Hydrogel lens through electrical tuning: A combined theoretical and finite element analysis

¹ School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University - Tianjin 300350, China
² Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen 518055, China

Received: 15 April 2025
Accepted: 14 May 2025

Abstract

In this work, we propose a theoretical model and validate it with finite element simulations for voltage-controlled hydrogel lenses made from soft materials. The model is built by examining the force equilibrium between the dielectric elastomer membrane and the hydrogel layer, allowing us to predict changes in focal length under applied voltage. Finite element simulations are used to corroborate the model, with results closely matching theoretical predictions. To ensure real-world applicability, the simulation data is also compared with experimental measurements. We observed slight deviations between the experimental lens shapes and the theoretical model due to gravitational effects on the hydrogel. To account for this, we developed a refined finite element model that accurately simulates the experimental conditions, showing strong alignment with both experimental data and theoretical predictions.