紫外光诱导液晶相位光栅

使用紫外光诱导取向技术制作了可转换的液晶相位光栅,通过光掩模两次曝光的方法形成光栅条纹.这种光栅制作工艺较为简单,不需要上下基板精确的对准,驱动电压较低.采用He-Ne激光器和光探测器进行测试,结果表明,衍射效率具有电场调制性并出现同预测一致的衍射条纹.对液晶光栅的偏振特性进行了研究,利用琼斯矩阵和衍射理论对液晶相位光栅衍射强度进行了分析和模拟计算.     

电控聚合物分散液晶变焦全息透镜制作

介绍了相位型全息聚合物分散液晶(PDLC)材料全息透镜,在电场作用下液晶微滴折射率逐渐与聚合物折射率匹配,实现透镜电控变焦。研究了微米尺寸和纳米尺寸液晶微滴聚合物分散液晶材料配方特性和微观结构。采用优化纳米尺寸材料配方制作5~6μm聚合物分散液晶盒,采用离轴式平面波和球面波干涉全息写入光路,成功制作电控变焦聚合物分散液晶全息透镜样品。该透镜样品焦距为20 mm,能够正一级衍射放大成像。实现“0”,“1”变焦的驱动电压阈值为60 V。并进一步提出了基于聚合物分散液晶电控变焦元件集成叠加技术实现电控变焦光学成像系统的技术思路。     

Polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals as switchable photonic broad bandgaps

A cholesteric liquid crystal can be considered as a one-dimensional photonic crystal with a refractive index that is regularly modulated along the helix axis because of the particular arrangement of the molecules. The result is that the propagation of light is suppressed for a particular range of wavelengths (bandgap). A polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystal (PSCLC), which is obtained by in situ photopolymerization of reactive liquid-crystal molecules in the presence of non-reactive liquid-crystal molecules in an oriented Bragg planar texture, is elaborated by combining the UV-curing with a thermally induced pitch variation. As a consequence, it is shown here that memory effects are introduced into the characteristics of the reflection band of the material at room temperature. In the visible spectrum, the reflection bandwidth can be tuned in agreement with the thermal ramp and broadened. In addition, the bandgap filters can be switched between broadband reflective, scattering and transparent states by subjecting them to an electric field. Related application fields of these functional materials are switchable smart windows for the control of the solar-light spectrum and white-or-black polarizer-free reflective displays.     

染料掺杂液晶可调谐光纤荧光光源的研究

本文提出了染料掺杂液晶填充空心光纤构造荧光可调谐光源.基于染料分子能级结构理论分析B4400荧光光谱依赖温度的变化特性,采用脉宽8 ns,波长为532 nm YAG倍频脉冲激光器抽运,向列相液晶作基体,实验分析染料B4400掺杂液晶填充空心光纤荧光光谱选择性荧光放大规律及温度调谐特性.结果表明:通过控制染料浓度可控制荧光输出功率水平;当温度升高时,中心波长发生红移,中心波长调谐范围为590—605 nm;荧光谱宽呈单调展宽,调制范围为228—236 nm;染料掺杂液晶填充空心光纤荧光光源可实现一定范围内的温度调谐.     

应变液晶的负压光效应和反式压光效应

介绍聚合物分散液晶和应变液晶概念,给出聚合物分散液晶调光玻璃的"正压光效应"、"负压光效应"和"反式压光效应"三种效应定义.实验制备出负压光效应和反式压光效应新型应变调光玻璃样品,测试样品散射态雾度90%以上,半透明态透光率接近30%.用偏光显微术研究压光效应原理,表明对样品施加垂面按压或拉伸的应力诱导作用会引起液晶微滴中液晶分子具有某些特殊排列方式,导致样品光学性质发生显著变化.建立垂面拉伸液晶微滴模型,计算模拟所绘出的图形与偏光显微镜照片独特花样十分相似,进而合理解释了实验现象.应变液晶压光效应研究具有聚合物分散液晶基础研究意义和开发非电控调光玻璃的实际应用价值.     

Electrically switchable finite energy Airy beams generated by a liquid crystal cell with patterned electrode

A pair of electrically switchable finite energy Airy beams is generated by a liquid crystal (LC) cell, where one electrode is patterned by a photomask with a binary-phase pattern. Applying voltage across the LC cell, an index modulation is produced due to the liquid crystal molecules realignment, and the finite energy Airy beams can be generated or erased corresponding to the phase difference between the regions with and without electrode. The diffraction-free and transverse acceleration dynamics of this binary-phase element based finite energy Airy beams were experimentally verified, exhibiting excellent agreement with the theory.     

Temperature effect on threshold voltage and optical property of twisted nematic liquid crystal with applied different voltages

In this paper, temperature-dependent birefringence theory of liquid crystal is used to investigate the temperature effect on the threshold voltage. An expression for describing the non-linear relationship between the threshold voltage and temperature is deduced. In addition, we theoretically discuss the temperature effect on the transmitted ratio of the namatic twisted liquid crystal without the applied voltage and with the applied voltage. It is found that the transmitted ratio is decreased linearly as temperature is increased when the liquid crystal is not applied with voltage, but the transmitted ratio is increased linearly as temperature is increased when the liquid crystal is applied with voltage. The threshold voltages and the transmitted ratio are measured at different temperatures. The experimental data are consistent with the theoretical calculated results.     

Thermally switchable flexible liquid crystal devices in prepolymer-doped cholesteric liquid crystals

This work describes an approach for fabricating thermally switchable flexible liquid crystal devices in prepolymer-doped cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs). The roughness of the UV-cured polymer film eliminates the stability of planar CLCs, allowing the textures in the UV-cured regions to be changed from planar to focal conic. Impurities associated with doping with prepolymers cause the clearing temperature of LCs in the UV-cured regions to differ from that in the uncured regions as the prepolymers are polymerized. Therefore, the textures in these two regions can be switched by controlling the temperature. Thermally switchable flexible LC devices, such as optically addressed smart cards, light valves, and others, can be realized using this approach.     

便携式电控聚合物分散液晶全息透镜的电源及结构设计

根据聚合物分散液晶材料的光电特性及需要,在研究基于聚合物分散液晶光电器件时必须设计合适的电源驱动系统。介绍了在电控聚合物分散液晶全息透镜器件研制中,将电池输出的直流低压升高变频到70～100V、1000Hz频率交流高电压的电路系统设计。并介绍了变焦透镜装置总体结构的机械设计。实验结果表明,该电源设计能够满足聚合物分散液晶全息透镜器件中的液晶分子光轴驱动的需要,并能实现器件的小型化和便捷式。     

A dark hollow beam from a selectively liquid-filled photonic crystal fibre

This paper reports that, based on the electromagnetic scattering theory of the multipole method, a high-quality hollow beam is produced through a selectively liquid-filled photonic crystal fibre. Instead of a doughnut shape, a typical hollow beam is produced by other methods; the mode-field images of the hollow-beam photonic crystal fibre satisfy sixth-order rotation symmetry, according to the symmetry of the photonic crystal fibre (PCF) structure. A dark spot size of the liquid-filled photonic crystal fibre-generated hollow beam can be tuned by inserting liquid into the cladding region and varying the photonic crystal fibre structure parameters. The liquid-filled PCF makes a convenient and flexible tool for the guiding and trapping of atoms and the creation of all-fibre optical tweezers.     

Ultraviolet-light-treated polyimide alignment layers for polarization-independent liquid crystal Fresnel lenses

The surface energy of a conventional homeotropic polyimide (PI) alignment layer was altered via ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, and the pretilt angle of the PI was changed along with the surface energy. The surface energy can be controlled by either UV exposure time or irradiation intensity. A switchable liquid crystal Fresnel lens (LCFL) was created by the UV-treated alignment layers to form a Fresnel zone-distribution hybrid alignment, vertically aligned and hybrid aligned LC in the odd and even zones, respectively. The LCFL was made polarization-independent by circular buffing, and it had a diffraction efficiency of ∼22% at a low driving voltage of ∼1.2 V.     

电控聚合物分散液晶全息透镜及特性研究

报道位相型电控聚合物分散液晶(H-PDLC)全息衍射透镜的研制及特性研究,理论上,根据耦合波理论,研究了不同的相分离程度系数下,理想位相型电控聚合物分散液晶(H-PDLC)全息衍射透镜在可见光波长(400—800nm)的衍射特性.实验研制了衍射效率最高为70%的电控H-PDLC变焦透镜样品,研究表明H-PDLC透镜具有优良的成像特性,和快速响应的电控开关特性,在光学成像系统,光通信系统中具有良好的应用前景.     

The IR modulator utilizing light scattering effect with ferroelectric liquid crystal for gas analysis

Experimental infrared modulator elements have been fabricated utilizing the transient light scattering effect of ferroelectric liquid crystal with asymmetric waveform voltage drive. The new elements perform 80% modulation degrees at the 632.8nm. We have also achieved 30% modulation degrees in the 4 to 5µ m region where the strongest CO₂ absorption bands exist. A new type of analyzer which monitors ambient air quality has been developed. This analyzer uses non-dispersive infrared absorption method and composes of a double-beam, a single detector and a pair of liquid crystal light modulator as the IR chopper. The detection has achieved 10ppm noise equivalent concentration.     

Voltage-controlled liquid-crystal terahertz phase shifter and quarter-wave plate

Phase shift exceeding tau/2 at 1 THz is demonstrated by using electrically controlled birefringence in a homeotropically aligned nematic liquid crystal (E7) cell, 570 microm in thickness. The driving voltage required for a phase shift of 90 degrees is 125 V (rms). We demonstrate that the phase shifter works as an electrically switchable quarter-wave plate at 1 THz. The device can also be used as an electrically tuned phase compensator around the quarter-wave point near 1 THz.     

Switchable gratings by spatially periodic alignment of liquid crystals via patterned photopolymerization

Spatially periodic patterning of the anchoring condition of a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) within a polymer matrix via a patterned photopolymerization affords a novel and facile method to prepare electrically switchable diffraction gratings. UV irradiation through a photomask of two comonomers, with opposite tendencies to align the NLC and also with different reactivity ratios, leads to definition of areas with either homeotropic or planar alignment of the NLC. Photopolymerization-induced diffusion of the monomers accounts for the spatial distribution of the concentration of these monomers. The resulting diffraction gratings are switchable under low electric fields and possess structural stability offered by the polymer matrix.     

Scattering and active acoustic control from a submerged piezoelectric-coupled orthotropic hollow cylinder

A general exact analysis for three-dimensional scattering of a time-harmonic plane-progressive sound wave obliquely incident upon an arbitrarily thick bilaminated circular hollow cylinder of infinite extent, which is composed of a cylindrically orthotropic axially polarized piezoelectric inner layer perfectly bonded to an orthotropic outer layer, is presented. An approximate laminate model in the context of the so-called state space formulation along with the classical T-matrix solution technique involving a system global transfer matrix is employed to solve for the unknown modal scattering and transmission coefficients. Numerical example is given for an air-filled and water-submerged two-layered elasto-piezoelectric hybrid (steel/PZT4) hollow cylinder insonified by an obliquely incident unit-amplitude plane sound wave. Following the acoustic resonance scattering theory (RST), the total form function amplitude together with the associated global scattering, the far-field inherent background, and the resonance scattering coefficients of the nth normal mode are computed as a function of dimensionless frequency for selected angles of incidence, piezoelectric layer thickness parameters, and electrical boundary conditions (i.e., open/closed circuit or active). Also, the electrical voltage coefficients required for partial or complete cancellation of the reflected sound field are calculated. Limiting cases are considered and good agreements with the solutions available in the literature are obtained.     

Stimulated rayleigh-kerr and raman-kerr scattering in a liquid-core hollow fiber system

By using a liquid-core multimode hollow fiber system with a long gain-length (2.5 or 7 m), a superbroadening stimulated scattering added to the pump line and/or the several orders of Stokes-stimulated Raman scattering lines of the core medium can be observed. This kind of stimulated scattering is related to the optical Kerr (reorientation) effect and Raman-induced Kerr effect in a liquid consisting of anisotropic molecules. Experimental studies of hollow fiber filled with different liquid samples (carbon disulfide, benzene, carbon tetrachloride) are reported. A theoretical approach based on a photon scattering model of optical Kerr effect and Raman-induced Kerr effect is proposed to explain the principal features of our experimental results. The significance of stimulated Kerr scattering studies and their potential applications are discussed.     

液晶散射法产生部分相干光实验

 对无阶梯诱导空间非相干技术中前级光源太弱的问题进行了分析,开展了前级部分相干源的研究工作。利用向列液晶的电光特性,选用两种液晶盒作为散射体,完成了液晶散射法产生部分相干源的原理性实验,得出液晶散射光能量透过率、均匀性及相干性与外加电场的关系。实验表明通过改变外加电场,可以提高液晶散射光的强度和均匀性,同时降低其空间相干性。     

Electric field tunable photonic Hall effect with liquid crystals

The Mie theory for electromagnetic scattering is extended to the case of coated metal sphere with liquid crystals. A new set of vector basis functions for the electric displacement vector inside the liquid crystal layer has been constructed. The expansion coefficients of transmitted and scattered fields are obtained analytically by applying the continuous boundary conditions. The dependence of the scattering property on the geometrical parameters has been investigated in detail. The appearance of photonic Hall effect for such a Mie scatterer is confirmed. It is interesting that such a photonic Hall effect not only depends on the ratio of the inner to outer radius of coated sphere, it is also tunable by the application of an external voltage.     

Angular structure of radiation scattered by monolayer of polydisperse droplets of nematic liquid crystal

We considered light scattering by a polydisperse ensemble of droplets of a nematic liquid crystal. To model light scattering by a monolayer of polymer-dispersed spherical droplets of a nematic liquid crystal with cylindrical symmetry of its internal structure, we proposed a semianalytical modeling method. The method is based on interference approximation of the theory of multiple wave scattering, anomalous diffraction approximation, and effective-medium approximation. The method takes into account cooperative optical effects in concentrated, partially ordered layers and can be used to analyze the small-angle structure of the intensity of scattered radiation in relation to the concentration, size, polydispersity of liquid crystal droplets, orientation of their optical axes, and refractive indices of the liquid crystal and polymer. The obtained relations can be applied to solving direct and inverse problems of light scattering in composite liquid crystal materials using data of polarization measurements. We present graphical results of solving the direct problem for components of the polarization vector of scattered wave. These results illustrate the formation of an angular structure for monolayers with a high concentration of polydisperse droplets of the liquid crystal in the range of small scattering angles (0 < θ _s ≤ 8°).