Dynamic polarization grating based on a dye-doped liquid crystal controllable by a single beam in a homeotropic-planar geometry

A tunable dichroic polarization beam splitter (tunable DPBS) simultaneously performs the follow functions: 1. Separation of a polarized incident beam into multiple pairs of orthogonally polarized beams; 2. Separation of the propagation direction of two wavelength incident beams after passing through the tunable DPBS; and 3. Control of both advanced polarization and wavelength separation capabilities by varying the temperature of the tunable DPBS. This novel complex optical property is realized by diffraction phenomena using a designed three-dimensional periodic structure of aligned liquid crystals in the tunable DPBS, which was fabricated quickly with precision in a one-step photoalignment using four-beam polarization interferometry. In experiments, we demonstrated that these diffraction properties are obtained by entering polarized beams of wavelengths 532 nm and 633 nm onto the tunable DPBS. These diffraction properties are described using the Jones calculus in a polarization propagation analysis. Of significance is that the aligned liquid crystal structure needed to obtain these diffraction properties was proposed based on a theoretical analysis, and these properties were then demonstrated experimentally. The tunable DPBS can perform several functions of a number of optical elements such as wave plates, polarization beam splitter, dichroic beam splitter, and tunable wavelength filter. Therefore, the tunable DPBS can contribute to greater miniaturization, sophistication, and cost reduction of optical systems used widely in applications, such as optical measurements, communications, and information processing.

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Tunable dichroic polarization beam splitter created by one-step holographic photoalignment using four-beam polarization interferometry

Kawai

Sakamoto

Noda

et al. 2017

Journal of Applied Physics

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Dynamic cholesteric liquid crystal superstructures photoaligned by one-step polarization holography

Shen

Chang

et al. 2017

Applied Physics Letters

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A convenient approach to modulate the fingerprint textures of methyl red (MR) doped cholesteric liquid crystals by asymmetric photoalignment in the green-light waveband is presented, resulting in the generation of voltage-controllable helical superstructures. The interaction between the MR molecules and the incident light polarization determines the initial twisted planar geometry, providing a multivariant control over the stripe directions of fingerprint textures by applying a proper electric field. The key factors for precise manipulation of fingerprint stripes in a predictable and rewritable manner are analyzed theoretically and investigated experimentally, which involves the alignment asymmetry, the ratio of cell gap to natural pitch length, and the chirality of chiral dopant. Dynamic periodic fingerprint textures in shapes of dashed curve and dashed line are further demonstrated by utilizing a facile one-step polarization holography process using two beams with orthogonal circular and orthogonal linear polarizations, respectively. It is believed that the practical approach described in this study would enrich the research contents of self-assembled hierarchical superstructures using soft liquid crystal building blocks.

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Optically switchable grating based on dye-doped ferroelectric liquid crystal with high efficiency

Kim¹,

Suh²,

Lee³

et al. 2015

Opt. Express

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We demonstrate an all-optically switchable ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) grating constructed in an alternating binary configuration with different optical properties from domain to domain. A dye-doped FLC is uniformly aligned in one type of domains whereas it is infiltrated into the photo-polymerized networks of reactive mesogens in the other. Compared to conventional nematic LC cases, our FLC grating allows more efficient all-optical modulation and faster diffraction switching between the 0th and the 1st orders in subsecond since the optical response associated with the dye molecules in the layered state is less hindered than in the orientationally ordered state. Our dye-doped FLC grating with periodically infiltrated structures will be useful for designing a new class of all-optically switching systems.

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Dynamic polarization grating based on a dye-doped liquid crystal controllable by a single beam in a homeotropic-planar geometry

Cited by 4 publications

References 29 publications

Tunable dichroic polarization beam splitter created by one-step holographic photoalignment using four-beam polarization interferometry

Tunable dichroic polarization beam splitter created by one-step holographic photoalignment using four-beam polarization interferometry

Dynamic cholesteric liquid crystal superstructures photoaligned by one-step polarization holography

Optically switchable grating based on dye-doped ferroelectric liquid crystal with high efficiency

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