Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T01:32:49.186Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals as Mesoscale 2D and 3D Lattices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Michael J. Escuti  and
Gregory P. Crawford
Michael J. Escuti
Affiliation:
Brown University, Division of Engineering Providence, RI 02912, USA
Gregory P. Crawford
Affiliation:
Brown University, Division of Engineering Providence, RI 02912, USA
Get access

Abstract

We introduce and explore two- and three-dimensional lattices formed in Holographic-Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals (H-PDLC) materials, which exhibit an electrically controllable index modulation in multiple dimensions. As electro-optically active holograms, these materials exhibit fast dynamic switching phenomena (~100 microseconds), and are simple to fabricate. While many applications have been proposed for these materials, almost all are based on one-dimensional index modulations in various grating regimes. However, constraints in additional dimensions lead to a much greater sensitivity of the polymer morphology to monomer functionality, exposure irradiance, and grating pitch. In an effort to begin to understand this relationship, two-dimensional triangle lattices were created using two monomeric blends exposed over a range of powers. Final diffraction efficiency (Bragg regime), saturation voltage, and polymer morphology were examined from the resulting triangle lattices. Three- dimensional lattices are discussed and a six-beam holographic method is proposed. Photonic crystal applications are envisioned where the pseudo-bandgap can be electrically controlled.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 694: Symposium K – Microphotonics 2001–Materials, Physics and Applications , 2001 , K3.6
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Yablonovitch, E., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 2059- (1987).Google Scholar
2 Yoshino, K., Shimoda, Y., Kawagishi, Y., Nakayama, K., and Ozaki, M., Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 932–934 (1999).Google Scholar
3 Shoji, S. and Kawata, S., Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 2668 (2000).Google Scholar
4 Campbell, M., Sharp, D. N., Harison, M. T., Denning, R. G., and Turberfield, A. J., Nature 404, 53 (2000).Google Scholar
5 Berger, V., Gauthier-Lafaye, O., andCostard, E.,J. Appl. Phys. 82, 60 (1997).Google Scholar
6 Crawford, G. P., Fiske, T. G., and Silverstein, L. D., SIDDigest 27, 99–102 (1996).Google Scholar
7 Fontecchio, A. K., Escuti, M. J., Bowley, C.C., Danworaphong, S., Crawford, G. P., Li, L., and Faris, S., SID Digest 31, 774–777 (2000).Google Scholar
8 Sutherland, R. L., Natarajan, L. V., Tondiglia, V.P., Bunning, T. J., and Adams, W., Appl. Phys. Lett. 64, 1074–1076 (1994).Google Scholar
9 Bowley, C.C., Kossyrev, P. A., and Crawford, G. P., Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 9–11 (2001).Google Scholar
10 Domash, L., Proc. SPIE 3413, 214- (1997).Google Scholar
11 Bowley, C. C. and Crawford, G. P., Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 2235–2237 (2000).Google Scholar
12 Wu, B.-G., Erdmann, J. H., and Doane, J. W., Liq. Cryst. 5, 1453- (1989).Google Scholar