Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Frank Vossen

Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets

Dirk Brokken

Juergen Vogt

Hendrik De Koning

Wendy Mirelle Martam

An actuator comprises an electroactive polymer layer () and a stretchable electrode structure () disposed at a first side of the electroactive polymer layer and further a counter electrode layer () disposed on a second side of the electroactive polymer layer, wherein the ratio Y/Yof the elastic modulus Yof the counter electrode layer and the elastic modulus Yof the electroactive polymer layer is at least 10. When compressed transversally by the electrodes, the electroactive polymer will expand tangentially and the actuator will relax into a shape wherein the interior of the electroded region is substantially recessed parallel to the plane of the device, while a substantial portion of the area increase is absorbed by out-of-plane bends arising at the electrode boundary (duck mode). The invention can be embodied as optically reflective or refractive devices with variable geometry.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Frank Vossen