Fluidic adaptive lens systems and methods

1. A lens device, comprising:

a lens chamber including a plurality of surfaces, wherein at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces is optically transparent;

a lens membrane coupled to the lens chamber, wherein at least a portion of the lens membrane is flexible and optically transparent, and wherein the lens membrane and the lens chamber define a first cavity;

a fluidic medium positioned within the first cavity, the fluidic medium also being optically transparent; and

a control device capable of controlling a parameter of the fluidic medium,

wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to transmit at least 20% of an optical signal over a wavelength spectrum that spans at least 200 nm.

2. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is formed from polyphenyl ether.

3. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is formed from thioethers benzene.

4. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is formed from a medium selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, lens oil, saline, and air.

5. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to achieve an index of refraction of at least 1.3.

6. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum spans from 430 nm to 700 nm.

7. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength spectrum spans from approximately 400 nm to approximately 1600 nm.

8. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is capable of operating over a range of temperature that spans at least 30 degrees Celsius.

9. The lens device of claim 8 , wherein the range of temperature includes a range from −20 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius.

10. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is capable of being stored over a range of temperature that spans at least 30 degrees Celsius.

11. The lens device of claim 10 , wherein the range of temperature includes a range from −40 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius.

12. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to achieve a vapor pressure of nearly zero.

13. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the lens membrane is formed from optically transparent silicone rubber.

14. A method of fabricating a fluidic adaptive lens device, comprising:

providing a lens chamber including a plurality of surfaces, wherein at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces is optically transparent;

affixing a lens membrane to the lens chamber, wherein at least a portion of the lens membrane is flexible and optically transparent and wherein the lens membrane and the lens chamber define a first cavity;

positioning a fluidic medium within the first cavity, wherein the fluidic medium is optically transparent; and

providing a control device capable of controlling a parameter of the fluidic medium,

wherein the fluidic medium is characterized by a property selected from the group consisting of: a transmission level of at least 20% of an optical signal over a wavelength spectrum that spans at least 200 nm, a range of operable temperature that spans at least 30 degrees, and a nearly zero vapor pressure.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluidic medium is formed from polyphenyl ether, or thioethers benzene.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the lens membrane is formed from optically transparent silicone rubber.

17. A lens system comprising:

first and second lens structures, wherein each of the first and second lens structures includes

a respective lens chamber including a respective plurality of surfaces, wherein at least one surface of the respective plurality of surfaces of each respective lens chamber is optically transparent, and

a respective lens membrane coupled to the respective lens chamber of each respective lens structure, wherein at least a portion of each respective lens membrane is flexible and optically transparent, and wherein the respective lens membrane and the respective lens chamber of each respective lens structure together define a respective cavity;

at least one fluidic medium positioned within the cavities of the first and second lens structures, the at least one fluidic medium also being optically transparent; and

means for controlling at least one parameter of the at least one fluidic medium,

wherein the at least one fluidic medium is characterized by a property selected from the group consisting of: a transmission level of at least 20% of an optical signal over a wavelength spectrum that spans at least 200 nm, a range of operable temperature that spans at least 30 degrees, and a nearly zero vapor pressure.

18. The lens device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic medium includes an ionic fluid medium.

19. The lens device of claim 18 , wherein the ionic fluidic medium includes at least one of 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to achieve a vapor pressure of nearly zero.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to transmit at least 20% of an optical signal over a wavelength spectrum that spans at least 200 nm, wherein the fluidic medium is capable of operating over a range of temperature that spans at least 30 degrees Celsius, and wherein the fluidic medium is capable of being stored over a range of temperature that spans at least 30 degrees Celsius.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the fluidic medium is capable of operating over a range of temperature that spans at least 30 degrees Celsius, and wherein the fluidic medium is capable of being stored over a range of temperature that spans at least 30 degrees Celsius.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to achieve a vapor pressure of nearly zero, wherein the fluidic medium is selected so as to transmit at least 20% of an optical signal over a wavelength spectrum that spans at least 200 nm, and wherein the fluidic medium includes an ionic fluid medium.