Tunable photonic structures from liquid crystal elastomers

Marko Gregorc, Hui Li, Valentina Domenici, Irena Drevenšek-Olenik

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigated one-dimensional and two-dimensional optical diffraction structures fabricated in thin films of a sidechain light-sensitive liquid crystal elastomer (SC-LS-LCEs) by optical holographic lithography methods. The emphasis was on analysis of modifications of the periodicity of the recorded patterns induced by application of an external strain and by temperature modifications. The results show that due to rubber elasticity of the LCE films, relative modifications of the periodicity by 10% can easily be reached. In most cases tuning is reversible and linear with respect to the strain. Temperature induced tuning is most efficient in the region of phase transition from the nematic to the paranematic phase and provides relative periodicity modifications up to 30%.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHolography, Diffractive Optics, and Applications V
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventHolography, Diffractive Optics, and Applications V - Beijing, China
Duration: 5 Nov 20127 Nov 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8556
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceHolography, Diffractive Optics, and Applications V
Country/TerritoryChina
CityBeijing
Period5/11/127/11/12

Keywords

  • Elastomers
  • Holographic lithography
  • Light-sensitive materials
  • Liquid crystals
  • Optical diffraction gratings

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