Holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) has a feature that can control diffraction of light by applying electric field. HPDLC can be used for optical elements such as an optical switch, or a polarized beam splitter etc. One of the reactive systems for making HPDLC is well known photopolymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS). The performance of HPDLC by PIPS is dependent on distribution of oriented liquid crystal (LC) molecules, or size and shape of LC droplets. These are controlled by chemical structure or functional group of polymer matrix. In this report, Organic-inorganic hybrid materials having sensitivity at 532 nm were synthesized. Polymer matrix was formed with co-polymerization of siloxane-containing materials and poly (propylene glycol) derivatives functionalized with methacrylate groups. Siloxane chain was introduced in polymer matrix to encourage phase separation of LC and stabilize grating structure. In addition, poly (propylene glycol) derivatives were designed to control polymerization rate and extent of phase separation of LC. The characterization of HPDLC was evaluated in terms of diffraction efficiency, contrast between diffraction and transparency modes by applying voltage, and switch speed. As a result, the separation ratio of p-polarized light and s-polarized light was 100:1. The value of ▵n was 0.075, and the index matching of both polymer-rich layer and LC-rich layer was completed at voltage of 17V/μm.

Date Published: 2 February 2011
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 7955, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies VI, 79550W (2 February 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.873681

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7955:
Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies VI
Liang-Chy Chien; Hiroshi Yokoyama, Editor(s)