Volume diffraction gratings (VDGs) are inscribed selectively by diffusive introduction of benzophenone and subsequent UV-holographic structuring into an electroactive dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA), to afford a continuous voltage-controlled grating shift of 17%. The internal stress coupling of DEA and optical domain allows for a new generation of true monolithic tunable elastomer optics with voltage controlled properties.
Keywords: dielectric elastomer actuators; elastic gratings; holography; tunable optics; volume diffraction gratings.
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