Liquid Crystal Polarization Gratings for Photonics Applications

液晶偏振光栅的光子学应用Michael J. Escuti，北卡罗来纳州立大学智力优点：该项目的总体目标是研究和应用一种新开发的液晶衍射光栅，由于其独特的能力，在光子学和光电器件的许多领域具有广泛的适用性，以操纵光的强度和偏振。 PI寻求通过追求（i）通过多层延迟补偿的消色差操作和（ii）使用铁电液晶材料的快速切换来推进高质量可切换偏振光栅的特殊实验实现，这两种方法都是在实现偏振不敏感空间光调制器的背景下进行的。他还将开发一种基于液晶聚合物偏振光栅的分光偏振仪，该分光偏振仪能够在没有移动或可调部件的情况下同时检测宽带宽内的所有四个斯托克斯参数。 由于其设计的简单性，鲁棒性，紧凑性和轻量化潜力，它也有可能显着影响偏振模色散监测，遥感和天文学应用。我们进一步提出了第一个显着的数值研究，这些PG使用自定义内部有限差分时域工具和严格的弹性连续分析。更广泛的影响：该研究项目将为LC器件和建模，全息术，功能聚合物材料和电光特性的广泛研究生/本科生培训提供极好的机会。 通过与NCSU科学之家合作，研究成果和光学/光子学基础知识将广泛传播给科学和工程领域代表性不足的群体。作为这笔赠款的一部分，PI将在他的实验室内建立一个专门的全息和光学“教育角”，用于指导光子学领导者和Xplorers计划中的少数民族学生（9 - 12年级），并领导全天的光子学课程。他还将协助科学之家教师规划会议，并帮助协调夏季7天的实习，以了解目前的研究工作的光子学在NCSU和研究三角公园。

LIQUID CRYSTAL POLARIZATION GRATINGS FOR PHOTONICS APPLICATIONSMichael J. Escuti, NC State UniversityIntellectual Merit: The overall goal of this project is to investigate and apply a newly developed liquid crystal diffraction grating with broad applicability within many areas of photonics and optoelectronic devices due to its unique ability to manipulate the intensity and polarization of light. The PI seeks to advance his exceptional experimental realization of high-quality switchable polarization gratings by pursuing (i) achromatic operation through multi-layer retardation compensation, and (ii) fast switching using ferroelectric liquid crystal materials, both in the context of attaining polarization-insensitive spatial-light-modulators. He will also develop a spectropolarimeter based on liquid crystal polymer polarization gratings capable of detecting all four Stokes parameters across a wide bandwidth simultaneously with no moving or tunable parts. Due to the simplicity, robustness, compactness, and lightweight potential of its design, it also has the potential to significantly impact polarization-mode-dispersion monitoring, remote sensing and astronomy applications. We further propose the first significant numerical studies of these PGs using custom in-house finite-difference time-domain tools and with rigorous elastic continuum analysis. Broader Impacts: This research project will furnish excellent opportunities for broad graduate/undergraduate training in LC devices and modeling, holography, functional polymer materials, and electro-optics characterization. By partnering with the NCSU Science House, the research findings and optics/photonics fundamentals will be broadly disseminated to groups underrepresented in science and engineering. As part of this grant, the PI will establish a dedicated holography and optics "educational corner" within his lab, for use as he mentors minority students (9th-12th grades) in the Photonics Leaders and Xplorers programs and leads full-day photonics lessons. He will also assist in Science House teacher planning meetings, and help coordinate a summer 7-day internship to learn about current research efforts of photonics at NCSU and Research Triangle Park.