Thermally responsive polymer-dispersed liquid crystal diffusers fabricated using laser speckle pattern irradiation

This study examined the thermal response of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) diffusers, patterned using a two-lens imaging system. Optical modulation was achieved by modifying the PDLC transmittance using temperature-induced changes to liquid crystal (LC) orientation. PDLCs with controllable scattering properties were obtained by irradiating LC-polymer composites with laser speckle patterns. The variation of the scattering characteristics of the PDLCs with temperature, average speckle size, and LC orientation order was analyzed to determine the most suitable parameters for a diffuser for smart window solar-ray control applications. The findings of these experiments demonstrate that using speckle patterns, a one-time laser exposure process, can provide a simple fabrication method of novel optical devices. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that using speckle patterns can provide a simple fabrication method of PDLC diffusers with controllable scattering properties, which are suitable for smart window solar-ray control applications.