Open AccessEvaluating liquid crystal properties for use in terahertz devices
Author(s) -
Hong-Kyu Park,
Edward P. J. Parrott,
Fan Fan,
Moojong Lim,
Haewook Han,
Vladimir G. Chigrinov,
Emma PickwellMacPherson
Publication year - 2012
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.20.011899
Subject(s) - terahertz radiation , birefringence , terahertz spectroscopy and technology , materials science , optics , terahertz time domain spectroscopy , terahertz gap , absorption (acoustics) , liquid crystal , photomixing , optoelectronics , spectroscopy , range (aeronautics) , terahertz metamaterials , far infrared laser , physics , laser , quantum mechanics , composite material
Despite the wide application of liquid crystals (LCs) in the visible frequency range, their properties in the terahertz range have not yet been extensively investigated. In this paper we have investigated the terahertz properties of LCs E7, BL037, RDP-94990 and RDP-97304 using terahertz time-domain-spectroscopy. We find that RDP-94990 has the largest birefringence and smallest absorption in the terahertz range compared to E7 and BL037. We highlight the importance of investigating all parameters, not just the birefringence, when designing fast, efficient and transmissive terahertz LC devices.