Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.68, No.4, 523-526, 1998
Mechanical deformation of a liquid crystal diffraction grating in an elastic polymer
We demonstrate the tuning of the diffraction efficiency in a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) diffraction grating by mechanical shear deformation. We chose a photocurable thermoset with elastic mechanical properties as the host material to demonstrate the tuning effect. Raman-Nath gratings were prepared by anisotropically curing a mixture of commercial photopolymer doped with Liquid crystal. The mixture was contained between glass slides which were mounted in a simple shearing device. During the photopolymerization, the liquid crystal phase separated into 2-mu m droplets organized into channels with 3.8-mu m spacing. Gratings were deformed by shearing the samples in a direction perpendicular to the channel orientation. The diffraction intensity and morphology were monitored as a function of shear strain. Reversible tuning was observed due to the elastic nature of the matrix.
Keywords:BRAGG GRATINGS