Ultra-fast solid state electro-optical modulator based on liquid crystal polymer and liquid crystal composites

Journal Article · Mon Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4904214· OSTI ID:22395452

Ouskova, Elena; Vergara, Rafael; Tabiryan, Nelson ^[1]; White, Timothy J.; Bunning, Timothy J. ^[2]

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1. Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Company, Winter Park, Florida 32789 (United States)
2. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433-7707 (United States)

A different generation of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) based on a liquid crystalline polymer host is reported wherein the fluid behavior of the reactive mesogenic monomer is an enabler to concentration windows (liquid crystal polymer/liquid crystal) (and subsequent morphologies) not previously explored. These liquid crystal (LC) polymer/LC composites, LCPDLCs, exhibit excellent optical and electro-optical properties with negligible scattering losses in both the ON and OFF states. These systems thus have application in systems where fast phase modulation of optical signal instead of amplitude control is needed. Polarized optical microscopy and high resolution scanning electron microscopy confirm a bicontinuous morphology composed of aligned LC polymer coexisting with a phase separated LC fluid. Operating voltages, switching times, and spectra of LCPDLCs compare favourably to conventional PDLC films. The LCPDLCs exhibit a low switching voltage (4–5 V/μm), symmetric and submillisecond (200 μs) on/off response times, and high transmission in both the as formed and switched state in a phase modulation geometry.

• OSTI ID: 22395452
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FILMS
LIQUID CRYSTALS
MODULATION
MONOMERS
MORPHOLOGY
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
POLYMERS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOLIDS
SYMMETRY