We report on low-voltage, high-contrast amplitude/phase modulators of laser radiation on the basis of microscale polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) single layers providing interference contrast enhancement. The modulators were prepared from liquid crystal (LC) E7 in the solid matrix of UV-cured polymer NOA65. Operating at low voltages, E7/NOA65 single-layered PDLC films of thickness 10–25 μm and mean diameter of LC droplets up to 50 μm are capable of producing a large phase shift up to /2 for the propagating laser light. This property is very attractive for linear and non-linear optical applications. The precise spatial control of droplet size along the film thickness allows the linear droplet-size gradient single-layered PDLC films to be used for tunable spatial light modulators and other devices for active control of laser radiation.
Single-Layered Microscale PDLC Films for Electro-Optical Modulation of Laser Radiation
C. Versace;SCARAMUZZA, Nicola
2013-01-01
Abstract
We report on low-voltage, high-contrast amplitude/phase modulators of laser radiation on the basis of microscale polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) single layers providing interference contrast enhancement. The modulators were prepared from liquid crystal (LC) E7 in the solid matrix of UV-cured polymer NOA65. Operating at low voltages, E7/NOA65 single-layered PDLC films of thickness 10–25 μm and mean diameter of LC droplets up to 50 μm are capable of producing a large phase shift up to /2 for the propagating laser light. This property is very attractive for linear and non-linear optical applications. The precise spatial control of droplet size along the film thickness allows the linear droplet-size gradient single-layered PDLC films to be used for tunable spatial light modulators and other devices for active control of laser radiation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
