Broadband Multichannel Optical Vortex Generators via Patterned Double-Layer Reverse-Twist Liquid Crystal Polymer

Liquid-crystal microlens arrays using patterned polymer networks.

A real-time dynamically tunable-focus microlens array made from a polymer-liquid-crystal (LC) composite is demonstrated. The polymer was first patterned in microlens array cavities by lamination, and the LC-monomer mixture was then injected to the molded polymer cavities and finally stabilized by UV light-induced networks. Using this new fabrication method, we demonstrated a lens with a spheric...

Sub-millisecond nematic liquid crystal switches using patterned command layer

Broadband optical switch based on liquid crystal dynamic scattering.

This work demonstrates a novel broadband optical switch, based on dynamic-scattering effect in liquid crystals (LCs). Dynamic-scattering-mode technology was developed for display applications over four decades ago, but was displaced in favor of the twisted-nematic LCs. However, with the recent development of more stable LCs, dynamic scattering provides advantages over other technologies for opt...

A liquid crystal polymer based single layer chemo-responsive actuator.

A single layer, mono-component, fast, stable, and controllable curling motion actuator is prepared from a mixture of di-acrylate mesogenic monomer and 5CB using a photo-polymerization induced phase separation method. This actuator is capable of sensing water in acetone.

Polarizer-free liquid crystal display with double microlens array layers and polarization-controlling liquid crystal layer.

We propose a polarizer-free liquid crystal display (LCD) consisting of two microlens array (MLA) layers, a twisted nematic (TN) LC layer, and two light-blocking masks. By changing the polarization state, focal length of the LCD can be controlled. Since two light-blocking masks have a circular stop pattern and a complementary open pattern, entire gray-scale spectrum may be realized by controllin...