Measurement and analysis of reversible transformations of vortex-free and singular light fields produced by PDLC cells

In this work, we have firstly realized and investigated reversible transformations of vortex-free and singular optical complex landscapes appearing in a He-Ne laser beam transmitted through a PDLC cell, which is controlled by an applied DC voltage. Biaxes of all micro size LC domains are oriented approximately along the applied electric field, and vortex-free complex landscape exists at 200 V. At 160 V, biaxes orientation spreads, and the first ‘embryo’ of vortices in the form of a smooth phase step appears. The first vortex pair nucleates at 140 V. Multitude of vortex pairs is realized when electric field is switched off. Reversed evolution is realized when the applied DC voltage grows from zero value to 200 V. It was shown that the observed topological evolution is fully defined by changes in structure and localization of real and imaginary zero-intensity lines for output complex light field. The developed technique of parametric dynamics can be applied successfully to realize and investigate various types of controlled optical elements including media with nanoadditions

LC nanocomposites: induced optical singularities, managed nano/micro structure, and electrical conductivity

Microstructure, phase transitions, electrical conductivity, and optical and electrooptical properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (NTs), dispersed in the cholesteric liquid crystal (cholesteryl oleyl carbonate, COC), nematic 5CB and their mixtures, were studied in the temperature range between 255 K and 363 K. The relative concentration X=COC/(COC+5CB)was varied within 0.0-1.0. The concentration $C_p$ of NTs was varied within 0.01-5% wt. The value of X affected agglomeration and stability of NTs inside COC+5CB. High-quality dispersion, exfoliation, and stabilization of the NTs were observed in COC solvent ("good" solvent). From the other side, the aggregation of NTs was very pronounced in nematic 5CB solvent ("bad" solvent). The dispersing quality of solvent influenced the percolation concentration $C_p$, corresponding to transition between the low conductive and high conductive states: e.g., percolation was observed at $C_p=1$ and $C_p=0.1$ for pure COC and 5CB, respectively. The effects of thermal pre-history on the heating-cooling hysteretic behavior of electrical conductivity were studied. The mechanism of dispersion of NTs in COC+5CB mixtures is discussed. Utilization of the mixtures of "good" and "bad" solvents allowed fine regulation of the dispersion, stability and electrical conductivity of LC+NTs composites. The mixtures of COC and 5CB were found to be promising for application as functional media with controllable useful chiral and electrophysical properties.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

OPTYCZNE ZMNIEJSZANIE WIDOCZNOŚCI POLA PLAMKOWEGO POPRZEZ REDUKCJĘ SPÓJNOŚCI CZASOWEJ

The paper is a report of an experimental study to suppress the speckle structure of a coherent optical field. The technique proposed is based on the reduction of the temporal coherence utilizing enriching the output spectrum of Nd:YVO4 laser with intra-cavity second harmonic generation by additional emission lines. Temperature-controlled simultaneous emission of two components at 1.063 mm and 1.066 mm with nearly equal intensities in IR is achived. In the second-harmonic output the emission lines 531.7 nm, 532.3 nm and 532.8 nm were recorded. The influence of the spectrum variation on the formation of a speckle field was checked. Successfully removed intensity zeros and reduced contrast (visibility) from 0.92 to 0.65 in a light scattered by a ground glass diffuser at the angle 35°. A simple consideration of the speckle field dumping mechanism is presented.Praca jest raportem z badań eksperymentalnych mających na celu stłumienie struktury plamkowej spójnego pola optycznego. Proponowana technika polega na redukcji spójności czasowej poprzez wzbogacenie widma wyjściowego lasera Nd:YVO4 o wewnątrzwnękową generację drugiej harmonicznej przez dodatkowe linie emisyjne. Osiągnięto kontrolowaną temperaturowo jednoczesną emisję dwóch składników przy 1,063 mm i 1,066 mm przy prawie równych intensywnościach w podczerwieni. Na wyjściu drugiej harmonicznej zarejestrowano linie emisyjne 531,7 nm, 532,3 nm i 532,8 nm. Sprawdzono wpływ zmiany widma na powstawanie pola plamkowego. Udało się usunąć zera intensywności i zmniejszyć kontrast (widoczność) z 0,92 do 0,65 w świetle rozproszonym przez dyfuzor ze szkła szlifowanego pod kątem 35°. Przedstawiono proste rozważenie mechanizmu zmniejszenia pola plamkowego