Electrowetting cells with high transmissivity fluids

Abstract

The examples relate to various implementations of an electrowetting cell and optical devices including the electrowetting cell. The electrowetting cell includes a conductive fluid and a non-conductive fluid having refractive indices that differ by at least 0.2. In an example, the fluids of the electrowetting cell are capable of providing at least 50% transmissivity to radiation in a preselected band within the x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, or radiowave spectrums after 1 hour at a temperature of 40° C. and/or after 1 hour of an exposure at an average illuminance of at least 80,000 lux. In another example, the non-conductive fluid is selected from a compound of Formula 1, 2, or 3: in which Rto Rand Rto Rare independently selected from H, a saturated or unsaturated, branched or linear C1 to C6 alkyl group, and a phenyl group; R and Rare aromatic groups, optionally substituted by one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O, and Si, and, in Formula 1, Rand R are optionally linked to one another so as to define a ring; and n is an integer from 1 to 5. The electrowetting cell may be coupled to an optical device, such as a light sensor or light emitting device.