Tunable and Memorable Optical Devices with One-Dimensional Photonic-Crystal/Liquid-Crystal Hybrid Structures

Wu, Po-Chang; Lee, Wei

doi:10.5772/48127

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 62 publications

(67 reference statements)

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“…In this way, optical devices, such as low-power-consuming tunable filters or reflectors, light shutters, or electrically controllable intensity modulators, may be realized. Moreover, these modifications are reversible, which makes it possible to create optical memory devices . A related area of applications for the proposed optical element is the development of dynamically tunable diffractive optical elements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, these modifications are reversible, which makes it possible to create optical memory devices. 40 A related area of applications for the proposed optical element is the development of dynamically tunable diffractive optical elements. We envision that our strategy can be readily extended to systems composed of other LC media and a broad range of NP compositions, sizes, and shapes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Self-Organized, One-Dimensional Periodic Structures in a Gold Nanoparticle-Doped Nematic Liquid Crystal Composite

et al. 2019

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Composite structures exhibiting a periodic arrangement of building blocks can be found in natural systems at different length scales. Recreating such systems in artificial composites using the principles of self-assembly has been a great challenge, especially for 1D microscale systems. Here, we present a purposely designed composite material consisting of gold nanoparticles and a nematic liquid crystal matrix that has the ability to self-create a periodic structure in the form of a one-dimensional photonic lattice through a phase separation process occurring in a confined space. Our strategy is based on the use of a thermoswitchable medium that reversibly and quickly responds to both heating and cooling. We find that the period of the structure is strongly related to the size of the confining space. We believe that our findings will allow us to not only better understand the phase separation process in multicomponent soft/colloid mixtures with useful optical properties but also improve our understanding of the precise assembly of advanced materials into one-dimensional periodic systems, with prospective applications in future photonic technologies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Organized, One-Dimensional Periodic Structures in a Gold Nanoparticle-Doped Nematic Liquid Crystal Composite

et al. 2019

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“…On the basis of our experimental and simulation findings, we selected a hybrid PC/LC cell with a cell gap of 7.87 µm and successfully manifested the feasibility of concurrently segmental scanning over the 400 nm wide spectrum by using externally applied voltage as low as 2.5 V rms . While previous studies have intensively explored spectral properties of photonic PC/LC structures [44], there is currently a lack of detailed study of electrooptic performance of defect modes for applications in wavelength-tunable multichannel filters or spectrometric instruments underlain by simultaneous multichannel wavelength scanning. The proposed design addresses this gap and offers a promising technique for an alternative type of miniature spectrometer in the NIR regime.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrically Tunable Defect-Mode Wavelengths in a Liquid-Crystal-in-Cavity Hybrid Structure in the Near-Infrared Range

et al. 2023

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This work proposes a novel approach to developing a core component for a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer with wavelength tunability, which is based on a liquid crystal (LC)-in-cavity structure as a hybrid photonic crystal (PC). By electrically altering the tilt angle of the LC molecules under applied voltage, the proposed PC/LC photonic structure consisting of an LC layer sandwiched between two multilayer films generates transmitted photons at specific wavelengths as defect modes within the photonic bandgap (PBG). The relationship between the number of defect-mode peaks and the cell thickness is investigated using a simulated approach based on the 4 × 4 Berreman numerical method. Furthermore, the defect-mode wavelength shifts driven by various applied voltages are studied experimentally. To minimize the power consumption of the optical module for spectrometric application, cells of different thicknesses are explored for the wavelength-tunability performance of the defect modes scanning through the entire free spectral ranges to the wavelengths of their next higher orders at null voltage. A 7.9 μm thick PC/LC cell is verified to attain the low operating voltage of merely 2.5 Vrms required to successfully cover the entire NIR spectral range between 1250 and 1650 nm. The proposed PBG structure is thus an excellent candidate for application in monochromator or spectrometer development.

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“…Since LC phases with periodically helical structures can intrinsically be regarded as PCs, various LC-based PC devices with tunable optical features by light irradiations [8,9] or by electric-field treatments [10,11] have previously been demonstrated. Alternatively, recent investigations concerning the tunability of defect modes as well as the design of electrically tunable photonic devices have extensively been proposed in the literature by incorporating various types of LCs individually in one-dimensional (1D) multilayer PCs [12]. Among them, the 1D PC/LC hybrid structures with dynamic-mode LCs allow the wavelength tunability of defect modes in accordance with the electrically controlled birefringence [13][14][15][16][17][18] or polarization-rotation effect [19].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The dielectric multilayer investigated in this work consists of five layers of 68.09-nm-thick Ta 2 O 5 with the refractive index n H = 2.18 and of four layers of 102.37-nm-thick SiO 2 with n L = 1.47, deposited alternately on an indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-coated soda-lime glass substrate of 1.1 mm in thickness [12]. The alignment layers were fabricated by spin-coating SE-8793 (Nissan Chemical) on the top surfaces of dielectric multilayers to promote LC's planar alignment with parallel rubbing directions.…”

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confidence: 99%

Dynamic Tuning and Memory Switching of Defect Modes in a Hybrid Photonic Structure

Wang

Timofeev

et al. 2016

Crystals

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Abstract:We propose a memorable and electrically tunable photonic device by infiltrating a dual-mode chiral-doped dual-frequency liquid crystal (LC) as the central defect layer in a one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC). According to the transmission properties of this structure, the wavelength tunability of defect modes is obtained by manipulating the LC layer in the dynamic mode due to the electrically controlled birefringence effect. Moreover, the switching between two memorable states, the splay and π-twist states, creates two distinct sets of defect modes at null voltage. The spectral characteristics of this device ensure its potential application as an energy-efficient multichannel wavelength filter.

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Tunable and Memorable Optical Devices with One-Dimensional Photonic-Crystal/Liquid-Crystal Hybrid Structures

Cited by 5 publications

References 62 publications

Self-Organized, One-Dimensional Periodic Structures in a Gold Nanoparticle-Doped Nematic Liquid Crystal Composite

Self-Organized, One-Dimensional Periodic Structures in a Gold Nanoparticle-Doped Nematic Liquid Crystal Composite

Electrically Tunable Defect-Mode Wavelengths in a Liquid-Crystal-in-Cavity Hybrid Structure in the Near-Infrared Range

Dynamic Tuning and Memory Switching of Defect Modes in a Hybrid Photonic Structure

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