Optically Generated Reconfigurable Photonic Structures of Elastic Quasiparticles in Frustrated Cholesteric Liquid Crystals
We describe laser-induced two-dimensional periodic photonic structures formed by localized particle-like excitations in an untwisted confined cholesteric liquid crystal. The individual particle-like excitations (dubbed 'Torons') contain three-dimensional twist of the liquid crystal director matched to the uniform background director field by topological point defects. Using both single-beam-steering and holographic pattern generation approaches, the periodic crystal lattices are tailored by tuning their periodicity, reorienting their crystallographic axes, and introducing defects. Moreover, these lattices can be dynamically reconfigurable: generated, modified, erased and then recreated, depending on the needs of a particular photonic application. This robust control is performed by tightly focused laser beams of power 10-100 mW and by low-frequency electric fields at voltages {approx}10 V applied to the transparent electrodes.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), National Science Foundation (NSF), Directorate of Chemistry and Life Sciences of Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Institue for Complex Adaptive Matter
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1047960
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5900-55333; TRN: US201216%%586
- Journal Information:
- Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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