Liquid Crystal Polarization Gratings for Photonics Applications

液晶偏振光栅用于光子学应用北卡罗来纳州立大学迈克尔·J·埃斯库蒂智力上的优点：这个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，由于它具有独特的控制光的强度和偏振的能力，因此可以广泛应用于光子学和光电子学的许多领域。这位PI试图通过追求(I)通过多层延迟补偿进行消色差操作，以及(Ii)使用铁电液晶材料进行快速切换，来推进他对高质量可切换偏振光栅的卓越实验实现，这两者都是在获得偏振不敏感的空间光调制器的背景下实现的。他还将开发一种基于液晶聚合物偏振光栅的光谱偏振仪，能够同时检测宽带宽上的所有四个斯托克斯参数，而不需要移动或可调部件。由于其设计简单、坚固、紧凑和轻便，它也有可能对偏振模色散监测、遥感和天文应用产生重大影响。我们进一步提出了第一个有意义的数值研究这些PG使用定制的内部有限差分的时间域工具和严格的弹性连续分析。更广泛的影响：该研究项目将为在液晶器件和建模、全息、功能聚合物材料和电光表征方面提供广泛的研究生/本科生培训提供极好的机会。通过与NCSU科学之家的合作，研究成果和光学/光子学基础将广泛传播给在科学和工程领域代表性不足的群体。作为这笔拨款的一部分，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项目中的少数族裔学生(9-12年级)，并领导全天的光子学课程。他还将协助科学之家的教师计划会议，并帮助协调一个为期7天的暑期实习，以了解NCSU和研究三角公园目前的光子学研究努力。

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.