The UA Utilises AI to Design More Precise Multifocal Lenses

Researchers at the University of Alicante (UA) have recently achieved a significant breakthrough by applying Artificial Intelligence in the field of optics. Specifically, they have managed to register multifocal lenses in photopolymers, an economical material developed by the group itself. They have fabricated bifocal and trifocal lenses and, thanks to the use of AI, have been able to control the energy distribution among the different foci, adjusting it to the design needs.

A multifocal lens is an optical device capable of focusing light at different points, either axially, transversely, or in both directions simultaneously. "For example," explains Sergi Gallego, Professor of Physics at the University of Alicante, "an intraocular lens with two axial foci can be used to simultaneously correct myopia and presbyopia, avoiding the use of progressive lenses. This type of lens is structured in zones with different levels of dioptres (continuously and without abrupt jumps): the upper part is used for distance vision, while the lower part is intended for near vision."

The advances made by the UA "demonstrate the enormous potential of AI in these processes," states the professor, who highlights how the use of photopolymers allows for the mass production of these lenses at low cost. "Moreover, this discovery represents a significant advancement in the design and manufacture of lenses, by using a spatial light modulator as a master and the photopolymer as a recording material," he asserts.

These multifocal lenses also have applications in other areas of photonics, such as X-ray microscopy or sensor development. However, in the case of intraocular lenses, the next step will be to analyse their durability and interaction with the organism before conducting tests on animal models or humans.

In this regard, Professor Sergi Gallego comments that "in reality, this advancement brings us closer to greater control of wavefronts with very accessible elements, so that, through reverse engineering, devices can be designed for any specific application more quickly and efficiently."

The University of Alicante explains that the institution has always been a "reference" in the field of optical processing and holography. In fact, the photopolymers used in this project were originally employed to record holograms, but their possibilities extend far beyond, allowing for the manufacture of a wide variety of photonic devices.

The Holography and Optical Processing Group, led by Professor Augusto Beléndez and Professor Inmaculada Pascual, has demonstrated its expertise and ability to use photopolymers in multiple applications, from biosensors and solar concentrators to holographic devices for augmented reality.

The work has been developed entirely within the research group at the University of Alicante, with the participation of researchers Juan Carlos Bravo, Joan Sirvent-Verdú, Jaume Colomina-Martínez, José Reyna, Roberto Fernández, Andrés Márquez, and Sergi Gallego.