Fast response and transparent optically isotropic liquid crystal diffraction grating

• Published in: Optics express Vol. 25; no. 20; pp. 24033 - 24043
• Main Authors: Manda, Ramesh, Pagidi, Srinivas, Bhattacharyya, Surjya Sarathi, Park, Chul Ho, Lim, Young Jin, Gwag, Jin Seog, Lee, Seung Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 02.10.2017
• ISSN: 1094-4087; 1094-4087
• DOI: 10.1364/OE.25.024033

We have demonstrated an electrically tunable less polarization sensitive and fast response nanostructured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (nano-PDLC) diffraction grating. Fabricated nano-PDLC is optically transparent in visible wavelength regime. The optical isotropic nature was increased by minimizing the liquid crystal droplet size below visible wavelength thereby eliminated scattering. Diffraction properties of in-plane switching (IPS) and fringe-field switching (FFS) cells were measured and compared with one another up to four orders. We have obtained a pore-type polymer network constructed by highly interlinked polymer beads at which the response time is improved by strong interaction of liquid crystal molecules with polymer beads at interface. The diffraction pattern obtained by transparent nano-PDLC film has several interesting properties such as less polarization dependence and fast response. This device can be used as transparent tunable diffractor along with other photonic application.