Feature sizes in liquid-crystal-filled polymer spatial light modulator devices

Abstract

Polymer structures filled with liquid crystal offer a very-low-cost switchable spatial phase modulation device. Using materials with appropriate refractive indices the polymer optical function may be switched on or off. In these devices the orientation of the liquid crystal is dominated by the surface forces due to both the device substrates and the faces of the polymer structure. It has been observed that the polymer structure will influence the liquid-crystal switching threshold. Liquid-crystal switching has been studied through far-field diffraction in such devices with spacings between polymer faces down to 5 µm.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Exeter University Research Scholarship Fund for a studentship for Adrian Strudwick. Thanks are also due to Dr Chris Newton and colleagues of Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Bristol for useful discussions.