Photovoltaic Light Valve Induced in a Vertically Aligned Nematic Liquid Crystal on an X-cut Fe:LiNbO3 Substrate (Postprint)
Abstract
Photovoltaic fields induced in x-cut Fe-doped lithium niobate (Fe:LiNbO3) were used to achieve optically induced defect formation and light valving in a vertically aligned nematic liquid crystal. Initially, the optical axis of the LC was vertically aligned (parallel to the surface-normal of the planar, photovoltaic substrates) throughout the whole sample. Samples were exposed with a focused continuous wave laser beam and investigated via microscopic imaging in-between crossed polarizers. The optical axis of the planar, x-cut Fe:LiNbO3 substrates was in the substrate plane and oriented parallel to one of the polarizers, which resulted in an initially dark state. Optically induced surface fields (with high in-plane components) generated within the substrates led to director reorientations and defect formation. Accordingly, the samples were locally switched in a transmissive state. The area affected by exposure was larger (300 m) than the FWHM of the Gaussian exposure beam (14 m). Switching from dark to bright states (light valving) could be achieved in the investigated samples much more efficiently than in previously investigated samples with z-cut Fe:LiNbO3-substrates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1064374
Entities
People
- Alexander Lorenz
- Dean R. Evans
- Lin Jiao
Organizations
- University of Paderborn