Abstract

We suggest a method to obtain a negative dispersion (ND) of birefringence using a two-dimensional self-organization of smectic liquid crystal (LC) and monomer molecules. The averaged orientation of the smectic LC was the layer normal direction with the extraordinary refractive index $n_e$. Meanwhile, the orientation of the monomer molecules was templated by the host-smectic LC and parallel to the layer plane corresponding to the ordinary refractive index $n_o$. We selected the LC molecules absorbing a shorter wavelength of UV light rather than the polymerized monomers, hence $n_e$ was more smoothly decreased than $n_o$ in the visible-wavelength range. Consequently, the birefringence $\mathrm{\Delta }n\equiv n_e-n_o$ was increased with a longer wavelength, thus giving a ND of birefringence. Using the proposed method, the ND of birefringence could be obtained in a single layer, which is desirable for thin flexible applications.

© 2014 Optical Society of America

Negative dispersion of birefringence of smectic liquid crystal-polymer composite: dependence on the constituent molecules and temperature

Seungbin Yang, Hyojin Lee, and Ji-Hoon Lee
Opt. Express 23(3) 2466-2471 (2015)

Single layer retarder with negative dispersion of birefringence and wide field-of-view

Jiyong Hwang, Seungbin Yang, Yu-Jin Choi, Yumin Lee, Kwang-Un Jeong, and Ji-Hoon Lee
Opt. Express 24(17) 19934-19939 (2016)

Conversion of retardation dispersion in self-organized smectic reactive mesogen compound and its dependence on the UV polymerization temperature and the molecular orientation

Jinyoung Jeong, Yu-Jin Choi, Kwang-Un Jeong, and Ji-Hoon Lee
Opt. Express 26(8) 10661-10668 (2018)

Negative dispersion retarder using two negative birefringence films

Anoop Kumar Srivastava, Seungbin Yang, and Ji-Hoon Lee
Opt. Express 23(10) 13108-13114 (2015)

Optical vortex arrays from smectic liquid crystals

Baeksik Son, Sejeong Kim, Yun Ho Kim, K. Käläntär, Hwi-Min Kim, Hyeon-Su Jeong, Siyoung Q. Choi, Jonghwa Shin, Hee-Tae Jung, and Yong-Hee Lee
Opt. Express 22(4) 4699-4704 (2014)