Even though the subject is not that complicated compared to my previous articles. The evolution of Google Gemini abandoned me on the half way. The way I develop ideas is by brainstorming with AI. I ask extreme questions to see the boundaries and then a light sparks in my brain and idea start developing in my head like composers getting inspiration and start composing a song. Even though this process does not take more than 50 prompts with AI. When I ask it to wrap everything up in an article, it fails all the time. Stuck in details only and misses the big picture. I usually try to fix it. But due to my brain fatigue from the technical idea development. My corrections are usually limited. In this article, I had to ask the AI to rewrite the article over and over again even in its Pro mode. Each time it missed something and the result was weak with unnecessary details on it. So, I decided it to write it myself with some copy paste material from the AI's garbled response, for the technical details.
The idea is very simple using semiconductor technology to develop lenses for mobile devices. It may not sound so innovative but if proper materials are used with proper architecture the result would be revolutionary. As you know photography is writing with light. So, when you capture and transfer the perfect light to the sensor you solve most of the problems in photography. Once you have a perfect optics, the rest of the process simplifies considerably. Current smart phones try to enhance poor quality image using AI and digital processing which results in artificial looking images. They even try to record way more than moving images of the scene to improve the image quality as well. It is possible for photography but not hat practical for video recording. More importantly such solutions require a mobile super computer and large memory buffers. From my point of view that is not an ideal solution.
Semiconductor technologies allow nano meter sized control of materials. This is way lower than the wavelength of the visible light. With this production technology, we can manufacture complex patterns to yield perfect light on the sensor behind. All image quality problems associated with lenses can be corrected in nanometer scale. Such thing is not possible with large lenses due to manufacturing limit and prohibitive cost. With this technology in hand, I started solving the problems associated with lenses. The end result was optical zoom lens with prime lens quality on all focal and aperture levels.
I started with using extreme materials to yield extreme results. 3C-SiC, due to its very high refraction index. It allows us to bend the light more aggressively to allow more compact lenses. Though this resulted in severe chromatic aberration. Which I solved using LiF lens which has the world's lowest chromatic aberration and has the highest light transmittance from extreme infrared to extreme ultraviolet. This combo negated the need to use coating on the lenses. I opted for Fresnel lens which allowed flat low profile lenses which allows easy manufacturability. LiF part of the lens is very delicate and it needed to be protected. Especially for the lens facing the outside. I improved its durability by adding several layers of Fluorinated Graphene. These layers protected LiF from scratches and also made the front of the lens hydrophobic. In order to protect the lens elements further I opted to make the lens assembly vacuum. Having no air eliminated condensation and improved light transmittance and light refraction due to vacuum's extreme values.
I thought of at least two designs for mobile devices. One with several optical zoom and the other with high zoom ratio with folded optics to allow low profile design. The low zoom variant had only three elements. The front and rear elements hermetically sealed the vacuum. The central lens element did all the rest of the work. In lens designs, the inner elements are considerably smaller than the other elements. This allows us to place MEMS around it to turn the whole assembly into a fully functional advanced lens. Way more feature packed than high end DSLR lenses. The MEMS around the inner lens moves the lens linearly to achieve zoom. It also accommodates variable aperture which is also MEMS controlled. The MEMS do the optical image stabilization (OIS) as well. The most advanced feature of the inner lens that it has flexible optics. Like the human eye lens, it will be curved by the dedicated MEMS around it. Thin ceramic lens has high stiffness, but due to its thinness it can be bend slightly many times before cracking. This flexing will be used for focusing and assist OIS as well.
The inner lens structure may look complex from outside but it is fully manufacturable thanks to advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies. One benefit of this setup is something unheard of from any lens. The aperture of the lens moves with the inner lens. This allows constant aperture even the focal length is changed. Something not possible with large lenses. Due to design, all physical movements within the lens assembly is really small in micron scale. This allows very rapid response and low power consumption. More importantly all these advanced features remain operation even when the phone is dropped. Current delicate advanced camera assemblies usually fail after first drop. Due to their micro mechanical parts. On the other hand, MEMS are way durable due to way they are manufactured and non assembled design (weakest part of any micro machine assembly).
For the high optical zoom variant of the design. The very high refractive index of the lenses allows the folded assembly to gather more light and bend it in a more confined space. Allowing up to 10 times optical zoom with almost constant aperture. Due to higher zoom level, I opted for two independently moving inner lenses. One responsible for OIS and aperture, the other for zoom and focusing.
The later design can be used in a tubular form factor as well negating the need for folded optics. This allows a battery like mega zoom action camera. The tubular form is ideal for action videography due to inherited design strength.
Finally, all photographers dream lens can be manufactured in mini scale. If coupled by advanced sensors like Ge. The end result would be breathtaking. The golden rule of photography: The best camera is the one you carry with you; the best lens is the one you carry with you. Such compact design allows the best (in reality as well) camera will be always with you.
The moral of my idea. Instead of pouring money on digital image enhancement technologies, a proper lens architecture can really change photography and videography.
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