Premium
Optical Tuning of the Reflection of Cholesterics Doped with Azobenzene Liquid Crystals
Author(s) -
Hrozhyk U. A.,
Serak S. V.,
Tabiryan N. V.,
Bunning T. J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200600776
Subject(s) - materials science , azobenzene , liquid crystal , cholesteric liquid crystal , nanosecond , wavelength , optoelectronics , optics , doping , reflection (computer programming) , laser , photothermal therapy , nanotechnology , polymer , physics , computer science , composite material , programming language
Mixtures of cholesteric liquid crystals doped with high clearing temperature azobenzene nematic liquid crystals are shown to possess large, fast, and reversible dynamic photosensitive features. Selective wavelength shifts approaching 400 nm are reported, and depending on the host cholesteric liquid crystal, both red‐shifted and blue‐shifted wavelength changes can be induced. The photoinduced states of these material systems are shown to be stable for long periods of time upon removal of the radiation source, completely reversible, and dynamically fast. These phototunable features are demonstrated using both continuous wave (CW) and nanosecond laser beams. The latter is used to change the selective reflection wavelength from blue to green with a single nanosecond pulse and the ability to write information into these films using these processes are demonstrated.