Journal
IEEE PHOTONICS JOURNAL
Volume 7, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC
DOI: 10.1109/JPHOT.2015.2402592
Keywords
Beam steering; light intensity distribution; transmissive microprism; liquid crystal prism; liquid crystal alignment; soft embossing
Funding
- IWT through the SBO project SECONDOS, IWT [120019]
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In this paper, we present an electrically controllable microoptical component for light beam steering and light intensity distribution built on the combination of nematic liquid crystal (LC) and polymer microprisms. Polymer microprism arrays are fabricated using soft embossing with elastic polydimethylsiloxane molds and ultraviolet curable resins. Surface profiling measurements show that the dimensions of the replicated prisms closely approximate those of the master prism. Two different LC alignment techniques were employed: hybrid rubbing alignment and obliquely evaporated SiO2 alignment, both of which result in proper alignment of the LC molecules along the prism groove direction. The operation voltage of the LC components is relatively low (10 V-rms). The steering angle of a green laser beam was experimentally studied as a function of applied voltage, and a steering range of 3 degrees was found. The active LC components also effectively deflect a collimated white light beam over a steering angle of about 2 degrees with an efficiency of 27%-33%. All the optical measurements are in agreement with theoretical calculations based on Snell's law.
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