Electrically Tunable Scattering from Devitrite–Liquid Crystal Hybrid Devices

Haider Butt, Ali K. Yetisen, Ammar A. Khan, Kevin M. Knowles, Malik M. Qasim, Seok Hyun Yun, Timothy D. Wilkinson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Devitrite is normally an unwanted crystalline impurity in the soda-lime-silica glass making process. Thin needles formed by heterogeneous nucleation of devitrite on the glass surface provide unique birefringence properties for potential applications in tunable optical devices. Here, devitrite and a liquid crystal are combined to create an electrically variable optical diffuser. The magnitude and scattering angle of the transmitted light propagating through the diffuser are tuned by varying the voltage between the graphene and indium tin oxide electrodes on either side of the liquid crystal. The threshold voltage to switch the transmitted light from a predominantly horizontal diffusion to a random order is 3.5 V. Angle-resolved measurements show broad diffusion angles of transmitted light with a maximum deflection of ±60°. The dynamically tunable devitrite-liquid crystal hybrid devices may advance the development of currently less viable technologies including beam shaping and automatic light transmission control.

Original languageBritish English
Article number1600414
JournalAdvanced Optical Materials
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 4 Jan 2017

Keywords

  • devitrite
  • diffusers
  • graphene
  • liquid crystals
  • nanocrystals

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