| The dissertation presented here describes advancements made in adaptive polymer lens design and implementation. Singlets and doublets lenses were constructed for visible, short- wavelength infrared (SWIR), and middle-wavelength infrared (MWIR) applications. The lenses are implemented in a variety of tactical imaging systems to demonstrate their performance. A process was developed that defines the allowable fabrication variables, first for APL singlets and then for APL doublets. A first-order finite element model is described that enables going from an optical design to APL fabrication. This model was then extended to the design of fluidic doublets, which are equivalent to their two-element glass counter-parts. Two constant volume fluidic chambers were enclosed by three flexible membranes resulting in a variable focal length doublet. Chromatic focal shift was then used to compare numerical modeling to experimentally measured results.;These same tools, methodology, and process were lastly used in the definition and fabrication of the SWIR and MWIR adaptive polymer lens for tactical systems. Imaging and illumination systems are presented, based on these lensesnotably an adaptive zoom imaging system, in the MWIR. This is the first known instance of such a system in this band. |
