Modeling and simulation of custom microlenses from electrically deformed droplets

We present an approach for fabricating customized microlenses through the deformation and curing of liquid polymer droplets under static electric fields. This technique provides significant flexibility in controlling lens parameters and is applicable to both fiber and planar substrates. The droplet deformation process is analyzed using shadowgraphy imaging to capture the contour evolution and finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate the electric field distribution and its interaction with the droplet. An empirical model is developed to predict droplet deformation based on applied voltage, material properties, and electrode configurations, as well as a model to predict the focal point using data from ray tracing simulations. The models are validated against a verification dataset, showing good agreement. Once deformed, the droplet can be solidified using UV-curable polymer or its geometry can be reconstructed and fabricated via additive manufacturing. The study delivers a path for modeling, predicting, and fabricating microlenses with customized geometries. These results have significance for rapid prototyping of microlenses tailored to applications in optical communication, illumination, and imaging systems.