CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Advanced Search
Home > Proceedings > Volume 9565 > Article
Presentation
5 October 2015 Studies of the underlying mechanisms for optical nonlinearities of blue phase liquid crystals (Presentation Recording)
Chun-Wei Chen, Iam Choon Khoo, Shuo Zhao, Tsung-Hsien Lin, Tsung-Jui Ho
Author Affiliations +
Proceedings Volume 9565, Liquid Crystals XIX; 956505 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2189490
Event: SPIE Organic Photonics + Electronics, 2015, San Diego, California, United States
Abstract
We have investigated the mechanisms responsible for nonlinear optical processes occurring in azobenzene-doped blue phase liquid crystals (BPLC), which exhibit two thermodynamically stable BPs: BPI and BPII. In coherent two wave-mixing experiments, a slow (minutes) and a fast (few milliseconds) side diffractions are observed. The underlying mechanisms were disclosed by monitoring the dynamics of grating formation and relaxation as well as by some supplementary experiments. We found the photothermal indexing and dye/LC intermolecular torque leading to lattice distortion to be the dominant mechanisms for the observed nonlinear response in BPLC. Moreover, the response time of the nonlinear optical process varied with operating phase. The rise time of the thermal indexing process was in good agreement with our findings on the temperature dependence of BP refractive index: τ(ISO) > τ(BPI) > τ(BPII). The relaxation time of the torque-induced lattice distortion was analogue to its electrostriction counterpart: τ'(BPI) > τ'(BPII). In a separate experiment, lattice swelling with selective reflection of <110> direction changed from green to red was also observed. This was attributable to the isomerization-induced change in cholesteric pitch, which directly affects the lattice spacing. The phenomenon was confirmed by measuring the optical rotatory power of the BPLC.
Conference Presentation
© (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Citation Download Citation
Chun-Wei Chen, Iam Choon Khoo, Shuo Zhao, Tsung-Hsien Lin, and Tsung-Jui Ho "Studies of the underlying mechanisms for optical nonlinearities of blue phase liquid crystals (Presentation Recording)", Proc. SPIE 9565, Liquid Crystals XIX, 956505 (5 October 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2189490
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
ORGANIZATIONAL
Sign in with credentials provided by your organization.
INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION
PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.
PERSONAL SIGN IN
No SPIE Account? Create one
PURCHASE THIS CONTENT
SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY
50 downloads per 1-year subscription
Members: $195
Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART
25 downloads per 1 - year subscription
Members: $145
Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART
PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE
Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available
Members: $17.00
Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART
PROCEEDINGS
 PRESENTATION
WATCH
PRESENTATION SAVE TO MY LIBRARY
GET CITATION
Advertisement
Advertisement
KEYWORDS
Liquid crystals
Distortion
Nonlinear optics
Diffraction
Diffraction gratings
Electrostriction
Nonlinear response
RELATED CONTENT
Subscribe to Digital Library
Receive Erratum Email Alert
Back to Top