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Parametric analysis of thin multifunctional elastomeric optical sheets

  • Chloë Nicholson-Smith

    Chloë Nicholson-Smith works as a Research Associate for Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics at the University of Western Ontario. She received her MESc in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from the University of Western Ontario in 2016 and received her BESc in 2014. Her current research focuses on the use of computer-aided engineering in the design and evaluation of medical devices.

     ORCID logo     , George K. Knopf

    George K. Knopf is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at The University of Western Ontario, Canada. His research activities involve bioelectronics, biosensors, laser material processing, and micro-optical transducers. Past contributions have led to novel imaging systems, innovative fabrication processes, and advanced materials. Dr. Knopf’s current work involves the development of conductive graphene-derivative inks and novel fabrication processes for printing bioelectronic circuitry on mechanically flexible substrates. He has co-edited two CRC Press volumes entitled Smart Biosensor Technology and Optical Nano and Micro Actuator Technology, and recently co-authored a SPIE E-Book on Biofunctionalized Photoelectric Transducers. Professor Knopf has acted as a technical reviewer for numerous academic journals, conferences, and granting agencies and has co-chaired several international conferences.

     ORCID logo EMAIL logo     and Evgueni Bordatchev

    Evgueni Bordatchev is a Senior Research Officer and a Team Leader for the Specialty Coating Microfabrication group at the National Research Council of Canada, in London, Ontario. He received his Master, PhD, and Doctor of Technical Science degrees in electro-mechanical engineering from Don State Technical University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in 1982, 1989, and 1996, respectively. Since 1998, he is with the National Research Council demonstrating his national and international recognition as an expert in laser/cutting-based high-precision micromachining, surface functionalization and polishing, micro-optics, micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems/sensors, and micro-molds/dies. He has authored/co-authored over 224 publications and holds six patents. Dr. Bordatchev is an Adjunct Professor at The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada) since the year 2000, and he is also a member of the Editorial Board for Springer’s Journal, Lasers in Manufacturing and Materials Processing.

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Published/Copyright: May 16, 2018
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Advanced Optical Technologies
From the journal Advanced Optical Technologies Volume 7 Issue 4

Abstract

Flexible optical sheets are thin large-area polymer light guide structures that can be used to create innovative passive light-harvesting and illumination systems. The optically transparent micro-patterned polymer sheet is designed to be draped over arbitrary surfaces or hung like a curtain. The light guidance sheet is fabricated by bonding two or more micro-patterned layers with different indices of optical refraction. By imprinting micro-optical elements on the constituent layers, it is possible to have portions of the optical sheet act as a light concentrator, near ‘lossless’ transmitter, or diffuser. However, the performance and efficiency of the flexible optical sheet depends on the overall curvature (κ) of the optical sheet and the relative orientation of incident light source. To illustrate this concept, the impact of key design parameters on the controlled guidance of light through a two-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) concentrator-transmitter-diffuser optical sheet is investigated using ray tracing simulation software. The analysis initially considers a flat (κ=0) PDMS optical sheet exposed to a collimated light source. The impact of sheet curvature (κ>0) on both system efficiency and illumination uniformity is then briefly explored. Critical design guidelines for creating multifunctional monolithic optical sheets are also summarized.

Keywords: concentrators; diffusers; elastomeric optics; large area optical sheets; polydimethylsiloxane; ray tracing simulation

About the authors

Chloë Nicholson-Smith

Chloë Nicholson-Smith works as a Research Associate for Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics at the University of Western Ontario. She received her MESc in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from the University of Western Ontario in 2016 and received her BESc in 2014. Her current research focuses on the use of computer-aided engineering in the design and evaluation of medical devices.

George K. Knopf

George K. Knopf is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at The University of Western Ontario, Canada. His research activities involve bioelectronics, biosensors, laser material processing, and micro-optical transducers. Past contributions have led to novel imaging systems, innovative fabrication processes, and advanced materials. Dr. Knopf’s current work involves the development of conductive graphene-derivative inks and novel fabrication processes for printing bioelectronic circuitry on mechanically flexible substrates. He has co-edited two CRC Press volumes entitled Smart Biosensor Technology and Optical Nano and Micro Actuator Technology, and recently co-authored a SPIE E-Book on Biofunctionalized Photoelectric Transducers. Professor Knopf has acted as a technical reviewer for numerous academic journals, conferences, and granting agencies and has co-chaired several international conferences.

Evgueni Bordatchev

Evgueni Bordatchev is a Senior Research Officer and a Team Leader for the Specialty Coating Microfabrication group at the National Research Council of Canada, in London, Ontario. He received his Master, PhD, and Doctor of Technical Science degrees in electro-mechanical engineering from Don State Technical University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in 1982, 1989, and 1996, respectively. Since 1998, he is with the National Research Council demonstrating his national and international recognition as an expert in laser/cutting-based high-precision micromachining, surface functionalization and polishing, micro-optics, micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems/sensors, and micro-molds/dies. He has authored/co-authored over 224 publications and holds six patents. Dr. Bordatchev is an Adjunct Professor at The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada) since the year 2000, and he is also a member of the Editorial Board for Springer’s Journal, Lasers in Manufacturing and Materials Processing.

Acknowledgments

This paper is the result of the collaboration between the University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada) and the National Research Council of Canada (London, Ontario, Canada). Partial financial support was also provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, Funder Id: 10.13039/501100000038, Grant Number: RGPIN/05858-2014. The authors would also like to acknowledge the support of CMC Microsystems (Kingston, Ontario, Canada) in providing access to the Zemax OpticStudio software through their Designer subscription program.

Appendix A

As discussed in Section 4, the pre-defined constraints on the two-layer PDMS optical sheet were n0=1.0, n1=1.4, n2=1.55, tmax=2 mm, SA=50000 mm2, and CF=500×. Based on the desired tmax of the optical sheet, the remaining parameters for the Zemax OpticStudio simulation were determined from the equations in Section 3. A summary of the calculations is provided below.

(A1)t2=SACF=50000500=0.4 mm
(A2)t1=tmax−t2=2.0−0.4=1.6 mm
(A3)r=tmax(n1−1)n1=2(1.4−1)1.4=0.57 mm
(A4)θPmax=90−sin−1(n1n2)=90−sin−1(1.41.55)=25°
(A5)αmax=θPmax+902=25+902=57.2°
(A6)αmin=sin−1(n0n2)+θimax=sin−1(11.55)+5=45.2°

where θimax is assumed to be 5° and n0=1 (i.e. air). The selected base angle α is mid-range or

(A7)α=αmax+αmin2=57.2°+45.2°2=52.5°
(A8)θimax=sin−1(n1n2sin(tan−1(P/2r2−(P/2)2))− sin−1(1n1sin(tan−1(P/2r2−(P/2)2))))

Substitute known parameters into Eq. (A8) such that

5=sin−1(1.41.55sin(tan−1(0.5P(0.57)2−(0.5P)2))− sin−1(11.4sin(tan−1(0.5P(0.57)2−(0.5P)2))))

and solve for the single unknown pitch, where P=0.371 mm in this example.

(A9)bmax=P10=0.37110=0.0371 mm
(A10)θPmin=2α−90−θimax=2(52.5°)−90°−5°=10°
(A11)θPmax=2α−90=2(52.5°)−90°=15°
(A12)θdmin=12(90−sin−1(1n2)−θPmin)=12(90−sin−1(11.55)−10)=20
(A13)θdmax=90−sin−1(1n2)−θPmax=90−sin−1(11.55)−15=35°

For this illustrative example, the diffuser wedge angle was selected above the mid-range, or θd=30°.

(A14)lmin=2(t2tan(θpmin))=2(4.15tan(10°))=4.7 mm
(A15)w=t25×tan(θd)=0.4155×tan(30°)=0.144 mm

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Received: 2018-02-04
Accepted: 2018-04-12
Published Online: 2018-05-16
Published in Print: 2018-08-28

©2018 THOSS Media & De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Cover and Frontmatter
  2. Community
  3. News
  4. Editorial
  5. Optical materials
  6. Topical Issue: Optical Materials Part 1
  7. Tutorial
  8. Parametric analysis of thin multifunctional elastomeric optical sheets
  9. Review Article
  10. Deep-UV materials
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https://doi.org/10.1515/aot-2018-0012
Keywords for this article
concentrators; diffusers; elastomeric optics; large area optical sheets; polydimethylsiloxane; ray tracing simulation

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Cover and Frontmatter
  2. Community
  3. News
  4. Editorial
  5. Optical materials
  6. Topical Issue: Optical Materials Part 1
  7. Tutorial
  8. Parametric analysis of thin multifunctional elastomeric optical sheets
  9. Review Article
  10. Deep-UV materials
  11. Research Articles
  12. Frequency-dependent electro-optics of liquid crystal devices utilizing nematics and weakly conducting polymers
  13. Design of a 1D phase-mask translational scanner for large-size spatially coherent grating printing
  14. Single pulse femtosecond laser ablation of silicon – a comparison between experimental and simulated two-dimensional ablation profiles
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