SBIR Phase I: Polarization Insensitive Tunable Diffraction Grating

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将研究使用快速开关铁电液晶结构，特别是在逆扭曲对称结构（ITSS）中制造偏振不敏感的衍射光栅结构。这将使用高倾斜铁电液晶材料来完成。在这个程序中，两种不同的方法将探讨制作偏振不敏感的光束偏转器。在一种方法中，将使用快速开关铁电液晶与掺杂交联剂相结合来制造可切换光栅，而无需使用全息技术。第二种方法是使用图像化的对准层来制作偏振不敏感结构。将确定最佳方法，以便进一步发展和实施。在商业上，这些衍射结构有望成为光学衰减器和光束转向装置的基础。虽然一些应用，如电信行业的光学光衰减器可以预期，最终的应用将一如既往地取决于设备的性能。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will investigate the use of a fast switching ferroelectric liquid crystal structure, particularly in the inverse twisted smetic structure (ITSS) to make a polarization insensitive diffraction grating structure. This will be done using the high tilt ferroelectric liquid crystal material. In this program two different approaches will be explored to make a polarization insensitive beam deflector. In one approach, a fast switching ferroelectric liquid crystal in combination with doped cross-linking agents will be used to make a switchable grating without the use of holography. A second approach will make the polarization insensitive structures using patterned alignment layers. The optimal method will be identified for further development and implementation.Commercially these diffractive structures are expected to form the basis of optical attenuators as well as beam steering devices. Although several applications, such as optical light attenuators for the telecommunications industry can be expected, the ultimate application as always will depend on the performance of the device.