Nematic Defects and Colloids as Photonic Elements

Birefringent structures in liquid crystalline fluids, such as colloidal assemblies or topological defects, show high potential for use as photonic elements. Here, we present a brief overview of two photonic phenomena originating from coupling light fields with complex birefringent nematic profiles: (i) the generation of vector laser beams from simple Gaussian beams by propagating light along nematic discliantions, and (ii) tunable photonic crystals from blue phase colloidal crystals conditioned by the different underlying symmetries of the particle lattice and the blue phase birefringence. The polarization profile of initially simple linearly polarized Gaussian beams is shown to change into a defect structure at distinct distances travelled along the disclination with the topological invariant (winding number) of the light field and nematic director distinctly coupled. Upon pulsed laser illumination, the nematic discliantions are also shown to split the light pulse into multiple intensity regions. Blue phase I face centred cubic colloidal crystals are shown as examples of tunable photonic crystals, where local band-baps can open by differently combining the symmetries of the two components, e.g. by changing the particle size. The spatial profiles of selected photonic bands in the blue phase colloidal crystals are shown, finding the particles and blue phase double twist cylinders as possible carriers of high-light-intensity regions.     

利用水平沉积法制作PS微球二元胶体薄膜及其它复杂结构

本文采用水平沉积方法,制作出各种胶体晶体薄膜.以聚苯乙烯微球为构建单元,制作了多种二元胶体晶体和非单一平面的胶体晶体.为实现太赫兹光子晶体波导,还采用这一方法将线缺陷植入胶体晶体.结果显示通过该方法可以获得很好的有序结构,说明水平沉积方法可以广泛于各种胶体晶体制作.     

反蛋白石结构光子晶体制备技术

光子晶体是一种具有光子带隙的新型材料,由于其可以控制和抑制光子运动的特性,在光通讯领域具有广阔的应用前景.反蛋白石结构是光子晶体一种重要的结构,由于其制备方法简便、成本低廉而受到人们的普遍关注.本文在介绍目前常用的几种制备光子晶体技术的基础上,详细阐述了制备反蛋白石结构光子晶体的各种技术和方法、以及利用这些制备技术和方法在反蛋白石结构光子晶体上制备一维和二维缺陷的最新进展.     

Functionalisation of cholesteric liquid crystals by direct laser writing

Cholesteric liquid crystals selectively reflect circularly polarised light with the same handedness as the helix. Because of their sensitivity to external stimuli, such as heat and electrical fields, various applications utilising their tunability have been proposed. Tuning is usually performed in the bulk, meaning that cholesteric liquid crystals usually possess a single pitch throughout the medium. However, when the helical structure is locally modulated, different optical properties arise, such as tunable photonic defect modes and multiple reflection bands. Here we show a technique to locally modulate the helical structure of cholesteric liquid crystals on a submicron scale, based on two-photon excitation direct laser lithography. Two examples of cholesteric liquid crystal structures with modulated helical structures will be presented.     

光子晶体多组元缺陷态问题研究

缺陷态光子晶体可以用于制作良好的谐振器、偏振器、滤光器等光学器件,具有重要的应用价值。本文发展了光子晶体缺陷态问题的PG有限元界面问题计算方法,有效地处理了各种不同组元体系、几何结构、界面形状、材料属性以及模态的光子晶体缺陷态问题。数值结果表明,二组元结构单点缺陷对带隙的影响较小,只是使局部范围内的波继续传播而产生一条缺陷带,多点缺陷使一些特定范围内的波可以传播而产生多条缺陷带,线缺陷产生的影响较大,可以使整个禁带消失。结合线缺陷与点缺陷,波导结构中的侧点缺陷可以有效地应用于光子晶体阻带内诱导窄通带或在波导的通带内诱导非常窄的阻带。三组元结构引入了不均匀介质、复杂介质形状以及不同几何结构的缺陷态。通过计算与分析发现Ω₃区域的介质形状对结果影响比较有限,表面层越不光滑禁带越窄,n型缺陷态在TM模中的高频区域更容易产生禁带。对于TE模来说,n型与v型的缺陷态更容易产生禁带。     

Template effects on the morphology of ZnO via colloidal crystals with different functional groups

ZnO is an important wide bandgap compound semiconducting material and exhibits a wide range of novel structures that can be grown by tuning the growth rates along its fast growth directions. Highly ordered macroporous materials by using colloidal crystal template method are of great interest in many fields including photonic crystals and catalysts. In this study, ZnO with highly ordered porous structure was deposited by different electrochemical method. Nanomeshes, inverse opal structures, and spherical/ellipsoidal particles with pore arrays are fabricated by the colloidal crystals with different functional groups. The template effects on the morphology of the macroporous structures for different surface groups are studied. All the nanomeshes grows along the {111} plane family by colloidal crystals without functional groups. Disordered arrangements of the nanomeshes are induced by colloidal crystals with hydroxyl groups. The inverse opal structures fabricated by template with carboxyl groups are smoother in surface.     

SiO2双尺寸光子晶体的自组装及稳定性探索

采用St?ber法制备不同尺寸SiO2胶体球,利用多次垂直沉积法制备SiO2双尺寸光子晶体.通过场发射扫描电子显微镜(FE-SEM)对所得双尺寸光子晶体的形貌和排列方式进行表征.对双尺寸光子晶体的生长过程进行探讨,研究界面作用力及胶体球间相互作用力对制备稳定结构的影响.研究结果表明,SiO2双尺寸光子晶体具有更加有序稳定的结构.胶体球间的相互作用力随胶体球粒径增大而增大,大粒径胶体球更有利于形成稳定的结构.     

掺杂光子晶体光纤的缺陷模增益谱与光孤子拉曼放大研究

本文研究在层状结构光子晶体光纤中引入多个缺陷区,制作出多芯的光子晶体光纤,在光子晶体光纤中增加的多个线缺陷形成波分复用技术的多个传输信道,在此基础上数值模拟研究在缺陷介质中掺入和未掺入激活杂质,光子晶体光纤的掺杂局域场特征以及受激辐射增强和透射率大于1现象与光子带隙内群速度异常和掺杂层复有效折射率负的虚部之间的内在规律,进一步研究发现在光子晶体光纤的各个线缺陷中掺入拉曼增益介质,得到光子晶体光纤拉曼放大规律.由于光子晶体光纤的各个信道间存在带隙,使得信道间信号串扰必然受到抑制,利用这些特性可以设计分布式高增益、极低噪声、宽带和有利于光集成的新型光子晶体光纤拉曼放大器,将它用于密集波分复用(DWDM)光通信系统.     

Acid mediated tunability of stimulated laser emission from dye doped chiral microdroplets

Abstract

In the last decade, the possibility to use liquid crystal droplets as optical micro-cavities and lasers has attracted much attention since it paves the way for many applications in the field of sensors or tunable photonics. Several techniques can be used to obtain small micro-resonators as, for example, dispersing a cholesteric liquid crystal inside an immiscible isotropic fluid to create an emulsion. Since liquid crystals are extremely sensitive to external factors as temperature or external fields, laser tuning can be easily achieved. Here, we report on the possibility to tune the laser emission from dye doped cholesteric liquid crystals microdroplets dispersed in a glycerol matrix in presence of nitric acid molecules in the emulsion. Using a fluorescent dye with pH dependent optical properties, the emitted laser wavelength can be tuned in a range of 60?nm. This effect could find applications for the development of spectroscopy based sensors.     

Microscopic modeling of the optical properties of semiconductor nanostructures

A brief overview of a consistent microscopic approach to model the optical and electronic properties of semiconductor nanostructures is presented. Coupled semiconductor Bloch and Maxwell equations are used to investigate the performance of semiconductor microcavity structures, photonic band gap systems, and lasers. The predictive potential of the microscopic theory is demonstrated for several examples of practical importance. Optical gain and output characteristics are computed for modern vertical external cavity surface emitting laser structures. It is shown how design flexibilities can be used to optimize the device performance. Nanostructures are proposed where semiconductor quantum wells are embedded in one-dimensional photonic crystals. For field modes spectrally below the photonic band edge it is shown that the optical gain and absorption can be enhanced by more than one order of magnitude over the value of the homogeneous medium. The increased gain can be used for laser action by placing quantum wells and a suitably designed photonic crystal structure inside a microcavity.     

An alternative method to obtain direct opal photonic crystal structures

We describe the protocol that we have elaborated in order to obtain monosize polystyrene spheres. Starting from these spheres a simple and effective method, based on spin-coating technique, was developed to realize colloidal photonic crystal structures. The process produces compact 3D arrays of polystyrene microspheres (opals) that are organized into crystalline lattices. This process offers the ability to rapidly form 3D photonic crystals using inexpensive instrumentation, which makes it attractive for an array of applications. Process parameters, fabricated structures, and their experimental characterization are presented.     

Tunable Optofluidic Polymer Photonic Liquid Crystal Fibers

New trends are presented in optofluidics based on microstructured photonic crystal fibers filled with liquid crystals. It significantly enhanced optical properties of the fibers and introduced new levels of tunability to photonic crystal fibers. The paper discusses basic research directions in fiber-based optofluidics and, in particular, in polycarbonate-based photonic liquid crystal fibers. Experimental and theoretical results are presented on polymer crystal fibers filled with nematic liquid crystal with two different types of dielectric anisotropies.     

Processing optimization and optical properties of 3-D photonic crystals

The synthesis optimization of three-dimensional photonic crystals (direct and inverse opals) is discussed in terms of the influence of processing parameters on the final optical quality. A colloidal/sol–gel route, starting with the self-organization of polystyrene microspheres into opal structures by convective self-assembly, followed by infiltration with a dielectric matrix precursor sol and heat treatment, has been followed. Several substrate hydrophilization methods have been tested and different substrates. Sol–gel infiltration of the opal template interstices with silica was achieved by dip-coating or micro-syringe application and it was followed by removal of the polymeric template. The concentration of the colloidal sol, containing polystyrene spheres of 235 or 460 nm in diameter, was optimized. The structural and optical properties of the opals and inverse opals have been studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy and optical reflectivity spectroscopy, in order to assess the relationship between their structure and the photonic properties obtained. By using borosilicate glass substrates hydrophilized with hydrochloric acid, colloidal photonic crystals of good quality have been obtained, with well ordered regions up to ～100 μm². By monitoring the effective refractive index change with relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere, using spectroscopic ellipsometry with an environmental chamber, it was concluded that the present photonic crystals are suitable for humidity sensing applications.     

Growth and Properties of the Organometallic Nonlinear Optical Crystal: Semicarbazide Cadmium Chloride (SCCC)

Semicarbazide cadmium chloride (SCCC) is an organometallic nonlinear optical crystal. Preparation and crystal growth of SCCC have been studied, thermal and IR spectral properties of the crystal are characterized. Investigations of the molecular and crystal structures show that there is a large charge-transfer bridge in the molecule, and that the crystal has a distorted polyhedrally-coordinated structure. The relations between the structures and NLO effects of complex crystals have been discussed, and optimization of structures of organometallic NLO crystals are suggested.     

Photonics of liquid-crystal structures: A review

The original results of studies of the electro-optical and laser effects which have been performed at the Laboratory of Liquid Crystals of the Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Sciences, over the last few years are reviewed. Cholesteric liquid crystals as vivid representatives of photonic structures and their behavior in an electric field are considered in detail. The formation of higher harmonics in the periodic distribution of the director field in a helical liquid crystal structure and, correspondingly, the new (anharmonic) mode of electro-optical effects are discussed. Another group of studies is devoted to bistable light switching by an electric field in chiral nematics. Polarization diffraction gratings controlled by an electric field are also considered. The results of studies devoted to microlasers on various photonic structures with cholesteric and nematic liquid crystals are considered in detail. Particular attention is given to the new regime: leaky-mode lasing. Designs of liquid crystal light amplifiers and their polarization, field, and spectral characteristics are considered in the last section.     

Photo- and thermo-induced variation of photonic properties of cholesteric liquid crystal containing azobenzene-based chiral dopant

Photooptical properties of a new cholesteric mixture containing azobenzene-based chiral dopant were investigated. Presence of a photosensitive dopant in the investigated liquid crystal enabled to effectively manipulate optical characteristics of the photonic band upon temperature change and illumination. Temperature dependence of the optical anisotropy and the orientational order parameter of the liquid crystal were determined. The obtained results are compared with existing theories. Discrete multistable change of the spectral position of the photonic band on illumination is realized.     

Colloidal structures in confined nematic liquid crystals

Colloidal structures in confined nematics offer novel routes for designing complex optical materials with micrometre and submicrometre functionality. In this paper, we review some of our recently assembled colloidal structures that form in confined nematic cells. We present effective elastic binding via nematic distortion as a mechanism for the assembly of two-dimensional colloidal crystals of elastic dipoles and elastic quadrupoles. We introduce entangled colloids as novel types of structures, where particles are topologically bound by delocalised defect loops, producing robust and possibly chiral structures. The concept of hierarchical assembly is demonstrated in colloids with particles of various scales. In cholesteric blue phases, the assembly of three-dimensional colloidal crystals is shown based on naturally occurring three-dimensional arrays of trapping sites produced by blue phases.     

中红外非线性光学晶体的研究进展

本文综述了几种重要的中红外非线性光学晶体的研究进展,分别详细介绍了各自的结构特点、非线性性能以及他们在频率变换方面的重要应用.提出了在中红外非线性光学晶体生长中遇到的困难,并探讨了解决问题的途径.认为生长性能优异、足够尺寸的红外非线性光学晶体具有非常重要的应用价值,并对中红外非线性光学晶体的研究进行了展望.     

Liquid Crystals and Polymer-Based Photonic Crystal Fibers

Experimental results of polymer photonic liquid crystal fibers based on commercially available (Kiriama) PMMA and cyclo-olefin polymer (Zeonex 480R) microstructured polymer fibers infiltrated with nematic liquid crystals (2CHBT/8CHBT and PCB) are presented and thermally-tuned photonic band-gap propagation mechanism is observed. These preliminary results suggest, that polymers binding to liquid crystals much easier than silica, can offer new opportunities while using polymer-based photonic crystal fibers.     

基于各向异性介质一维光子晶体缺陷模的偏振分束器

用各向异性介质和各向同性介质构造含缺陷的一维光子晶体,利用特征矩阵的方法计算s光和p光在垂直入射条件下的透射率.利用s光和p光缺陷模式的分离,可把该一维光子晶体制成在正入射条件下的偏振分束器件.该偏振分束器件具有很高的消光比和透射率,有望在未来的光子器件中发挥作用.