Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Jong-hyeon Chang

Min-seog Choi

Seung-wan Lee

Eun-sung Lee

Kyu-Dong Jung

Woon-bae Kim

Hyun Do Choi

Eun-Sung Lee

Kyu-dong Jung

Provided are an optical switch, an optical probe including the optical switch, and a medical imaging apparatus including the optical probe. The optical probe includes a probe body that is configured to be insertable into a body cavity, and an optical switch that is disposed in the probe body and includes a first region formed of a material having a first refractive index, and a second region that forms an interface with the first region and is configured to have a fluid is introduced into the second region, wherein the optical switch is configured to change a path of propagation of incident light according to a second refractive index of the second region.

Optical switching unit, optical probe including the same, and medical imaging apparatus including optical probe

A variable liquid lens system is provided. The variable liquid lens system includes a lens barrel comprising a wall and first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are substantially transparent, at least one liquid lens disposed in the lens barrel and contacting the wall, the at least one liquid lens comprising a droplet, and a plurality of spaces containing fluid positioned on opposite sides of the at least one liquid lens inside the lens barrel. A plurality of first holes are provided in the wall at a position corresponding to the plurality of spaces. The at least one liquid lens is configured so that a position of the at least one liquid lens within the lens barrel is adjustable by adjusting amounts of the fluid contained in the plurality of spaces via the plurality of first holes.

Variable liquid lens system

The variable liquid device includes: a chamber including a channel, in which a fluid flows, having an inconsistent height in at least a part of the channel; a first fluid filled in the chamber and formed of a non-transmissive material; and a second fluid filled in the chamber and formed of a light transmittable material that does not mix with the first fluid, wherein an aperture, through which light is transmitted, is adjusted according to a variation of an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid.

Variable liquid device having uneven channel and apparatus including the same

Exemplary embodiments disclose an optical zoom probe including an aperture adjuster configured to adjust an aperture in which light transmitted by a light transmitter passes, a focus adjuster configured to focus the light passed through the aperture and adjust a focal length to an ultra-close location and a close location, and a filter which includes a center region in which incident light passes without change, and a filter region which surrounds the center region and increases a depth of focus (DOF) of light that is focused on the ultra-close location.

Optical zoom probe

An aperture adjusting apparatus is provided. The aperture adjusting apparatus includes: a variable part of which an aperture size varies; an optical sensor configured to sense light incident to the variable device part and light output from the variable device part; an aperture calculator configured to calculate a size of an aperture formed in the variable part from light intensity sensed by the optical sensor; and a driving controller configured to control driving of the variable device part by receiving a calculation result fed back from the aperture calculator.

Method and apparatus for adjusting an aperture in an optical system

An optical zoom probe is disclosed. The optical zoom probe includes: at least one liquid lens having a focus which is configured to be adjusted according to a flow of a fluid through a flow path; and a barrel provided to form the flow path and including a narrowed first end part including a first opening through which an image is captured, the at least one liquid lens being provided inside the barrel.

A numerical aperture (NA) controlling unit and a variable optical probe including the same are provided. The NA controlling unit includes: an aperture adjustment unit which controls an aperture through which light is transmitted; and a focus control unit that is disposed in a predetermined position with respect to the aperture adjustment unit, that focuses light transmitted through the aperture, and that has an adjustable focal length. The variable optical probe includes: a light transmission unit; a collimator that collimates light transmitted through the light transmission unit into parallel light; an NA controlling unit that focuses light on a sample to be inspected; and a scanner that varies a path of light transmitted through the light transmission unit such that a predetermined region of the sample is scanned by light that passes through the NA controlling unit.

Numerical aperture (NA) controlling unit, variable optical probe including the NA controlling unit, and depth scanning method using the NA controlling unit

A microfluidic device and a method of controlling a fluid included in the microfluidic device. The microfluidic device includes: a chamber; a first fluid that is disposed in the chamber and in which a hygroscopic material is dissolved; a second fluid that is disposed in the chamber and is immiscible with the first fluid; and an electrode portion provide in the chamber and is configured to form an electrical field in the chamber when a voltage is applied to the electrode portion, wherein an interface between the first and second fluids is varied according to the electrical field.

Microfluidic device and method of controlling fluid in the same

An optical zoom probe is provided. The optical zoom probe includes: an aperture adjuster which adjusts an aperture through which light which is transmitted by a light transmitter propagates; and a focus adjuster which focuses light that propagates through the aperture and which includes first and second liquid lenses for each of which respective curvatures are independently controlled so as to adjust a respective focal length.

Provided is an aperture adjusting apparatus for adjusting an aperture through which light transmits. The aperture adjusting apparatus includes: a chamber configured to have space in which fluid flows, the chamber including a lower channel, an upper channel, and a plurality of reservoir regions connecting the lower channel and the upper channel and each having a non-uniform width crossing a flow direction of a fluid to form a space in which fluid flows; a photo-interceptive first fluid and a photo-transmissive second fluid having a property that the photo-transmissive second fluid does not mix with the first fluid and that are prepared in the chamber; and a first electrode unit in which one or more electrodes to which a voltage is applied are arrayed to form an electric field in the chamber, wherein an aperture through which light transmits is adjusted by a location change of an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid according to the electric field.

Apparatus for adjusting aperture using microelectrofluidic method

A microelectrofluidic device includes: a chamber; a first fluid and a second fluid which are contained in the chamber and are not mixable with each other; and a first electrode group including a plurality of electrodes that are disposed on an inner side of the chamber, and to which a voltage is applied to change an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid, wherein the plurality of electrodes are connected to form a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit, and a third electrode unit that are independently turned on or off, and the plurality of electrodes are annular and coated with an insulating material, and adjacent electrodes are connected to different electrode units.

Microelectrofluidic device and method of driving the same

Provided are a micro electric liquid device and an apparatus including the device. The micro electric liquid device includes a first fluid that is opaque, a second fluid that is transparent a first channel configured to have the first and second fluid flow therein without mixing, a second channel overlapped and spaced apart from the first channel, wherein the second channel is configured to have the first and second fluids flow therein, and a connection part connecting the first and second channels, wherein an aperture is adjusted by a positional change of an interface between the first and second fluids in the first and second channels, and wherein the second channel includes a first sub channel configured to have the first and second fluids flow therein and having a non-uniform height and a second sub channel configured to have the second fluid to flow therein and having a uniform height.

Micro electric liquid device and apparatus including the same

An aperture adjusting device for adjusting an aperture through which light is transmitted. The aperture adjusting device includes: a chamber; a first fluid and a second fluid disposed within the chamber. The first fluid and second fluid are not mixed with each other. The first fluid transmits light and the second fluid blocks or absorbs light. A first electrode unit is disposed on an inner surface of the chamber, and includes one or more electrodes to which a voltage may be applied to form an electric field in the chamber. An aperture within the chamber through which light is transmitted is adjustable by adjusting an interfacial location between the first fluid and the second fluid by modifying the electric field.

Aperture adjusting method and device

A curvature control device includes: a first fluid having a light transmitting property and a polarity; a second fluid that has a light transmitting property and is not mixed with the first fluid; a chamber forming an inner space for containing the first fluid Fand the second fluid Fand including a lens area in which an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid forms an optical interface, and a plurality of channel areas in which another interface between the first fluid and the second fluid functions as a driving interface for inducing a variation in curvature of the optical interface; and an electrode portion generating an electric field for varying a position of the driving interface.

Device and method for controlling curvature

A curvature control device includes a first fluid that has a light transmitting property and a polar property; a second fluid that has a light transmitting property; a chamber that the first fluid and the second fluid are accommodated without being mixed with each other, wherein a boundary surface between the first fluid and the second fluid comprises a first surface that is a lens surface and a second surface that induces a change in a curvature of the first surface; a first intermediate plate that is disposed in the chamber, and includes a first through-hole that forms a diameter of a lens corresponding to the first surface and a second through-hole that forms a path of the second fluid; and an electrode portion configured to generate an electric field that changes a position of the second surface.

Growing community of inventors

Suwon-si, South Korea

Jong-hyeon Chang