Patent ID: 7929218

Claim:
A variable lens for controllably influencing electromagnetic radiation that interacts with said lens, wherein said lens includes a container; a first dielectric fluid contained in said container; a second dielectric fluid contained in said container, wherein a phase boundary interface is formed between said first and said second fluid and wherein a dielectric constant of said first fluid is different from a dielectric constant of said second fluid; at least one first electrode; at least one second electrode that is arranged relative to said first electrode such that an electrical voltage applied between said first electrode and said second electrode generates an electrical field that passes through said phase boundary interface; wherein for Δ∈=2*|∈1−∈2|/(∈1+∈2) Δ∈>0.1 wherein ∈ 1 represents the dielectric constant of said first fluid; ∈ 2 represents the dielectric constant of said second fluid; Δ∈ represents a relative difference between said dielectric constants of said first fluid and said second fluid.