Optical filter with tunable wavelength and bandwidth based on phototunable cholesteric liquid crystals.

An optical filter with tunable wavelength and bandwidth is demonstrated using two phototunable cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) configured in a reflection mode. In this mode, incident light is first reflected by one Azo-chiral-doped CLC and then by another one. The tuning mechanism, which is based on the pitch modulation of the CLCs that contain an Azo-chiral dopant, can be controlled by two pumping laser beams. The central wavelength can be tuned from 510 to 628 nm, and the bandwidth can be changed from 13 to 79 nm.

Helical wavefront and beam shape modulated by advanced liquid crystal q-plate fabricated via photoalignment and analyzed by Michelson's interference.

In this study, electrically tunable advanced liquid crystal q-plates (ALCQPs) that combine two q values in one device to generate optical vortex beams were fabricated using a photoalignment method that involves the use of azo dye, a surfactant alignment material. The electrically tunable ALCQP device could be modulated to control the shape and polarization of a circularly polarized Gaussian laser beam that propagated through the device. A Gaussian beam modulated by an ALCQP under suitable applied voltage showed a variation beam shape with helical wavefront, as demonstrated by Michelson's interference. This helical wavefront beam carries an orbital angular momentum and can be used in an optical tweezers system to trap, move, and rotate particles simultaneously.

Modulation of shape and polarization of beam using a liquid crystal q-plate that is fabricated via photo-alignment.

A liquid crystal (LC) device, called a "q-plate" (QP), which is based on axially symmetric photo-alignment was investigated. The electrically tunable LC QP device could be modulated to control the shape and polarization of a linearly polarized Gaussian laser beam that propagated through it. The intensity profile and polarization distribution were simulated by MATLAB and 1D-DIMOS. The results of the simulation were consistent with experimental findings. In the fabricated electrically tunable LC QP device, switching between different beam-profile configurations can be realized by applying a voltage. Moreover, the fabrication of an LC QP is relatively simple, and the device has potential for such practical applications as beam shape modulators and spatial polarization converters use in diffractive optics and imaging systems.

Bichromatic optical switch of diffractive light from a BCT photonic crystal based on an azo component-doped HPDLC.

This study demonstrates all optical switches between the four diffractive light levels of a body-centered tetragonal photonic crystal. The sample is based on holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals that are fabricated using a two-beam interference with multiple exposures. The switching mechanism bases on the effective index modulation of the PC that contains a liquid crystal/azo-dye mixture could be controlled by two pumping laser beams. The switching time between the blue-laser-pumped and the blue-and-green-laser-pumped levels is fast. The study also discusses the switching time of the various levels.

Multimode lasing from the microcavity of an octagonal quasi-crystal based on holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals.

An eightfold photonic quasi-crystal (PQC) sample is fabricated holographically using two-beam interference with multi-exposure based on polymer-dispersed liquid crystals. The transmission spectra from the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation prove the photonic stop band of the rotational symmetry structure of the sample. The resonant mode of the circular microcavity formed in the PQC is calculated. Amplified spontaneous emission and multimode lasing action are demonstrated from the pumped laser-dye-doped PQC microcavity using a Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) pulse laser.

Biphotonic-induced reorientation inversion in azo-dye-doped liquid crystal films.

The reorientation inversion of liquid crystal molecules in azo-dye-doped liquid crystal (ADDLC) films irradiated by biphotonic (green and red light) lasers is studied using the self-phase-modulation method. The results show that the induced change of refractive index (∆n) in an ADDLC cell illuminated with a fixed intensity of green light increases with the red-light intensity. Notably, the value of ∆n is initially negative, and becomes positive when the intensity of the red laser is increasing. It is due to the fact that an extra positive torque is exerted on the LCs, which is produced by cis-isomers upon absorbing red light to compensate the negative torque induced by the excitation of the green light.

Transverse wave propagation in photonic crystal based on holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal.

This study investigates the transversely propagating waves in a body-centered tetragonal photonic crystal based on a holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film. Rotating the film reveals three different transverse propagating waves. Degeneracy of optical Bloch waves from reciprocal lattice vectors explains their symmetrical distribution.

Sensor for monitoring the vibration of a laser beam based on holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal films.

A continuous multiple exposure diffraction grating (CMEDG) is fabricated holographically on polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films using two-beam interference with multiple exposures. The grating is fabricated by exposing a PDLC film to 18 repeated exposure/non-exposure cycles with an angular step of ~10°/10° while it revolves a circle on a rotation stage. The structure of the sample thus formed is analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and shows arc-ripples around the center. From the diffraction patterns of the formed grating obtained using a normally incident laser beam, some or all of the 18 recorded arc beams can be reconstructed, as determined by the probing location. Thus, it can be applied for use as a beam-vibration sensor for a laser.

Observation of conical scattering cones from a two-dimensional hexagonal photonic crystal based on a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal.

We explore axial scattering from a two-dimensional hexagonal photonic crystal based on a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal at normal incidence. The scattering reveals symmetric cones over a range of frequencies. The observed cones disperse strongly outward, and their radii are determined by the wavelength of the probe beam. Such cones are generated by the coupling of forward-scattered beams of the refracted beams and the refracted beams themselves under momentum conservation.