Miao Xu

Miao Xu

Associate researcher, Hefei University of Technology

Miao Xu, associate researcher, and supervisor for master’s student at Hefei University of Technology. She earned her Ph.D. from Chonbuk National University in South Korea. Her research primarily focuses on adaptive lenses, liquid crystal optoelectronic materials and devices, and 3D display technologies. She has led numerous scientific research projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for Youth Scholars, the General Project of the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project for Returning Overseas Talents in Hefei, the General Project of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, the Academic Newcomer Promotion Program (B Plan) at Hefei University of Technology. She has published more than 50 high-quality academic papers in internationally renowned journals such as Optics Letters, Optics Express, Light: Advanced Manufacturing, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces as the first/corresponding author. She has also been granted 5 patents. Notably, her work on “Electro-responsive liquid-based artificial accommodation lens” was published in Optics Letters and featured as a Spotlight on Optics in the news section of Optica. Additionally, her research on “PVC gel lens for 2D /3D switchable display” was published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, selected as an “Editors’ Choice,” and featured as the supplementary Cover. Xu’s innovative contributions have been recognized with the 2016 and 2014 International Symposium on Display Technologies Doctoral Student Scholarships, as well as the 2015 Xinjiang Self-Funded Overseas Student scholarship. She participated in the project "Liquid Lens and Imaging System Project" and won the 2025 "Innovate China" Anhui Province Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition First Prize.

Title

Focus-tunable microlens array for 2D/3D swithable displays

Abstract：

With the rapid development of display technology, 2D and 3D display technologies have their unique advantages. In scenarios where labels, text, or detailed information need to be presented, 2D displays are an ideal choice due to their high resolution and clarity. On the other hand, 3D display technology excels in providing richer spatial information, offering an enhanced immersive experience for applications such as watching movies, virtual reality experiences, or simulating complex scenes. The 2D/3D switchable display system allows independent control of both display modes, providing users with flexible and diverse personalized experiences.

In the field of optical materials, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel stands out as an electroactive polymer material with excellent flexibility and high transparency. Under the influence of a direct current electric field, PVC gel exhibits creep deformation toward the anode, making it an ideal material for fabricating variable-focus lenses. Compared with traditional liquid crystal lenses, PVC gel lenses have significant advantages, including polarization independence and high optical transmittance. Furthermore, unlike liquid lenses, PVC gel lenses demonstrate superior stability and are unaffected by gravitational effects. Additionally, lenses based on PVC gel are compact in structure, easy to fabricate, and cost-effective, making them highly promising for applications in 2D/3D switchable display systems.

However, the practical application of PVC gel lenses faces a critical challenge: the high drive voltage required limits their large-scale implementation. To address this issue, researchers have precisely regulated the structure and content of ionic liquids, significantly reducing the drive voltage of PVC gel column lens arrays. Experimental results demonstrate that a display system based on PVC gel column lens arrays can achieve stable switching between 2D and 3D display effects, laying a solid foundation for the further promotion of this technology.