Coherent transmission and angular structure of light scattering by monolayer films of polymer dispersed liquid crystals with inhomogeneous boundary conditions

We consider monolayer polymer films with oriented droplets of a nematic liquid crystal (LC). Relations for the coherent transmission coefficients of a layer of oriented ellipsoidal droplets and for the intensity of light scattered by monolayers of spherical and spheroidal droplets have been obtained. The amplitude-phase screen model and the interference approximation of the theory of multiple wave scattering have been used. To describe light scattering by an individual ellipsoidal droplet with inhomogeneous surface binding, we have developed an anomalous diffraction approximation. For monolayers of spherical LC droplets, the coherent scattering coefficients and the angular scattering structure have been analyzed. The internal structure of nematic droplets have been calculated by the relaxation method based on the solution of the minimization problem of the free energy volume density. We have studied basic regular features of light scattering by a monolayer with homogeneous and inhomogeneous boundary conditions at the LC-polymer interface. We show that, for films that contain droplets with inhomogeneous boundary conditions of the tangentially normal type, the angular structure of the scattered light is asymmetric with respect to the polar scattering angle.     

Coherent transmittance of a polymer dispersed liquid crystal film in a strong field: Effect of correlation and polydispersity of droplets

A method for computing the coherent transmittance of a film of polymer dispersed nematic liquid crystals aligned by an external field in the case of an oblique incidence of light is developed, and a theoretical analysis of this quantity is performed. The effects of close packing are considered in terms of the interference approximation of the theory of multiple wave scattering. The correlation arising in the spatial distribution of polydisperse droplets is taken into account by introducing partial distribution functions. It is shown that an increase in the concentration of liquid crystal droplets is accompanied by an increase in the coherent transmittance of the film.     

A method for calculating the light extinction coefficients of a polymer layer with small nematic liquid-crystal droplets

A method is proposed for analyzing radiation extinction coefficients of polymer films containing small nematic liquid-crystal droplets with cylindrical symmetry. This method is based on the Rayleigh-Gans approximation and the effective scattering matrix. The orientational ordering of both liquid-crystal molecules in droplets and the droplets in a layer is described by multilevel order parameters. The extinction of radiation in polymer films is analyzed for the cases of oblique and normal incidence of light. Simple and convenient expressions are derived for calculating and estimating the extinction coefficients for the case of normal incidence of light on a layer containing spherical droplets. The error of the method is estimated.     

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°).     

Effect of Mannosylerythritol lipid-A on light scattering of AOT/D<Subscript>2</Subscript>O/Octane

The light scattering technique is used for the study of interaction of Mannosylerythritol lipid-A on AOT/D₂O/Octane. The collective diffusion of AOT/D₂O droplets soluble in Octane mixed with lipid is founded from a correlation function of light scattering. We focus on the variation of the dynamic behavior of droplets as a function of the lipid concentrations and the size of droplets. The increase of concentration of Mannosylerythritol lipid-A on microemulsion decreases the dynamic of droplets. The SAXS experiment shows the size and the interaction of the droplets change by increase of Mannosylerythritol lipid-A concentration. A hard sphere model can describe the interaction of lipid with AOT/D₂O droplets.     

Light scattering by a nematic liquid crystal droplet: Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin approximation

Light scattering by an optically anisotropic liquid crystal (LC) droplet of a nematic in an isotropic polymer matrix is considered in the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) approximation. General relations are obtained for elements of the amplitude matrix of light scattering by a droplet of arbitrary shape and for the structure of the director field. Analytic expressions for the amplitude matrices are derived for spherical LC droplets with a uniformly oriented structure of local optical axes for strictly forward and strictly backward scattering. The efficiency factors of extinction and backward scattering for a spherical nonabsorbing LC droplet depending on the LC optical anisotropy, refractive index of the polymer, illumination conditions, and orientation of the optical axis of the droplet are analyzed. Verification of the obtained solutions has been performed.     

Nanomagnetic droplets and implications to orbital ordering in LA(1-x)Sr(x)CoO3

Inelastic cold-neutron scattering on LaCoO3 provided evidence for a distinct low energy excitation at 0.6 meV coincident with the thermally induced magnetic transition. Coexisting strong ferromagnetic (FM) and weaker antiferromagnetic correlations that are dynamic follow the activation to the excited state, identified as the intermediate S = 1 spin triplet. This is indicative of dynamical orbital ordering favoring the observed magnetic interactions. With hole doping as in La(1-x)Sr(x)CoO3 , the FM correlations between Co spins become static and isotropically distributed due to the formation of FM droplets. The correlation length and condensation temperature of these droplets increase rapidly with metallicity due to the double exchange mechanism.     

Statistical Analysis of Morphology of Low Density Polyethylene/Polyamide 6 Blends with Addition of Organoclay and Maleic Anhydride-Grafted Polystyrene-b-Poly(Ethylene-co-Butene-1)-b-Polystyrene Copolymer As Compatibilizers

Statistical analysis of the size distribution of a polymer minor phase droplets was successfully applied for the characterization of the morphology in a LDPE/PA6 blend (75/25 wt/wt) obtained after mixing with added SEBS-g-MA(S) compatibilizer and/or organoclay 20A. It was shown that the developed approach provided detailed analysis of the morphology development in the polymer blends, including the primary droplets formation of the minor polymer phase and their break-up and coalescence. The introduction of organoclay increased the break-up of primary droplets and completely suppressed their coalescence. The addition of compatibilizer S, in contrast to nanoclay, did not suppress coalescence but the mean size of the primary droplets as well as the droplets formed at coalescence was strongly reduced. The combined addition of compatibilizer S and nanoclay did not change the morphology development of the LDPE/PA6 blend. Both processes of the droplet transformation were accelerated, similar to the system with addition of compatibilizer S only. However, an increase of nanoclay amount disturbed the break-up of the primary droplets, and the mean size of these droplets increases. Thereafter, the mean size of droplets formed at coalescence also increased. The results of statistical analysis of the phase morphology were found to correlate with the mechanical properties of the polymer blends. The fine dispersion of the minor polymer phase improved the stiffness of the polymer blends. For enhanced impact properties, the presence of relatively broad distribution of the minor polymer phase was necessary.     

表面垂直取向对HPDLC光栅特性的影响

为了提高聚合物/液晶（HPDLC）光栅的衍射效率并改善光栅的表面形貌,研究了表面垂直取向处理对HPDLC光栅的影响。首先,研究了表面垂直处理对液晶分子的取向作用,发现垂直取向层对液晶的锚定作用随着盒厚的增加而逐渐减弱,取向层的作用范围大概在3 m ~5 m之间;其次,对相分离程度进行了实验表征,结果表明,随着液晶盒厚度的增加,相分离开始的时间越来越快,并且分离程度也越来越彻底。最后,讨论了表面垂直取向对HPDLC光栅衍射效率的影响,随着盒厚的增加,相分离出来的液晶微滴形成连续的区域,光栅的衍射效率逐渐升高,当盒厚增加到一定程度,其衍射效率和无取向处理的光栅接近。当盒厚过大时,垂直取向处理对HPDLC光栅散射损失并没有太大的改善,只有当盒厚适中（12 m）时,光栅的衍射效率最高,散射损失最小。     

Optical birefringence and anisotropic scattering in acrylate based holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystals

In this work, we experimentally study the evolution of the diffraction efficiency and birefringence of a holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal grating. It is shown that the onset of birefringence coincides closely with the moment when TE and TM polarizated probes start to diffract differently. Light scattering, caused by liquid crystal droplets, is also monitored to understand the dynamics of droplet formation and growth. It is shown that the onset of anisotropic scattering and birefringence also occur almost simultaneously.     

Study on the algorithm of computational ghost imaging based on discrete fourier transform measurement matrix

We have developed a model and realized an algorithm for the calculation of the coefficient of coherent (direct) transmission of light through a layer of liquid crystal (LC) droplets in a polymer matrix. The model is based on the Hulst anomalous diffraction approximation for describing the scattering by an individual particle and the Foldy-Twersky approximation for a coherent field. It allows one to investigate polymer dispersed LC (PDLC) materials with homogeneous and inhomogeneous interphase surface anchoring on the droplet surface. In order to calculate the configuration of the field of the local director in the droplet, the relaxation method of solving the problem of minimization of the free energy volume density has been used. We have verified the model by comparison with experiment under the inverse regime of the ionic modification of the LC-polymer interphase boundary. The model makes it possible to solve problems of optimization of the optical response of PDLC films in relation to their thickness and optical characteristics of the polymer matrix, sizes, polydispersity, concentration, and anisometry parameters of droplets. Based on this model, we have proposed a technique for estimating the size of LC droplets from the data on the dependence of the transmission coefficient on the applied voltage.     

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。     

Development of a new kind of switchable holographic grating made of liquid-crystal films separated by slices of polymeric material

We present a new kind of UV-cured holographic grating that consists of polymer slices alternated with pure nematic films. By preventing the appearance of the nematic phase during the curing process, it is possible to avoid the formation of liquid-crystal droplets and obtain a sharp and uniform morphology, which reduces scattering losses and increases diffraction efficiency.     

Enhancement of Raman scattering by deformation of microparticles

Raman scattering on deformed droplets levitated in an acoustic levitator and produced by a vibrating-orifice aerosol generator were investigated. Our samples experiments were diethyl hexyl sebecate (DEHS) droplets in the millimeter-size range and ethanol droplets in the size range 50-100 microm. The C-H stretching region from 2800 to 3100 cm(-1) was investigated. We found that the Raman intensity measured by a scattering angle of 90 degrees depended on the shape of the droplets. Raman scattering on spherical droplets was smaller than scattering on spheroidal droplets with the same volume. Similar results were observed for the fluorescence signal of Rhodamine 6G-doped DEHS droplets.     

Multiferroic based on nanoparticles consisting of a silica nucleus and a shell of spin-variable iron complexes

Cholesteric droplets dispersed in a polymer with homeotropic surface anchoring are studied. A director configuration with the bipolar distribution of the axis of the helix is formed in droplets. The untwisting of the helical structure (i.e., an increase in the pitch of the helix) is experimentally observed at a decrease in the size of droplets. This dependence is analyzed for liquid crystal droplets with various concentrations of the chiral addition. A proposed empirical relation describes well the correlation of the helix pitch and the size of droplets in the studied samples.     

Small-angle light scattering symmetry breaking in polymer-dispersed liquid crystal films with inhomogeneous electrically controlled interface anchoring

We have described the method of analyzing and reporting on the results of calculation of the small-angle structure of radiation scattered by a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film with electrically controlled interfacial anchoring. The method is based on the interference approximation of the wave scattering theory and the hard disk model. Scattering from an individual liquid crystal droplet has been described using the anomalous diffraction approximation extended to the case of droplets with uniform and nonuniform interface anchoring at the droplet–polymer boundary. The director field structure in an individual droplet is determined from the solution of the problem of minimizing the volume density of the free energy. The electrooptical effect of symmetry breaking in the angular distribution of scattered radiation has been analyzed. This effect means that the intensities of radiation scattered within angles +θ _s and–θ _s relative to the direction of illumination in the scattering plane can be different. The effect is of the interference origin and is associated with asymmetry of the phase shift of the wavefront of an incident wave from individual parts of the droplet, which appears due to asymmetry of the director field structure in the droplet, caused by nonuniform anchoring of liquid crystal molecules with the polymer on its surface. This effect is analyzed in the case of normal illumination of the film depending on the interfacial anchoring at the liquid crystal–polymer interface, the orientation of the optical axes of droplets, their concentration, sizes, anisometry, and polydispersity.     

Droplet deformation and alignment for high-efficiency polarization-dependent holographic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal reflection gratings

Droplet deformation and alignment are achieved in holographic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal reflection gratings by applying an in situ shear during recording. High diffraction efficiency (99%) is obtained for light polarized parallel to the shear, with nearly zero efficiency for perpendicular polarization, and no increase of incoherent scattering. Permanent polarization dependence is related to stress-induced morphology changes of liquid-crystal droplets that are frozen by polymerization. The system is studied by electron microscopy and modeled by anisotropic coupled-wave and scattering theory. The morphology is consistent with the theory of small deformations of liquid droplets in fluid flow. Diffraction efficiency measurements are in agreement with theory incorporating this morphology as well as concomitant orientation and alignment of liquid-crystal molecules.     

Bessel驻波对椭球形液滴的声辐射转矩

在实际的声操控中,由于声辐射力、表面张力和重力的共同作用,液滴往往呈现出椭球的形状,在螺旋声场中会受到力矩的作用而发生转动。从声波的散射理论出发,根据部分波展开法求解得到了椭球形液滴在Bessel驻波场中的声散射系数,并给出了其受到的声辐射转矩的解析式。在此基础上,对椭球形不可压缩液滴和椭球形可压缩液滴分别进行数值计算。仿真结果表明,不可压缩液滴的声辐射转矩与声束半锥角的关系更密切,而可压缩液滴则更依赖于特定的频率;提升Bessel驻波场的阶数有利于增强声辐射转矩的峰值,但在中低频处较难对可压缩液滴产生明显的力矩。该研究结果预期对利用螺旋声场进行液滴的操控具有理论指导作用。      

Random lasing in dye-doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal film

A dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film was designed and fabricated,and random lasing action was studied.A mixture of laser dye,nematic liquid crystal,chiral dopant,and PVA was used to prepare the dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film by means of microcapsules.Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that most liquid crystal droplets in the polymer matrix ranged from 30 μm to 40 μm,the size of the liquid crystal droplets was small.Under frequency doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG laser-pumped optical excitation,a plurality of discrete and sharp random laser radiation peaks could be measured in the range of 575–590 nm.The line-width of the lasing peak was 0.2 nm and the threshold of the random lasing was 9 m J.Under heating,the emission peaks of random lasing disappeared.By detecting the emission light spot energy distribution,the mechanism of radiation was found to be random lasing.The random lasing radiation mechanism was then analyzed and discussed.Experimental results indicated that the size of the liquid crystal droplets is the decisive factor that influences the lasing mechanism.The surface anchor role can be ignored when the size of the liquid crystal droplets in the polymer matrix is small,which is beneficial to form multiple scattering.The transmission path of photons is similar to that in a ring cavity,providing feedback to obtain random lasing output.     

Retrieval of order parameters of a monolayer of liquid-crystal droplets with weak anchoring

An optical method is proposed for extracting the order parameters of single-layer polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal film (monolayer) containing bipolar liquid-crystal droplets under weak anchoring conditions. The method is based on an analysis of the coherent transmittance of a monolayer irradiated with a normally incident linearly polarized plane wave. The method is used to retrieve the order parameter of a spherical liquid-crystal droplet and the order parameter of a monolayer consisting of such droplets as functions of the applied electric field. The effect of inaccuracy of the input values of monolayer parameters on the error of retrieval of the order parameters is examined. The method can be used to determine the refractive index of the polymer binder, as well as other parameters of the film. It provides a tool for solving the inverse scattering problem with field-dependent or field-independent droplet order parameter.