Patent ID: 7558000

Claim:
An optical device, comprising: a sealed container having a edge wall and a side wall; a first liquid and a second liquid, both being sealed within the container and having the property that the first liquid and second liquid do not mix with each other; a hydrophilic film being formed on the edge wall corresponding to the first liquid; a hydrophilic film formed on the side wall corresponding to the first liquid; a water-repellant film formed on the side wall corresponding to the second liquid; and a voltage applying means wherein: an interface between the first liquid and the second liquid changes shape in response to a voltage applied by the voltage applying means, as a result of an electrowetting phenomenon in the first liquid or the second liquid; a light transmission path passing through the interface is formed; the first liquid is formed having a specific gravity and refractive index by mixing three or more kinds of liquids, and at least two of the liquids comprising the first liquid have the same polarity or electrical conductivity, and each of the three or more kinds of the liquids comprising the first liquid have different specific gravity and refractive index.