Modeling and design of an optimized patterned electrode liquid crystal microlens array with dielectric slab

To eliminate the occurrence of disclination lines in the hole patterned electrode liquid crystal microlens array (LC MLA), inserting an ultrathin dielectric slab was proved to be an effective method. The thickness of the dielectric slab played an important role in effecting the optical performance of the liquid crystal microlens array device, including the dynamic focal range, focus diameter and symmetry of phase profile. In this paper, we studied the effect of dielectric slab thickness on the optical performance of the liquid crystal microlens array by numerical simulation. It is indicated that the optical performance of the device could be improved by reducing the dielectric slab thickness, assuming that the dielectric slab thickness was larger than the threshold thickness. The dependence of the threshold thickness on some key parameters was investigated and the associated effect on the optical performance by changing these key parameters was also studied. In the end, the approaches to enhance the optical performance, namely the dynamic focal range of the liquid crystal microlens array was proposed and proved to be in effect by numerical simulation results.     

Tunable optical vortex arrays using spontaneous periodic pattern formation in nematic liquid crystal cells

Controllable liquid crystal (LC) defects can provide an effective approach to creating tunable optical vortices. We develop a method to create tunable matter vortex arrays in an LC cell, in which +1 and −1 defects are periodically arranged in a square grid lattice. Spontaneous formation of the periodic defect array is achieved using a spontaneous standing pressure wave without using any patterned electrode or patterned alignment layer. The +1 and −1 defects in the array can induce optical vortices with opposite handedness, and the matter vortex array produces a periodic optical vortex array with orbital angular momenta of −2ℏ and +2ℏ in the same grid lattice. Because the pitch of the grid can be controlled, the method can provide a useful pathway to producing tunable optical vortex arrays for various applications such as advanced optical communication and quantum computation.     

扩展微透镜数值孔径范围的阶梯光刻热熔法研究

在微透镜阵列的光刻热熔制作法中，临界角效应严重影响了微透镜的制作范围和面形质量。在对临界角效应定性研究的基础上，提出了用阶梯光刻熔法来扩展热熔型微透镜阵列的数值孔径范围。实验结果表明，采用这一方法制作的微透镜，其单元孔径范围扩展为５０￣９００μｍ，相对口径范围扩大到为Ｆ／１￣Ｆ／１０，并有效地改善了临界角效应对大孔径微透镜面形质量的影响。     

Applications of Liquid Crystals to Variable-Focusing Lenses

Liquid Crystal (LC) lens cells with variable focusing properties are fabricated using nematic LC materials and applicable to optical devices, and our recent work on these cells is described. First, the LC lens cells are prepared using lens-shaped substrates coated with transparent electrodes. Their focal length can be continuously varied between the values for an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray by changing the voltage passing across them. Methods of improving properties and some applications of the lens-shaped LC lens are briefly described. The lens properties of these cells with plane-paralleled structure are then demonstrated, where the refractive index is graded to a quadratic distribution resulting from an axially symmetric non-uniform electric field. LC cells with axially distributed tilt angles are constructed using a pair of circular hole-patterned electrode substrates and very small LC lens (LC microlens) with variable focusing can be fabricated. Optimizing the electrode structure, device parameters, and material parameters of the LCs, excellent focusing properties can be obtained. The properties of the LC microlens are improved by using the polymer stabilization technique. The LC microlens with a divided electrode structure shows three-dimensional beam steering and focusing properties, and the astigmatic aberration caused by the molecular orientation effect can be compensated. Applications of the LC microlens to optical devices and systems are introduced.     

飞秒激光和酸刻蚀方法制作凹面微透镜阵列

基于飞秒激光光刻技术和氢氟酸对光学玻璃的刻蚀,在K9光学玻璃表面制作了凹面微透镜阵列,并且可以以此为模板实现凸微透镜阵列的大量复制.用相位对比显微镜和扫描电子显微镜分析了微透镜阵列的表面轮廓,测试了微透镜阵列的光学衍射特征.该方法简单、透镜参量可控,制作的微透镜阵列能够用于分光、光束匀化、并行光刻等强激光领域.     

Improvement of voltage-dependent dynamics through an oblique electric field in vertically aligned liquid crystal director surrounded by patterned polymer walls

Voltage-dependent liquid crystal textures in a homeotropically aligned nematic liquid crystal (LC) device, where the chiral-doped liquid crystal with negative dielectric anisotropy is locked by polymer walls with crossed polarizers, have been investigated. The device shows wide viewing angle characteristics with advantages that it is free from rubbing process and spacer. The time-resolved LC textures show that they are not stable enough during an instantaneous reorientation of LC when a voltage is applied. To improve dynamic characteristics, we propose advanced cell structure where the bend and twist deformation is controlled by polymer wall plus an oblique electric field through patterned electrode. Consequently, dynamic characteristics of the device are greatly improved.     

Sample-inverted reflow technique for fabrication of a revolved-hyperboloid microlens array in hybrid solgel glass

We propose a novel fabrication method, which is referred to as the sample-inverted reflow technique, to fabricate a refractive microlens array (MLA) with a revolved-hyperboloid profile in a solgel material. The fabricated solgel MLA demonstrates an excellent smooth profile with a fabrication error much less than the difference between the revolved hyperboloid and the spherical surface. In an application of coupling a laser diode (LD) to a single-mode fiber (SMF), we propose a two-MLA coupling scheme in which two revolved-hyperboloid MLAs are used between the LD and the SMF. In this configuration the coupling efficiency achieves 81.7% (-0.88 dB).     

Microlens array recording of localized retinal responses

We designed a rapid functional imager for the parallel recording of localized intrinsic optical signals (IOSs). This imager used a microlens array (MLA)-based illuminator to deliver visible stimulus light and near-infrared (NIR) recording light simultaneously. The parfocal configuration of the stimulus and recording light illumination enabled confocal recording of the stimulus-evoked IOSs. Because the MLA stimulation/recording spots were widely separated on the retina, and only the photoreceptors within the MLA stimulation/recording spots were stimulated, the potential IOS cross talk effect among neighboring retinal areas was minimized. Our experiments revealed robust IOS activities tightly correlated with localized retinal responses.     

Liquid-crystal microlens arrays using patterned polymer networks

A real-time dynamically tunable-focus microlens array made from a polymer-liquid-crystal (LC) composite is demonstrated. The polymer was first patterned in microlens array cavities by lamination, and the LC-monomer mixture was then injected to the molded polymer cavities and finally stabilized by UV light-induced networks. Using this new fabrication method, we demonstrated a lens with a spherical shape and a glazed surface. This LC-based microlens can reach approximately 100% light efficiency for linearly polarized light. The saturation voltage of the lens is approximately 60 Vrms, and the response time is approximately 30 ms.     

Tunable microlens arrays using polymer network liquid crystal

A tunable-focus microlens array based on polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) is demonstrated. The PNLC was prepared using an ultraviolet (UV) light exposure through a patterned photomask. The photocurable monomer in each of the UV exposed spot forms an inhomogeneous centro-symmetrical polymer network which acts as a lens when a homogeneous electric field is applied to the cell. The focal length of the microlens arrays is tunable with the applied voltage.     

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.     

Thermally enhanced optical nonlinearity in nematic liquid crystal close to phase transition temperature

This study investigates the beam profile and the liquid crystal (LC) arrangement affected by an optical field on LC thin films at a temperature close to nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature (T_NI). A combined microscopic and conoscopic technique was used in experiments as a convenient way to analyze the optical nonlinearity that is associated with the molecular configuration of nematic liquid crystal (NLC). An optical field combined with thermal enhancement enhances molecular reorientation and causes additional molecular excitation along the axis of propagation of the beam. The reorientational nonlinearity yields an undulating structure with multi-foci; the length between each pair of foci increases with time, as described.     

基于液晶光调制器的夏克-哈特曼波前探测技术

微透镜阵列是夏克-哈特曼波前探测器的关键器件。利用液晶器件的空间相位调制特性,可实现微透镜阵列功能,且具有孔径和焦距可变的优点。论述了基于液晶光调制的夏克-哈特曼波前探测校正技术的特征、技术进展、及应用前景。     

The miniature light-field camera with high spatial resolution

Optical Review - A light-field camera is an optical system that provides multi-field-angle information in one shot. The microlens array (MLA) in a light-field camera system is the key to provide...     

Rapid laser fabrication of microlens array using colorless liquid photopolymer for AMOLED devices

Microlens array (MLA) is microfabricated using Ultra Violet (UV) laser for display device applications. A colorless liquid photopolymer, Norland Optical Adhesive (NOA) 60, is spin-coated and pre-cured via UV light for completing the laser process. The laser energy controlled by a galvano scanner is radiated on the surface of the NOA 60. A rapid thermal volume expansion inside the material creates microlens array when the Gaussian laser energy is absorbed. The fabrication process conditions for various shapes and densities of MLA using a non-contact surface profiler are investigated. Furthermore, we analyze the optical and display characteristics for the Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) devices. Optimized condition furnishes the OLED with the enhancement of light emission by 15%. We show that UV laser technique, which is installed with NOA 60 MLA layer, is eligible for improving the performance of the next generation display devices.     

Design and simulation of single-electrode liquid crystal phased arrays

Liquid crystal (LC) phased arrays and gratings have been employed in optical switching and routing [1]. These diffractive optic elements are of great interest because they can be scaled up to a large number of elements and their optical properties can be electrically addressed with a low driving voltage. LC phase gratings have been achieved either by periodic addressing of pixels or by using periodically-modified structures. The latter approach leads to less reconfigurable devices but the addressing is simpler. In this paper we focus on optical phased arrays where the phase is varied either continuously or discretely and where the periodicity is induced by electrode configuration. We first describe a possible structure based on a conductive silicon wafer. We argue that this structure can induce either continuously or discretely varying arrays while applying single voltage to the array. In the second part we simulate the behaviour of such arrays. We base the simulation on a LC synthesized at the Military University of Technology, this high-birefringence nematic LC shows in a 4-μm thick cell a linear phase shift range of more than 360° between 1.2 V and 1.8 V. We calculate the distribution of the LC molecule director and assess the performance of the array with respect to the applied voltage. Finally, the relevance of such technology for switchable phased arrays is discussed.     

Optical compensator with switchable modes using polymer stabilized liquid crystals

We propose an optical compensator configuration with switchable modes by combining the polymer stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC) technology with the novel electrode design. It could be applied to a fixed-focus lens module for providing the defocus compensation of an optical imaging system. The device has two operation modes that can be switched by the electrode connection and provide respective optical retardation effects. It was designed by using the optical simulation tool and fabricated by using the standard photolithographic processes, the liquid crystal (LC) cell assembly procedure, and the particular ultra-violet (UV) exposure steps. The device was implemented and experimental results qualitatively showed its feasibility for realizing the capability of switching different compensation modes.     

Effects of low polymer content in a liquid-crystal microlens

A small number of bifunctional monomers are mixed with a nematic liquid crystal (LC) and cured with a distributed electric field, which is produced by a circular-hole-patterned electrode structure. A gradient type of lens, that is, a LC microlens, is investigated for various polymer concentrations. Addition of 3% polymer is enough to freeze the gradient-index properties of the structure in the form of a convex lens, and a polymer-stabilized LC microlens is demonstrated. Although a lower concentration of polymer cannot hold the distribution properties in a curing process, it can maintain the variable focus as a nematic material can. The polymer networks can also eliminate the disclination line that usually appears and causes the lens in this type of LC device to deteriorate.     

Full prediction of the broadband optical modulation performance of a twisted nematic liquid crystal cell

We present a procedure to obtain the physical parameters responsible of twisted nematic liquid crystal (LC) cells optical modulation. The novelty of our approach is based on the use of spectroscopic measurements of the light transmitted by the system polarizer-LC cell-analyzer, combined with a previously proposed simple physical model of the LC twist and tilt distribution along cell. The procedure involves two steps: the first one yields off-state parameters like the LC director orientation, the twist angle, and the optical path difference (cell gap); the second step yields the effective retardances of the central and edge LC layers. The use of a spectroscopic method provides a full characterization of the LC cell as a function of both the voltage and the wavelength. The complete procedure leads to a very accurate prediction of the transmitted light broadband spectrum, as well as the complex (amplitude and phase) modulation for any wavelength within the calibration range.     

Polarization-dependent optical tuning of focal intensity of liquid crystal polymer microlens array

This work demonstrates the feasibility of a microlens array (MLA) with a focal intensity that can be optically tuned by controlling the polarization of incident light. The proposed MLA has a focusing unit based on birefringent liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) and a tuning unit with a photo-alignment layer for controlling the polarization state of incident laser light. The optically variable refractive indices of LCP allow a positive or negative MLA to be realized by controlling the polarization of the incident light.