Polymer-Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Diffraction Gratings for Optical Switching and Sensor Applications
Abstract
Low concentration polymer networks are used to stabilize various pattern-forming states of cholesteric liquid crystals. The resulting optical diffraction gratings operate with > 70% efficiency in transmission (Raman-Nath mode) and are electrically switchable between diffracting and non-diffracting states for low applied voltages (3 - 30 V). A remarkable templating of spatio-orientational order, intrinsic to the liquid crystal pattern formation, is expressed in the polymer network. Based on preliminary results on a dopable polyacetylene, the liquid crystal-based templating effect holds promise as a low cost, simple processing approach to the assembly of micron and submicron, orientationally-ordered arrays of functional polymers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 23, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA409045
Entities
People
- L. C. Chien
- Samuel N. Sprunt
Organizations
- Kent State University