SBIR Phase I: Mesogenic Molding Process for Optical Devices

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将开发一种基于液晶(LC)材料的复合有序薄膜的工艺技术，这将对无源和有源LC光学器件的性能产生重大影响。这些设备包括超高速光信号处理和高密度光存储，仅举几例。该工艺技术概念简单。将可交联性液晶和非反应性液晶混合，然后用常规技术将其制备成薄膜。然后将非反应性成分从薄膜中移除，以创建纳米结构的介晶性“模具”，保留一些类似LC的有序性。如果需要，可以将其他部件添加到模具中，从而创建具有定制的机械、化学和光学特性的设备。因此，该技术可以用来克服LC材料的固有缺点，并提高许多LC光学器件的性能、耐用性和适用性。在拟议的计划中，目标是制备低成本、高效率、反射式宽带UV偏振膜。这项技术使实现这种薄膜成为可能，即使目前所有可用的液晶材料在UV光谱范围内都表现出很强的吸收。这种用于复合有序薄膜的工艺技术将立即在广泛的有源和无源光学器件中获得商业应用，因为它将极大地提高性能。这些改进可能包括更好的耐温性、更宽的波长范围、更低的化学敏感度，或者这些的任何组合。利用这一工艺生产的第一个应用--UV偏振膜--具有广泛的用途：手性药物开发、光学元件、液晶显示器，甚至皮肤保护。仅在第一年，紫外线偏振膜的预期收入就可能达到450万美元。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a process technology for composite ordered films based on liquid crystal (LC) materials that will have a significant impact on the performance of LC optical devices, both passive and active. These devices include ultrafast optical signal processing and high-density optical storage, just to name a few. The process technology is simple in concept. A blend of cross-linkable liquid crystals and non-reactive liquid crystals is formulated, and then prepared into a film using usual techniques. The non-reactive components are then removed from the film to create a nano-structured, mesogenic "mold" that retains some of the LC-like ordering. If desired, additional components can be added into the mold, creating a device with tailored mechanical, chemical, and optical properties. The technology can thus be used to overcome inherent shortcomings of LC materials and improve the performance, durability, and applicability of many LC optical devices. In the proposed program, the goal is to fabricate low-cost, high-efficiency, reflective broadband UV polarizing films. This technology makes it possible to realize such films even though all currently available LC materials exhibit substantial absorption over the UV spectral range. This process technology for composite ordered films will have immediate commercial applications in a wide range of optical devices, both active and passive, as it will dramatically improve performance. The improvements may include better temperature resistance, wider wavelength range, reduced chemical sensitivity, or any combinations of these. The first application to be produced with this process, UV polarizing films, has a wide range of uses: chiral drug development, optical components, liquid crystal displays, and even skin protection. Anticipated revenues for UV polarizing films could reach $4.5 million in its first year alone.