Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol.364, 665-678, 2001
Passive broadband reflector: Elaboration and spectral properties
We present passive broadening obtained by assembling two layers of cholesteric photo-polymerisable monomers having different pitches at the same temperature. A more or less large diffusion occurs between the two layers, which is dependent of various parameters such as degree of cross-linking of the two layers, temperature dependence. time evolution at a given temperature, thickness of the layers... The presented work consider the spectral properties of the sandwich structure and its correlation with the diffusion profile at the interface between the two layers. The band shape of the reflected and transmitted light were studied. Then, the reflected intensity shows a widening of the reflection associated with the existence of a pitch gradient inside the sample, which can be blocked by photo-polymerisation. At short time, the two peaks corresponding to each liquid crystal polymer are still present but the diffusion occurs at the interface, After a longer time, the broadening band still decreases and a single large peak is observed.