Photo-alignment of liquid crystals in micro capillaries with point-by-point irradiation

Siarkowska, Agata; Jóźwik, Michał; Ertman, Sławomir; Woliński, Tomasz R.; Chigrinov, Vladimir G.

doi:10.2478/s11772-014-0188-9

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…It is worth mentioning that each subsequent erasing and recording of new alignment required slightly more time, and thus the orientation quality was decreasing—i.e., the borders between two different orientations were slightly more blurred and less stable. Based on our previous studies 26 , 30 , we can confirm that the stability of the alignment of LCs obtained with photoalignment technique is excellent and the samples (stored in UV-free conditions) “remember” recorded periodic alignment of molecules even after the period as long as 24 months. It is also worth mentioning that photoalignment is probably the most suitable technique to use when dealing with microcapillaries.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 57%

Periodic liquid crystalline waveguiding microstructures

Ertman,

Orzechowski,

Rutkowska

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Different methods allowing for creating optical waveguides with liquid–crystal (LC) cores, in which molecules form periodic patterns with precisely controlled periods, are reported. The first one is based on reversible photoalignment with high-resolution selective illumination and allows to control the period of LC molecules inside silica microcapillaries. The second method employs microstructures formed in PDMS, allowing to obtain both: LC-core waveguides and a set of specially designed periodic microelectrodes used for the periodic reorientation of molecules. Using both methods, we successfully controlled the period of the patterned alignment in the range from about 500 µm and scaled it down to as small as 20 µm. We performed experimental studies on waveguiding phenomenon in such structures, in view to obtain transmission spectra typical to optical fiber gratings. Since the results achieved in experimental conditions differed from those expected, the additional numerical simulations were performed to explain the observed effects. Finally, we obtained the waveguiding in a blue phase LC, characterized by naturally created three-dimensional periodicity with periods smaller than one micrometer. In such a structure, we were able to observe first-order bandgap, and moreover, we were able to tune it thermally in nearly the whole visible spectral range.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 57%

Periodic liquid crystalline waveguiding microstructures

Ertman,

Orzechowski,

Rutkowska

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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“…Recently, the photoalignment technique has been used to align LCs in cylindrical capillaries . A designed polymer with dibenzobarrelene groups has been found to induce photoalignment of nematic LCs …”

Section: Photoalignment and Photoorientation Of Liquid Crystalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light-Driven Liquid Crystalline Materials: From Photo-Induced Phase Transitions and Property Modulations to Applications

2016

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Light-driven phenomena both in living systems and nonliving materials have enabled truly fascinating and incredible dynamic architectures with terrific forms and functions. Recently, liquid crystalline materials endowed with photoresponsive capability have emerged as enticing systems. In this Review, we focus on the developments of light-driven liquid crystalline materials containing photochromic components over the past decade. Design and synthesis of photochromic liquid crystals (LCs), photoinduced phase transitions in LC, and photoalignment and photoorientation of LCs have been covered. Photomodulation of pitch, polarization, lattice constant and handedness inversion of chiral LCs is discussed. Light-driven phenomena and properties of liquid crystalline polymers, elastomers, and networks have also been analyzed. The applications of photoinduced phase transitions, photoalignment, photomodulation of chiral LCs, and photomobile polymers have been highlighted wherever appropriate. The combination of photochromism, liquid crystallinity, and fabrication techniques has enabled some fascinating functional materials which can be driven by ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light irradiation. Nanoscale particles have been incorporated to widen and diversify the scope of the light-driven liquid crystalline materials. The developed materials possess huge potential for applications in optics, photonics, adaptive materials, nanotechnology, etc. The challenges and opportunities in this area are discussed at the end of the Review.

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“…However, in order to obtain any desired alignment of LC molecules, it is necessary to deposit aligning materials on the boundary surfaces [10]. As it was previously reported, by covering the inner sides of a silica-glass microcapillary with azo-dye SD1 (DIC, Japan) illuminated with a polarized UV light beam it was possible to align -in a controlled way -both nematic LC molecules [11] and chiral smectic C LC molecules [12]. However, to change the alignment of LC molecules, it was necessary to illuminate the sample with a UV light beam with a different azimuth of polarization.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Light propagation in a photonic crystal fiber infiltrated with mesogenic azobenzene dyes

Budaszewski

Woliński

2017

Photon.Lett.PL

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In this paper, light propagation in an isotropic photonic crystal fiber as well in a silica-glass microcapillary infiltrated with a mesogenic azobenzene dye has been investigated. It appeared that light spectrum guided inside the photonic crystal fiber infiltrated with the investigated azobenzene dye depends on the illuminating wavelength of the absorption band and on linear polarization. Also, alignment of the mesogenic azobenzene dye molecules inside silica glass microcapillaries and photonic crystal fibers has been investigated. Results obtained may lead to a new design of optically tunable photonic devices. Full Text: PDF ReferencesP. Russell. St. J. "Photonic-Crystal Fibers", J. Lightwave Technol. 24, 4729 (2006). CrossRef T. Larsen, A. Bjarklev, D. Hermann, J. Broeng, "Optical devices based on liquid crystal photonic bandgap fibres", Opt. Exp. 11, 2589 (2003). CrossRef D. C. Zografopoulos, A. Asquini, E. E. Kriezis, A. d'Alessandro, R. Beccherelli, "Guided-wave liquid-crystal photonics", Lab Chip, 12, 3598 (2012). CrossRef F. Du, Y-Q. Lu, S-T. Wu, "Electrically tunable liquid-crystal photonic crystal fiber", Appl. Phys. Lett 85, 2181 (2004) CrossRef D. C. Zografopoulos, E. E. Kriezis, "Tunable Polarization Properties of Hybrid-Guiding Liquid-Crystal Photonic Crystal Fibers", J. Lightwave Technol. 27 (6), 773 (2009) CrossRef S. Ertman, M. Tefelska, M. Chychłowski, A. Rodriquez, D. Pysz, R. Buczyński, E. Nowinowski-Kruszelnicki, R. Dąbrowski, T. R. Woliński. "Index Guiding Photonic Liquid Crystal Fibers for Practical Applications", J. Lightwave Technol. 30, 1208 (2012). CrossRef D. Noordegraaf, L. Scolari, J. Laegsgaard, L. Rindorf, T. T. Alkeskjold, "Electrically and mechanically induced long period gratings in liquid crystal photonic bandgap fibers", Opt. Expr. 15, 7901 (2007) CrossRef M. M. Tefelska, M. S. Chychlowski, T. R. Wolinski, R. Dabrowski, W. Rejmer, E. Nowinowski-Kruszelnicki, P. Mergo, "Photonic Band Gap Fibers with Novel Chiral Nematic and Low-Birefringence Nematic Liquid Crystals", Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 558(1), 184 (2012). CrossRef S. Mathews, Y. Semenova, G. Farrell, "Electronic tunability of ferroelectric liquid crystal infiltrated photonic crystal fibre", Electronics Letters, 45(12), 617 (2009). CrossRef V. Chigrinov, H-S Kwok, H. Takada, H. Takatsu, "Photo-aligning by azo-dyes: Physics and applications", Liquid Crystals Today, 14:4, 1-15, (2005) CrossRef A. Siarkowska, M. Jóźwik, S. Ertman, T.R. Woliński, V.G. Chigrinov, "Photo-alignment of liquid crystals in micro capillaries with point-by-point irradiation", Opto-Electon. Rev. 22, 178 (2014); CrossRef D. Budaszewski, A. K. Srivastava, A. M. W. Tam, T. R. Woliński, V. G. Chigrinov, H-S. Kwok, "Photo-aligned ferroelectric liquid crystals in microchannels", Opt. Lett. 39, 16 (2014) CrossRef J-H Liou, T-H. Chang, T. Lin, Ch-P. Yu, "Reversible photo-induced long-period fiber gratings in photonic liquid crystal fibers", Opt. Expr. 19, (7), 6756, (2011) CrossRef T. T. Alkeskjold, J. Laegsgaard, A. Bjarklev, D. S. Hermann, J. Broeng, J. Li, S-T. Wu, "All-optical modulation in dye-doped nematic liquid crystal photonic bandgap fibers", Opt. Exp, 12 (24), 5857 (2004) CrossRef K. Ichimura, Y. Suzuki, T. Seki, A. Hosoki, K. Aoki, "Reversible change in alignment mode of nematic liquid crystals regulated photochemically by command surfaces modified with an azobenzene monolayer", Langmuir, 4, 1214 (1988) CrossRef http://www.beamco.com/Azobenzene-liquid-crystals DirectLink K. A. Rutkowska, K. Orzechowski, M. Sierakowski, "Wedge-cell technique as a simple and effective method for chromatic dispersion determination of liquid crystals", Phot. Lett, Poland, 8(2), 51 (2016). CrossRef L. Deng, H.-K. Liu, "Nonlinear optical limiting of the azo dye methyl-red doped nematic liquid crystalline films", Opt. Eng. 42, 2936-2941 (2003). CrossRef J. Si, J. Qiu, J. Guo, M. Wang, K. Hirao, "Photoinduced birefringence of azodye-doped materials by a femtosecond laser", Appl. Opt., 42, 7170-7173 (2008). CrossRef

show abstract

Photo-alignment of liquid crystals in micro capillaries with point-by-point irradiation

Cited by 7 publications

References 21 publications

Periodic liquid crystalline waveguiding microstructures

Periodic liquid crystalline waveguiding microstructures

Light-Driven Liquid Crystalline Materials: From Photo-Induced Phase Transitions and Property Modulations to Applications

Light propagation in a photonic crystal fiber infiltrated with mesogenic azobenzene dyes

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