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Issue 14, 2012
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Photo-sensitive liquid crystals for optically controlled diffraction gratings

Luciano De Sio,*a  Loredana Ricciardi,b  Svetlana Serak,d  Massimo La Deda,c  Nelson Tabiryand  and  Cesare Umetona 
Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

a CNR-IPCF—LICRYL (Liquid Crystals Laboratory, Institute for Chemical Physics Processes-CNR) and Department of Physics, Centre of Excellence for the Study of Innovative Functional Materials CEMIF.CAL, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy
E-mail: luciano.desio@fis.unical.it

b Department of Chemistry, Centre of Excellence for the Study of Innovative Functional Materials CEMIF.CAL, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy

c Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Centre of Excellence for the Study of Innovative Functional Materials CEMIF.CAL, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy

d Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Company, Winter Park, USA

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and characterization of diffraction gratings based on a polymeric microstructure including a light responsive material, which enables an all-optical control of the diffraction of light. The enhanced performances of a mesogenic azo dye are combined with the outstanding properties of reconfigurability and fluidity of nematic liquid crystals; the mesogenic affinity between the two substances enables realization of a photosensitive liquid crystal whose optical properties can be controlled by means of low power light. Long range order and high mechanical stability of the photosensitive liquid crystal composition are obtained by using the universal organizing capability of a channeled polymeric template, without the need for any kind of surface treatment. The structure exhibits strong contrast ratio and a high diffraction efficiency, both optically controlled.

Graphical abstract: Photo-sensitive liquid crystals for optically controlled diffraction gratings

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Publication details

The article was received on 22 Nov 2011, accepted on 19 Jan 2012 and first published on 23 Feb 2012


Article type: Paper
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16077C
Citation: J. Mater. Chem., 2012,22, 6669-6673
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    Photo-sensitive liquid crystals for optically controlled diffraction gratings

    L. De Sio, L. Ricciardi, S. Serak, M. La Deda, N. Tabiryan and C. Umeton, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 6669
    DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16077C

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