Open AccessObservation of hysteresis effects in POLICRYPS holographic gratings
Author(s) -
Luciano De Sio,
Antonio De Luca,
Giovanni Liveri,
Cesare Umeton
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.000031
Subject(s) - optics , hysteresis , transmittance , materials science , voltage , holography , grating , amplitude , diffraction efficiency , square wave , diffraction grating , spatial frequency , physics , condensed matter physics , quantum mechanics
We report on the observation of hysteresis effects that take place in the electro-optical response of a polymer-liquid-crystal-polymer slice grating named POLICRYPS. Investigation of transmittance as a function of an applied external voltage reveals an hysteresis area that is strongly correlated to the delay between consecutive applications of square wave voltages of different amplitude. A suitable software has been implemented to control this delay: when it is long, results show a large hysteresis area, which can be reduced by diminishing the delay. In addition, correlation between this area and the frequency of the applied voltage is analyzed, taking into account that the effect of impurity ions migration is not negligible in the case of low frequencies.