Smart Mirrors for Photorefractive Control of Light with Tim Bunning, RX - Agile Filters Application
Abstract
The formation and characterization of a switchable volume reflective element fabricated from a polymer liquid crystal (LC) polymer slice (POLICRYPS) structure by holographic photopolymerization at high temperature (70 C) using a photosensitive/nematic liquid crystal prepolymer mixture is reported. The submicron Bragg structure formed consists of periodic continuous polymeric walls separated by periodic LC channels. The phase separated NLC self-aligns in a homeotropic alignment between the polymer walls as indicated by polarizing optical microscopy analysis (Maltese cross). The resulting periodic grating structure results in a Bragg reflection notch upon illumination with white light due to the periodic variation in refractive index. Electro-optical experiments realized through in-plane electrodes and temperature experiments confirm that the multilayer structure acts as a Bragg mirror whose reflection efficiency can be controlled by either a small (~3V/m) electric field or temperature.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 08, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1027284
Entities
People
- Luciano De Sio
Organizations
- University of Calabria