Ultrafast all-optical response of a nematic liquid crystal

Cattaneo, Laura; Savoini, Matteo; Muševič, Igor; Kimel, A.V.; Rasing, T.H.M.

doi:10.1364/oe.23.014010

Cited by 28 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…For example, the threshold power of these device operations can be tuned with different dye concentrations. One could also use dyes with higher dichroic ratio 25 and employ other nonlinear mechanisms 16 17 26 to obtain faster response and lower threshold power.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

All-optical transistor- and diode-action and logic gates based on anisotropic nonlinear responsive liquid crystal

Wang

Chen

Jau

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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In this paper, we show that anisotropic photosensitive nematic liquid crystals (PNLC) made by incorporating anisotropic absorbing dyes are promising candidates for constructing all-optical elements by virtue of the extraordinarily large optical nonlinearity of the nematic host. In particular, we have demonstrated several room-temperature ‘prototype’ PNLC-based all-optical devices such as optical diode, optical transistor and all primary logic gate operations (OR, AND, NOT) based on such optical transistor. Owing to the anisotropic absorption property and the optical activity of the twist alignment nematic cell, spatially non-reciprocal transmission response can be obtained within a sizeable optical isolation region of ~210 mW. Exploiting the same mechanisms, a tri-terminal configuration as an all-optical analogue of a bipolar junction transistor is fabricated. Its ability to be switched by an optical field enables us to realize an all-optical transistor and demonstrate cascadability, signal fan-out, logic restoration, and various logical gate operations such as OR, AND and NOT. Due to the possibility of synthesizing anisotropic dyes and wide ranging choice of liquid crystals nonlinear optical mechanisms, these all-optical operations can be optimized to have much lower thresholds and faster response speeds. The demonstrated capabilities of these devices have shown great potential in all-optical control system and photonic integrated circuits.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

All-optical transistor- and diode-action and logic gates based on anisotropic nonlinear responsive liquid crystal

Wang

Chen

Jau

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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“…This is also true for advanced time-domain investigations both in the THz [39] as well as attosecond domains [10,46]. In the former case, THz time-domain spectroscopy [40] has matured to become a standard technique to study advanced materials and their applications. Attosecond spectroscopy and metrology have similarly pushed the envelope in investigating electronic dynamics in quantum systems posing challenges for both experiment and theory as new avenues continue to be explored.…”

Section: Experimental Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two routes enable this: the first employs photoconductive antennas in which temporal gradients in the photocurrent of carriers generated in semiconducting materials like low-temperature grown gallium arsenide lead to the emission of THz pulses. Alternately, optical rectification of fs pulses in suitable crystals such as ZnTe or more complex media such as nematic liquid crystals [40] can be exploited to generate THz ps pulses. While bolometric detectors present a relatively convenient way to measure THz radiation, time-domain spectroscopy remains the go to solution where electro-optic sampling of the timevarying electric field of these pulses by cross correlation with fraction of the parent optical pulse enables THz pulse metrology.…”

Section: New Materials and Thz Spectroscopymentioning

confidence: 99%

Intense laser matter interaction in atoms, finite systems and condensed media: recent experiments and theoretical advances

Krishnan

Mudrich

2021

Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top.

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This special issue of the European Journal of Physics: Special Topics entitled "Intense Laser Matter Interaction in Atoms, Finite Systems and Condensed Media" published a set of 21 articles aiming to put in perspective this burgeoning area of science, application and technology. The invention of chirped pulse amplification by Strickland and Mourou, which led to their Nobel prizes in 2018, has ushered in a new era in photon-matter interaction where coherent intense light pulses in the optical and infrared domains play a central role. This development has not only called in creative experimental methods, but has demanded new theoretical approaches working in the non-perturbative and highly nonlinear regimes of light-matter interaction. Both for fundamental physics as well as key applications these have played an essential role. Key pillars of this subject, captured in this collection, are laser-induced nanometerscale plasmas ignited in unsupported nanoparticles, laser-based particle acceleration taking advantage of unprecedented field gradients, the generation of high-order harmonics opening up attosecond science and ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy, and the generation of terahertz pulses for time-domain spectroscopy of new materials.

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“…However, the relatively long response time remains a major obstacle to transient applications, such as fast display and phase modulation. Numerous efforts have focused on LC materials, device configuration, and driving methods to improve LC response [6][7][8][9] .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because in all the experiments, a fringe location uncertainty of AE1 pixel is obtained, and, according to Eqs. (7) and (9), measurement errors of AE0.4°and AE0.2°can be estimated for the R and φ measurements, respectively. The ambient temperature is controlled at AE2°C.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Real-time observation of liquid crystal molecular directions based on a snapshot polarimeter

Yao

2017

Chin. Opt. Lett.

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The polarization state of transmitted light is linked to liquid crystal (LC) molecular distribution. The dynamic behavior of a twisted nematic LC molecule is measured with a home-built 10 kHz snapshot polarimeter. Only the transient molecule rotations are observed when the external voltage changes, and the molecules return to their original orientations quickly even when high voltage is applied. Our observations cannot be attributed to the traditional electro-optic effect. The invalidation of the static external field indicates the shielding effect of redistributing impurity ions in an LC cell.

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Ultrafast all-optical response of a nematic liquid crystal

Cited by 28 publications

References 27 publications

All-optical transistor- and diode-action and logic gates based on anisotropic nonlinear responsive liquid crystal

All-optical transistor- and diode-action and logic gates based on anisotropic nonlinear responsive liquid crystal

Intense laser matter interaction in atoms, finite systems and condensed media: recent experiments and theoretical advances

Real-time observation of liquid crystal molecular directions based on a snapshot polarimeter

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