Electrically switchable polymer-dispersed liquid crystal materials including switchable optical couplers and reconfigurable optical interconnects
申请人:Natarajan V. Lalgudi
公开号:US20050007639A1
公开(公告)日:2005-01-13
A new photopolymerizable material allows single-step, fast recording of volume holograms with properties that can be electrically controlled. Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) in accordance with the invention preferably comprise a homogeneous mixture of a nematic liquid crystal and a multifunctional pentaacrylate monomer in combination with photoinitiator, coinitiator and cross-linking agent. Optionally, a surfactant such as octancic acid may also be added. The PDLC material is exposed to coherent light to produce an interference pattern inside the material. Photopolymerization of the new PDLC material produces a hologram of clearly separated liquid crystal domains and cured polymer domains. Volume transmission gratings made with the new PDLC material can be electrically switched between nearly 100% diffraction efficiency and nearly 0% diffraction efficiency. By increasing the frequency of the switching voltage, switching voltages in the range of 50 Vrms can be achieved. The optional use of a surfactant allows low switching voltages at lower frequencies than without a surfactant. In an alternative embodiment, a PDLC material in accordance with the invention can be utilized to form reflection gratings, including switchable reflection gratings. In still further embodiments, a PDLC material in accordance with the invention can be used to form switchable subwavelength gratings. By further processing, static transmission, reflection, and subwavelength PDLC materials can be formed. In addition, PDLC materials in accordance with the present invention can be used to form switchable slanted transmission gratings suitable for switchable optical coupling and reconfigurable optical interconnects.
一种新的可光聚合材料可单步快速记录体积全息图,其特性可通过电学控制。根据本发明,聚合物分散液晶(PDLC)最好由向列液晶和多功能五丙烯酸酯单体的均匀混合物与光引发剂、共引发剂和交联剂组成。也可选择添加辛酸等表面活性剂。将 PDLC 材料置于相干光下,在材料内部产生干涉图案。新型 PDLC 材料经过光聚合后,会产生由清晰分离的液晶畴和固化聚合物畴组成的全息图。使用新型 PDLC 材料制作的体透射光栅可以在近 100% 的衍射效率和近 0% 的衍射效率之间进行电气切换。通过提高开关电压的频率,可实现 50 Vrms 范围内的开关电压。与不使用表面活性剂相比,可选使用表面活性剂可在较低频率下实现较低的开关电压。在另一个实施方案中,根据本发明的 PDLC 材料可用于形成反射光栅,包括可切换反射光栅。在更进一步的实施方案中,根据本发明的 PDLC 材料可用于形成可切换的亚波长光栅。通过进一步加工,可形成静态透射、反射和亚波长 PDLC 材料。此外,根据本发明的 PDLC 材料可用于形成可切换的斜透射光栅,适用于可切换光学耦合和可重构光学互连。