The principle of electrowetting has been known as far back as 1875. Modernly, the concept is being developed to produce a variable-focus lens from a single water droplet for mobile phones. While such an application can be achieved with modest variations in the shape of the droplet, this contemporary application of electrowetting fails to provide a solution for optical switches, for example, where relatively large planar surfaces are useful for redirecting beams of light. There is therefore a need for a system adapted to induce relatively large changes in the orientation and position of an electrowetting solution, which may then be used to reflect and/or refract light signals.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds