Switchable holograms in new photopolymer-liquid crystal composite materials

Richard L. Sutherland; Lalgudi V. Natarajan; Vincent P. Tondiglia; Timothy J. Bunning; W. Wade Adams

doi:10.1117/12.207464

20 April 1995 Switchable holograms in new photopolymer-liquid-crystal composite materials

Richard L. Sutherland, Lalgudi V. Natarajan, Vincent P. Tondiglia, Timothy J. Bunning, W. Wade Adams

Proceedings Volume 2404, Diffractive and Holographic Optics Technology II; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.207464
Event: Photonics West '95, 1995, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Switchable holograms open up the possibility of real-time electro-optical control of diffractive optic components. We have developed a novel photopolymer-liquid crystal material system which allows fast, single-step recording of holograms with diffraction efficiency controllable by conveniently applied electric fields. With the addition of a surfactant to our standard material recipe, we have achieved complete switching of a first-order Bragg diffracted beam into the zero-order with an applied field of approximately 5 V/micrometers and microsecond response time. We have also demonstrated image storage and electro-optical readout with these materials. Low voltage, high resolution scanning electron microscopy studies have confirmed that gratings formed in this material system consist of periodic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal planes. The critical fields for switching and the response times agree very well with a simple liquid crystal shaped-droplet model which we have applied to these gratings.

Citation Download Citation

Richard L. Sutherland, Lalgudi V. Natarajan, Vincent P. Tondiglia, Timothy J. Bunning, and W. Wade Adams "Switchable holograms in new photopolymer-liquid-crystal composite materials", Proc. SPIE 2404, Diffractive and Holographic Optics Technology II, (20 April 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.207464

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