Apparatus and associated methods
A coating including a liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material, the coating configured to control the shape of a corresponding liquid to form a liquid lens of specific focal length on the coating.
1. A coating comprising a liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material, the coating configured to control the shape of a corresponding liquid to form a liquid lens of specific focal length on the coating, the liquid lens being formed on an exterior surface of a camera window.
2. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating is configured to control the shape of the corresponding liquid via interactions between the liquid and the liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material.
3. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating is configured to control the diameter and/or contact angle of the liquid.
4. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material is arranged to form a surface energy pattern.
5. The coating of claim 4 , wherein the surface energy pattern comprises liquid-phobic and liquid-philic regions.
6. The coating of claim 4 , wherein the surface energy pattern comprises one or more concentric rings, the diameters of the one or more concentric rings configured to control the diameter and/or contact angle of the liquid.
7. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating is optically transparent.
8. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-phobic material comprises a hydrophobic material and the liquid-philic material comprises a hydrophilic material.
9. The coating of claim 8 , wherein the corresponding liquid comprises a polar solvent.
10. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-phobic material comprises a lipophobic material and the liquid-philic material comprises a lipophilic material.
11. The coating of claim 10 , wherein the corresponding liquid comprises a non-polar solvent.
12. A method of producing a coating on a surface, the method comprising:
providing a surface;
and applying a coating to the surface, the coating comprising a liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material, the coating configured to control the shape of a corresponding liquid to form a liquid lens of specific focal length on the coating, the liquid lens being formed on an exterior surface of a camera window.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating is applied by wiping the liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material onto the surface.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating is applied by:
placing a mask over the surface;
depositing the liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material onto the mask; and
removing the mask from the surface to leave a surface energy pattern.
15. A method of forming a liquid lens of specific focal length, the method comprising: providing a coating, the coating comprising a liquid-phobic and/or liquid-philic material, the coating configured to control the shape of a corresponding liquid to form a liquid lens of specific focal length on the coating; depositing a corresponding liquid onto the coating; and controlling the shape of the liquid using the coating to form a liquid lens of specific focal length, the liquid lens being formed on an exterior surface of a camera window.