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Title: Direct-write orientation of charge-transfer liquid crystals enables polarization-based coding and encryption

Journal Article · · Scientific Reports
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Abstract Optical polarizers encompass a class of anisotropic materials that pass-through discrete orientations of light and are found in wide-ranging technologies, from windows and glasses to cameras, digital displays and photonic devices. The wire-grids, ordered surfaces, and aligned nanomaterials used to make polarized films cannot be easily reconfigured once aligned, limiting their use to stationary cross-polarizers in, for example, liquid crystal displays. Here we describe a supramolecular material set and patterning approach where the polarization angle in stand-alone films can be precisely defined at the single pixel level and reconfigured following initial alignment. This capability enables new routes for non-binary information storage, retrieval, and intrinsic encryption, and it suggests future technologies such as photonic chips that can be reconfigured using non-contact patterning.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; CHE-1905211; DRM-1531482; NA-0003525
OSTI ID:
1664466
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1667425
Report Number(s):
SAND-2020-9266J; 15352; PII: 72037
Journal Information:
Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Vol. 10 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (17)

Figure 1(p. 3)figure Figure 1
Figure 2(p. 4)figure Figure 2
Figure 3(p. 5)figure Figure 3
w and a corresponding "key" viewed with unpolarized light (left) and LPL (right). b) Microscope image of overlaid mask and key films." data-ostiid="1664466">
Figure 4(p. 6)figure Figure 4
Figure 5(p. 8)figure Figure 5
Figure 6(p. 10)figure Figure 6
Supplementary Fig. 1(p. 19)figure Supplementary Fig. 1
Supplementary Fig. 2(p. 19)figure Supplementary Fig. 2
Supplementary Fig. 3(p. 20)figure Supplementary Fig. 3
Supplementary Fig. 4(p. 21)figure Supplementary Fig. 4
Supplementary Table 1(p. 21)figure Supplementary Table 1
Supplementary Table 1 (Continued)(p. 22)figure Supplementary Table 1 (Continued)
Supplementary Table 1 (Continued)(p. 23)figure Supplementary Table 1 (Continued)
Supplementary Table 2(p. 23)figure Supplementary Table 2
Supplementary Table 2 (Continued)(p. 24)figure Supplementary Table 2 (Continued)
Supplementary Table 2 (Continued)(p. 25)figure Supplementary Table 2 (Continued)
Supplementary Table 2 (Continued)(p. 26)figure Supplementary Table 2 (Continued)

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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