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Micropatterned Photoalignment for Wavefront Controlled Switchable Optical Devices

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2016, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Chemical Physics.
Photoalignment is a well-established technique for surface alignment of the liquid crystal director. Previously, chrome masks were necessary for patterned photoalignment but were difficult to use, costly, and inflexible. To extend the capabilities of photoalignment we built an automated maskless multi-domain photoalignment device based on a DMD (digital multimirror device) projection system. The device is capable of creating arbitrary photoalignment patterns with micron-sized features. Pancharatnam-Berry phase (PB-phase) is a geometric phase that arises from cyclic change of polarization state. By varying the azimuthal anchoring angle in a hybrid-aligned liquid crystal cell we can control the spatial variation of the PB-phase shift. Using our automated photoalignment device to align the liquid crystal arbitrary wave front manipulations are possible. The PB-phase shift effect is maximized when the cell is tuned to have a half-wave retardation and disappears at full-wave retardation, so the cell can be switched on and off by applying a voltage. Two wavefront controlled devices developed using this technique will be discussed: A switchable liquid crystal phase shift mask for creating sub-diffraction sized photolithographic features, and a transparent diffractive display that utilizes a switchable liquid crystal diffraction grating.
Hiroshi Yokoyama (Committee Chair)
Phil Bos (Committee Member)
Deng Ke Yang (Committee Member)
Elizabeth Mann (Committee Member)
Alexander Seed (Committee Member)
162 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Glazar, N. (2016). Micropatterned Photoalignment for Wavefront Controlled Switchable Optical Devices [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1460650961

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Glazar, Nikolaus. Micropatterned Photoalignment for Wavefront Controlled Switchable Optical Devices. 2016. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1460650961.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Glazar, Nikolaus. "Micropatterned Photoalignment for Wavefront Controlled Switchable Optical Devices." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1460650961

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)