In this work we show resonant transfer of light from a planar polymer waveguide into a high index solid microsphere (BaTiO3) or nematic liquid crystal microdroplet. BaTiO3 spheres were deposited on the waveguide surface either in dry form or as dispersion in pure water. On the other hand nematic liquid crystal (NLC) droplets were dispersed in a 10 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in water that promoted perpendicular surface anchoring of 5CB and therefore radial droplet configuration. Planar waveguides were produced by spinning a high refractive index polymer (1.68 at 632 nm) onto a soda lime glass. We used two different sources of light, either 671 nm diode laser or the supercontinuum (SC) laser for the mode launching into the thin film waveguide using a prism film coupler. The resonant tunneling of light from the waveguide into the high index spheres and LC microcavities was observed in the case of SC illumination, because the spectrum of light radiated from the both microcavities clearly showed whispering gallery modes.

Date Published: 5 March 2013
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 8642, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies VIII, 86420E (5 March 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2002351

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8642:
Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies VIII
Liang-Chy Chien; Dick J. Broer; Vladimir Chigrinov; Tae-Hoon Yoon, Editor(s)