Process equipped with a sloped UV lamp for the fabrication of gradient-refractive-index lenses

Soft Functionally Gradient Materials and Structures - Natural and Manmade: A Review

Functionally gradient materials (FGM) have gradual variations in their properties along one or more dimensions due to local compositional or structural distinctions by design. Traditionally, hard materials (e.g., metals, ceramics) are used to design and fabricate FGMs; however, there is increasing interest in polymer-based soft and compliant FGMs mainly because of their potential application in the human environment. Soft FGMs are ideally suitable to manage interfacial problems in dissimilar materials used in many emerging devices and systems for human interaction, such as soft robotics and electronic textiles and beyond. Soft systems are ubiquitous in everyday lives; they are resilient and can easily deform, absorb energy, and adapt to changing environments. Here, the basic design and functional principles of biological FGMs and their manmade counterparts are discussed using representative examples. The remarkable multifunctional properties of natural FGMs resulting from their sophisticated hierarchical structures, built from a relatively limited choice of materials, offer a rich source of new design paradigms and manufacturing strategies for manmade materials and systems for emerging technological needs. Finally, the challenges and potential pathways are highlighted to leverage soft materials' facile processability and unique properties toward functional FGMs.

Dual-step method to manufacture a polymeric GRIN lens with a high refractive index range

We introduce a new method to obtain gradient index (GRIN) lenses by dual-step process based on interdiffusion of two different polymeric solutions and gelation of the final mixture. The aim of the study was investigated as a simple process to produce a gel characterized by a continuous axial concentration gradient starting from two thermoplastic polymers [poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(acrylic acid)] having different refractive indexes. We also introduced a laser scanning system that is conveniently implemented to analyze the refractive index variation in the samples.

Wavelength-scale light concentrator made by direct 3D laser writing of polymer metamaterials

We report on the realization of functional infrared light concentrators based on a thick layer of air-polymer metamaterial with controlled pore size gradients. The design features an optimum gradient index profile leading to light focusing in the Fresnel zone of the structures for two selected operating wavelength domains near 5.6 and 10.4 μm. The metamaterial which consists in a thick polymer containing air holes with diameters ranging from λ/20 to λ/8 is made using a 3D lithography technique based on the two-photon polymerization of a homemade photopolymer. Infrared imaging of the structures reveals a tight focusing for both structures with a maximum local intensity increase by a factor of 2.5 for a concentrator volume of 1.5 λ³, slightly limited by the residual absorption of the selected polymer. Such porous and flat metamaterial structures offer interesting perspectives to increase infrared detector performance at the pixel level for imaging or sensing applications.

Deflectometry for measuring inhomogeneous refractive index fields in two-dimensional gradient-index elements

We present a numerical method for calculating inhomogeneous refractive index fields in rectangular gradient-index (GRIN) elements from measured boundary positions and slopes of a collection of rays that transit the medium. The inverse problem is reduced to a set of linear algebraic equations after approximating ray trajectories from the measured boundary values and is solved using a pseudo-inverse algorithm for sparse linear equations. The ray trajectories are subsequently corrected using an iterative ray trace procedure to ensure consistency in the solution. We demonstrate our method in simulation by reconstructing a hypothetical rectangular GRIN element on a  15×15 discrete grid using 800 interrogating rays, in which RMS refractive index errors less than 0.5% of the index range (n(max)-n(min)) are achieved. Furthermore, we identify three primary sources of error and assess the importance of data redundancy and system conditioning in the reconstruction process.

Gradient-index materials based on thiol-ene networks

Gradient-index (GRIN) optics offer spatially varied refractive indexes that can enhance current imaging technologies. Current methods to fabricate GRIN optics are highly complex and costly. Here we report a simple and efficient method that utilizes commercially available reagents to fabricate polymeric GRIN optics with significant refractive index differences (Δn = 0.04). First, two different mixtures of network precursors are layered and time allotted for molecular diffusion in the liquid state, prior to curing. The resulting, partially mixed layers are UV-cured to yield clear, glassy molecular networks with fixed refractive index gradients. The fully cured network resins exhibit smoothly varying composition and refractive index over centimeter length scales, confirmed by spectroscopy and interferometry.

Arbitrary GRIN component fabrication in optically driven diffusive photopolymers

We introduce a maskless lithography tool and optically-initiated diffusive photopolymer that enable arbitrary two-dimensional gradient index (GRIN) polymer lens profiles. The lithography tool uses a pulse-width modulated deformable mirror device (DMD) to control the 8-bit gray-scale intensity pattern on the material. The custom polymer responds with a self-developing refractive index profile that is non-linear with optical dose. We show that this nonlinear material response can be corrected with pre-compensation of the intensity pattern to yield high fidelity, optically induced index profiles. The process is demonstrated with quadratic, millimeter aperture GRIN lenses, Zernike polynomials and GRIN Fresnel lenses.