title: Optimization of refractive liquid crystal lenses using an efficient multigrid simulation.
abstract: A multigrid computational model has been developed to assess the performance of refractive liquid crystal lenses, which is up to 40 times faster than previous techniques. Using this model, the optimum geometries producing an ideal parabolic voltage distribution were deduced for refractive liquid crystal lenses with diameters from 1 to 9 mm. The ratio of insulation thickness to lens diameter was determined to be 1:2 for small diameter lenses, tending to 1:3 for larger lenses. The model is used to propose a new method of lens operation with lower operating voltages needed to induce specific optical powers. The operating voltages are calculated for the induction of optical powers between + 1.00 D and + 3.00 D in a 3 mm diameter lens, with the speed of the simulation facilitating the optimization of the refractive index profile. We demonstrate that the relationship between additional applied voltage and optical power is approximately linear for optical powers under + 3.00 D. The versatility of the computational simulation has also been demonstrated by modeling of in-plane electrode liquid crystal devices.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. harry.milton@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brimicombe
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clamp
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D007909:Lenses; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000379:methods*; D012031:Refractometry