer, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actuators
Adaptive optics
beam steering
Compressing
dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA)
Dielectrics
diffraction
Diffraction gratings
Diffractive optical elements
Elastomers
Gratings (spectra)
Lenses
Optical devices
Optical diffraction
Optical distortion
Optical filters
Optical polarization
Optical tuning
Phase shifters
tunable grating
Tuning
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Description
Summary:A technology for the implementation of electrically tunable optical elements is presented. We illustrate, on the example of a transmission grating (TG), that dielectric elastomer actuators can be used to continuously adjust the properties of diffractive optical elements. The demonstrated TG operates with high transmission, low optical distortion (93 kW/cm 2 ), is polarization-independent, and achieves a very large tuning range (7.5% grating period compression). Extending the presented technology to other optical elements, including lenses, phase shifters, or intensity filters, is expected to result in a wide range of electrically tunable optical devices.
ISSN:1041-1135
1941-0174
DOI:10.1109/LPT.2007.900055