Terahertz (THz) waves have attracted significant attention for many years mainly because of their practical applications in imaging. Liquid crystals (LCs) are remarkable materials for THz wave polarization modulation, as external fields with low power consumption can control their birefringence. Previously, we demonstrated a continuous wave THz common path phase shifting interference (PSI) method using the hydrogen-bonded LC phase shifter. In this study, we introduce the magnetic field to enhance the operation speed of the hydrogen-bonded LC phase shifter. We discuss the magnetic field application methods and the operation speed of continuous wave THz common path PSI.
General liquid crystal (LC) materials have considerably large birefringence in wide frequency regions in the electromagnetic wave spectra, extending to the THz, millimeter wave (MMW), and microwave. LC materials can potentially be applied to some excellent control devices in novel frequency regions as display devices in optics regions. However, the birefringence of LC materials synthesized for display applications generally decreases by approximately half in the MMW region. Furthermore, the small remaining absorption loss in the MMW region must lead to a fatal device loss, as the LC layer becomes extremely large in the application field. New LC materials beyond the display application have been desired in novel LC application fields. In this work, a new class of LC materials consisting of hydrogen bonding is evaluated in the MMW region for the first time. Some optical properties different from those of conventional LC materials are discovered. The most distinct property is that the birefringence of the hydrogen-bonded LC materials in the MMW region becomes considerably larger than that in visible rays, which is totally inversion in relation with conventional LC materials. The absorption coefficients are as small as those of the best LC materials developed for microwave applications. Although some disadvantages are associated with the application of actual devices in this stage, the distinct dispersion properties make a breakthrough imminent in this application fields.
The use of terahertz waves for imaging has been studied intensively from the scientific, medical, and industrial viewpoints. Phase information is important for terahertz imaging and thus several kinds of phase detection methods for terahertz waves have been reported. Phase imaging using continuous wave terahertz interferometry has the advantage of having a high signal-to-noise ratio. Phase-shifting interferometry by using a liquid crystal (LC) phase shifter is a possible candidate for terahertz phase imaging. Accordingly, it has several advantages, such as a simple experimental setup and a low drive voltage. In our previous research, we confirmed that hydrogen-bonded LCs do not exhibit dichroism at 2.5 THz. Furthermore, hydrogen-bonded LCs exhibit higher birefringence in the terahertz range than in the visible range. Recently, we studied phase-shifting interferometry by using a hydrogen-bonded LC device. Since the hydrogen-bonded LC do not exhibit dichroism at 2.5 THz, the birefringence of the sample could be successfully obtained. To improve repeatability of this measurement, it is important to monitor the operational state of the LC phase shifter while making phase measurements. To simultaneously measure the phase of the sample and the degree of the phase shift of an LC device, we introduced a beam splitter and an additional detector into the phase-shifting interferometry technique. We report an improved measurement method for phase-shifting interferometry by using the LC phase shifter.
Recently, millimeter-waves (MMWs) have become indispensable for application in next-generation high-speed wireless communication i.e., 5G, in addition to conventional applications such as in automobile collision avoidance radars and airport security inspection systems. Some manageable devices to control MMW propagation will be necessary with the development of this new technology field. We believe that liquid crystal (LC) devices are one of the major candidates for such applications because it is known that LC materials are excellent electro-optic materials. However, as the wavelength of MMWs is extremely longer than the optics region, extremely thick LC layers are necessary if we choose the quasioptic approach to attain LC MMW control devices. Therefore, we adopt a PDLC structure to attain the extremely thick LC layers by using porous (polymethyl methacrylate) PMMA materials, which can be easily obtained using a solvent consisting of a mixture of ethanol/water and a little heating. In this work, we focus on Fresnel lens, which is an important quasi-optic device for MMW application, to introduce a tunable property by using LC materials. Here, we adopt the thin film deposition method to obtain a porous PMMA matrix with the aim of obtaining final composite structure based on the Fresnel substrate. First, the fundamental material properties of porous PMMA are investigated to control the microscopic porous structure. Then, the LC-MMW Fresnel lens substrate is prepared using a 3D printer, and the fundamental MMW focusing properties of the prototype composite Fresnel structure are investigated.
A liquid crystal (LC) cell behaves as an optically uniaxial crystal and lateral shear properties can be obtained under considerably low voltage, because an oblique optical axis distribution state appears in the middle voltage level between ON and OFF. In this work, a pair of twisted nematic (TN) LC cells is introduced to the normal polarization microscope system to implement differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging, which is a powerful observation tool for weak phase samples such as a bio cell. DIC imaging is usually obtained using a pair of Nomarski prisms, which are inserted at the back focal plane of the objective and condenser lenses to separate and combine the input image laterally. However, if we use LC cells, DIC images can be easily obtained by just sandwiching the test sample between a pair of LC cells. The lateral shear distance, which influences DIC sensitivity, becomes tunable with fast response speed by using LC cells, although the shear distance is fixed in the normal DIC system. Furthermore, unique lateral shearing properties of the TN cell help in achieving self-compensation of optical retardation, and we can then use the incoherent illumination of a normal microscope system for DIC observation as usual. Here, fundamental lateral shearing properties and the operational mode for DIC imaging are investigated using a pair of TN cells.
We investigate the terahertz (THz) phase imaging using liquid crystal (LC) device. Recently, there have been extensive efforts to measure the refractive indices and transmission losses of some LC materials in THz region. From these results, LC materials show relatively large refractive index anisotropy and they can have a potential application to some control devices similar to the display application. Furthermore, tunable LC THz phase shifter has been reported. In this study, an attempt was made to introduce the LC device into the THz phase imaging which was based on four-step phase-shifting algorithm. Four-step phase-shifting algorithm is one of the most effective methods of phase imaging and moving mirror is needed to introduce phase shift in standard measurements. In addition, we should prepare the two rays with common source, therefor experimental setup becomes complicated. While on the other hand, it is just needed to insert a LC phase shifter into the light path when we adopt LC device. Furthermore, low-voltage application is enough to introduce the phase-shifting, hence it is not necessary to prepare the moving mirror. In this work, we fabricate the electrically tunable LC phase shifter which has sandwich cell structure. The fundamental phase-shifting properties were measured by using an optically pumped gas laser system which can generate continuous wave (CW) THz waves. In addition, we investigated the phase shifting interferometry which was based on four-step phase-shifting algorithm by using LC phase shifter. We also estimate the birefringence of X-cut crystalline quartz at 2.5 THz.
Various liquid crystal (LC) phase shifters that operate in the super-high-frequency electromagnetic-wave regions have
been investigated using planar-type excellent waveguides such as the microstrip line (MSL) and coplanar waveguide
(CPW). First planar-type LC phase shifters were constructed using MSL, which was developed as an excellent planar
waveguide for super-high-frequency electromagnetic waves. CPW-type LC phase shifters have attracted continued
attention, because when they are used, all the signal and ground electrodes are at the same surface, which leads to ease in
integration for constructing various functional devices. However, they suffer from an essential drawback of degradation
in the phase shift magnitude, which is because the propagating electromagnetic waves encounter the permittivity of both
the substrate and the LC materials, which reduces the modulation effect of the LC materials to less than half. In this
work, a novel MSL-type LC phase shifter is investigated to achieve excellent phase shifting performance while
maintaining ease in integration, as offered by the CPW-type phase shifter. Several device structural parameters are
investigated to improve the transmission and phase shifting properties. Some LC materials are also tested for further
improvement in the high-frequency operation extended to the millimeter-wave region.
Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) type of liquid crystal (LC) cell structure is investigated to attain extremely large
size LC layer for the millimeter waves (MMW) and/or terahertz (THz) LC device applications. It is known that the
porous PMMA material (PMMA monolith) is easy to fabricate from the PMMA ethanol/water solution, and we try to use
the monolith as a polymer matrix of the PDLC type LC devices. It may be possible to make arbitrary bulky structure by
using suitable container for the initial solution such as Fresnel zone shape, grating shape and so on, where the thickness
of the LC layer can be several millimeters.
It is known that the phase-shift intererometry is promising measurement method for the precise optical test. Liquid
crystal (LC) phase shifter is very attractive as an electrically tunable phase sifter for the key component of the test
system. We adopt here a bend aligned liquid crystal cell for the fast phase shifting, and mount it on the optical system of
polarization microscope. A potential application for precise 2D birefringence measurement system is investigated and as
high as a few tenths of a wavelength resolution can be obtained by the simple 4-step phase shifting technique. Obtained
image data show the phase profile which corresponds to retardation distribution of the prepared sample, and then it
becomes possible to perform quantitative analysis of 2D birefringence distribution in planar sample. Since there is
basically a setting angle dependency of the test sample, measurement phase data have information of birefringence sign
(positive or negative) and we can distinguish between the direction parallel and perpendicular to the anisotropic axis. We
observe tiny marine zooplankton as a weakly anisotropic actual sample, and the birefringence of the muscle can be
clearly detected. It is also successfully pick up that the elongated direction of muscles show higher index value.
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