Dynamically Tunable Optical Cavities with Embedded Nematic Liquid Crystalline Networks
Journal article, 2023

Tunable metal–insulator–metal (MIM) Fabry–Pérot (FP) cavities that can dynamically control light enable novel sensing, imaging and display applications. However, the realization of dynamic cavities incorporating stimuli-responsive materials poses a significant engineering challenge. Current approaches rely on refractive index modulation and suffer from low dynamic tunability, high losses, and limited spectral ranges, and require liquid and hazardous materials for operation. To overcome these challenges, a new tuning mechanism employing reversible mechanical adaptations of a polymer network is proposed, and dynamic tuning of optical resonances is demonstrated. Solid-state temperature-responsive optical coatings are developed by preparing a monodomain nematic liquid crystalline network (LCN) and are incorporated between metallic mirrors to form active optical microcavities. LCN microcavities offer large, reversible and highly linear spectral tuning of FP resonances reaching wavelength-shifts up to 40 nm via thermomechanical actuation while featuring outstanding repeatability and precision over more than 100 heating–cooling cycles. This degree of tunability allows for reversible switching between the reflective and the absorbing states of the device over the entire visible and near-infrared spectral regions, reaching large changes in reflectance with modulation efficiency ΔR = 79%.

stimuli-responsive polymers

liquid crystalline networks

tunable optical cavities

Fabry–Pérot cavities

metal–insulator–metal resonators

dynamic tuning

elastomers

Author

Irina Zubritskaya

University of Gothenburg

Stanford University

Rafael Cichelero

University of Gothenburg

Ihar Faniayeu

University of Gothenburg

Daniele Martella

Istituto nazionale di ricerca metrologica (INRiM)

LENS - European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy

Sara Nocentini

Istituto nazionale di ricerca metrologica (INRiM)

LENS - European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy

Per Rudquist

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Electronics Material and Systems

Diederik Sybolt Wiersma

University of Florence

LENS - European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy

Istituto nazionale di ricerca metrologica (INRiM)

Mark L. Brongersma

Stanford University

Advanced Materials

09359648 (ISSN) 15214095 (eISSN)

Vol. 35 13 2209152

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

Other Physics Topics

DOI

10.1002/adma.202209152

PubMed

36683324

More information

Latest update

3/7/2024 9