This dissertation proposes, studies and experimentally demonstrates novel liquid crystal (LC) optics to solve challenging problems in RF and photonic signal processing, freespace and fiber optic communications and microscopic imaging. These include free-space optical scanners for military and optical wireless applications, variable fiber-optic attenuators for optical communications, photonic control techniques for phased array antennas and radar, and 3-D microscopic imaging. At the heart of the applications demonstrated in this thesis are LC devices that are non-pixelated and can be controlled either electrically or optically. Instead of the typical pixel-by-pixel control as is custom in LC devices, the phase profile across the aperture of these novel LC devices is varied through the use of high impedance layers. Due to the presence of the high impedance layer, there forms a voltage gradient across the aperture of such a device which results in a phase gradient across the LC layer which in turn is accumulated by the optical beam traversing through this LC device. The geometry of the electrical contacts that are used to apply the external voltage will define the nature of the phase gradient present across the optical beam. In order to steer a laser beam in one angular dimension, straight line electrical contacts are used to form a one dimensional phase gradient while an annular electrical contact results in a circularly symmetric phase profile across the optical beam making it suitable for focusing the optical beam. The geometry of the electrical contacts alone is not sufficient to form the linear and the quadratic phase profiles that are required to either deflect or focus an optical beam. Clever use of the phase response of a typical nematic liquid crystal (NLC) is made such that the linear response region is used for the angular beam deflection while the high voltage quadratic response region is used for focusing the beam. Employing an NLC deflector, a device that uses the linear angular deflection, laser beam steering is demonstrated in two orthogonal dimensions whereas an NLC lens is used to address the third dimension to complete a three dimensional (3-D) scanner. Such an NLC deflector was then used in a variable optical attenuator (VOA), whereby a laser beam coupled between two identical single mode fibers (SMF) was mis-aligned away from the output fiber causing the intensity of the output coupled light to decrease as a function of the angular deflection. Since the angular deflection is electrically controlled, hence the VOA operation is fairly simple and repeatable. An extension of this VOA for wavelength tunable operation is also shown in this dissertation. A LC spatial light modulator (SLM) that uses a photo-sensitive high impedance electrode whose impedance can be varied by controlling the light intensity incident on it, is used in a control system for a phased array antenna. Phase is controlled on the Write side of the SLM by controlling the intensity of the Write laser beam which then is accessed by the Read beam from the opposite side of this reflective SLM. Thus the phase of the Read beam is varied by controlling the intensity of the Write beam. A variable fiber-optic delay line is demonstrated in the thesis which uses wavelength sensitive and wavelength insensitive optics to get both analog as well as digital delays. It uses a chirped fiber Bragg grating (FBG), and a 1xN optical switch to achieve multiple time delays. The switch can be implemented using the 3-D optical scanner mentioned earlier. A technique is presented for ultra-low loss laser communication that uses a combination of strong and weak thin lens optics. As opposed to conventional laser communication systems, the Gaussian laser beam is prevented from diverging at the receiving station by using a weak thin lens that places the transmitted beam waist mid-way between a symmetrical transmitter-receiver link design thus saving prime optical power. LC device technology forms an excellent basis to realize such a large aperture weak lens. Using a 1-D array of LC deflectors, a broadband optical add-drop filter (OADF) is proposed for dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) applications. By binary control of the drive signal to the individual LC deflectors in the array, any optical channel can be selectively dropped and added. For demonstration purposes, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) digital micromirrors have been used to implement the OADF. Several key systems issues such as insertion loss, polarization dependent loss, wavelength resolution and response time are analyzed in detail for comparison with the LC deflector approach. A no-moving-parts axial scanning confocal microscope (ASCM) system is designed and demonstrated using a combination of a large diameter LC lens and a classical microscope objective lens. By electrically controlling the 5 mm diameter LC lens, the 633 nm wavelength focal spot is moved continuously over a 48 [micro]m range with measured 3-dB axial resolution of 3.1 [micro]m using a 0.65 numerical aperture (NA) micro-objective lens. The ASCM is successfully used to image an Indium Phosphide twin square optical waveguide sample with a 10.2 [micro]m waveguide pitch and 2.3 [micro]m height and width. Using fine analog electrical control of the LC lens, a super-fine sub-wavelength axial resolution of 270 nm is demonstrated. The proposed ASCM can be useful in various precision three dimensional imaging and profiling applications.

Neste trabalho, estudamos a dinâmica de formação e dispersão de agregados de látex quando inseridos num cristal líquido liotrópico. Esse cristal líquido é um sistema ternário composto de laurato de potássio, cloreto de decilamônia e água; e apresenta fases nemáticas uniaxiais calamítica e discótica (NC e ND, respectivamente) e biaxial (NB). As partículas de látex possuem diâmetro de 100nm e partículas com diferentes tipos de recobrimentos foram testadas. Observamos que nas fases NC e NB há formação de aglomerados de partículas, porém na transição para a fase ND as partículas se dispersam no meio. Verificamos que esse processo de aglomeração e dissociação das partículas está relacionado com a transição de fase NB - ND e foi observado em dois sistemas hospedeiros por resfriamento e por aquecimento. No intervalo de temperatura que corresponde à fase nemática biaxial para o cristal líquido puro, observa-se que há um aumento na dimensão dos aglomerados, que se tornam anemométrico e orientados na direção de orientação do meio. Dois diagramas de fases foram construídos, variando-se a concentração de partículas dispersas no meio, e a composição relativa de surfactantes do sistema hospedeiro. Experimentos de espalhamento de raios X indicam que a distância média entre as micelas que formam o meio hospedeiro não é alterado pela inserção de partículas no cristal líquido e permanece a mesma em todas as fases nemáticas. Foram também realizados estudos de reologia que mostram que a viscosidade do sistema é alterada pela presença das partículas de látex. Os fenômenos observados são interpretados levando-se em conta as flutuações de orientação das micelas nas diferentes fases nemáticas. / In this work, we studied the dynamics of agglomeration and dissociation of latex particles when inserted into a lyotropic liquid crystal. This liquid crystal is a ternary system formed by potassium laurate, decilamonium chloride and water, presenting uniaxial calamitic and discotic nematic phases (NC e ND, respectively) and a biaxial nematic phase NB. The latex particles have diameter of 100 nm and particles with different surface treatments were tested. It was observed that in the NC e NB phases the latex particles form agglomerates, however in the transition to the ND phase, the particles disperse in the medium. In the temperature domain of the biaxial nematic phase the agglomerates increase in size, become anisometric and oriented along parallel to the orientation of the medium. Two phase diagrams were built by varying the particle concentration dispersed in the liquid crystal and by varying the relative composition of surfactants of the liquid crystal. X rays diffusion experiments have shown that the average distance between the micelles in the host medium are not affected by the presence of the latex particles and remain the same in all nematic phases. Rheology studies were also performed and it was found that the viscosity of the system is affected by the presence of the particles. The observed phenomenon are interpreted taking into account the orientational fluctuations of miceles in the different nematic phases.

Neste trabalho, estudamos a dinâmica de formação e dispersão de agregados de látex quando inseridos num cristal líquido liotrópico. Esse cristal líquido é um sistema ternário composto de laurato de potássio, cloreto de decilamônia e água; e apresenta fases nemáticas uniaxiais calamítica e discótica (NC e ND, respectivamente) e biaxial (NB). As partículas de látex possuem diâmetro de 100nm e partículas com diferentes tipos de recobrimentos foram testadas. Observamos que nas fases NC e NB há formação de aglomerados de partículas, porém na transição para a fase ND as partículas se dispersam no meio. Verificamos que esse processo de aglomeração e dissociação das partículas está relacionado com a transição de fase NB - ND e foi observado em dois sistemas hospedeiros por resfriamento e por aquecimento. No intervalo de temperatura que corresponde à fase nemática biaxial para o cristal líquido puro, observa-se que há um aumento na dimensão dos aglomerados, que se tornam anemométrico e orientados na direção de orientação do meio. Dois diagramas de fases foram construídos, variando-se a concentração de partículas dispersas no meio, e a composição relativa de surfactantes do sistema hospedeiro. Experimentos de espalhamento de raios X indicam que a distância média entre as micelas que formam o meio hospedeiro não é alterado pela inserção de partículas no cristal líquido e permanece a mesma em todas as fases nemáticas. Foram também realizados estudos de reologia que mostram que a viscosidade do sistema é alterada pela presença das partículas de látex. Os fenômenos observados são interpretados levando-se em conta as flutuações de orientação das micelas nas diferentes fases nemáticas. / In this work, we studied the dynamics of agglomeration and dissociation of latex particles when inserted into a lyotropic liquid crystal. This liquid crystal is a ternary system formed by potassium laurate, decilamonium chloride and water, presenting uniaxial calamitic and discotic nematic phases (NC e ND, respectively) and a biaxial nematic phase NB. The latex particles have diameter of 100 nm and particles with different surface treatments were tested. It was observed that in the NC e NB phases the latex particles form agglomerates, however in the transition to the ND phase, the particles disperse in the medium. In the temperature domain of the biaxial nematic phase the agglomerates increase in size, become anisometric and oriented along parallel to the orientation of the medium. Two phase diagrams were built by varying the particle concentration dispersed in the liquid crystal and by varying the relative composition of surfactants of the liquid crystal. X rays diffusion experiments have shown that the average distance between the micelles in the host medium are not affected by the presence of the latex particles and remain the same in all nematic phases. Rheology studies were also performed and it was found that the viscosity of the system is affected by the presence of the particles. The observed phenomenon are interpreted taking into account the orientational fluctuations of miceles in the different nematic phases.

No description available.

Non-mechanical variable lenses are important for creating compact imaging devices. Various methods employing dielectrically actuated lenses, membrane lenses, and liquid crystal lenses were previously proposed [1-4]. In This dissertation the design, fabrication, and characterization of innovative flat tunable-focus liquid crystal diffractive lenses (LCDL) are presented. LCDL employ binary Fresnel zone electrodes fabricated on Indium-Tin-Oxide using conventional micro-photolithography. The light phase can be adjusted by varying the effective refractive index of a nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between the electrodes and a reference substrate. Using a proper voltage distribution across various electrodes the focal length can be changed between several discrete values. Electrodes are shunted such that the correct phase retardation step sequence is achieved. If the number of 2πzone boundaries is increased by a factor of m the focal length is changed from f to f/m based on the digitized Fresnel zone equation: f = rm²/2mλ, where r(m) is mth zone radius, and λ is the wavelength. The chromatic aberration of the diffractive lens is addressed and corrected by adding a variable fluidic lens. These LCDL operate at very low voltage levels (±2.5V ac input), exhibit fast switching times (20-150 ms), can have large apertures (>10 mm), and small form factor, and are robust and insensitive to vibrations, gravity, and capillary effects that limit membrane and dielectrically actuated lenses. Several tests were performed on the LCDL including diffraction efficiency measurement, switching dynamics, and hybrid imaging with a refractive lens. Negative focal lengths are achieved by adjusting the voltages across electrodes. Using these lenses in combination, magnification can be changed and zoom lenses can be formed. These characteristics make LCDL a good candidate for a variety of applications including auto-focus and zoom lenses in compact imaging devices such as camera phones. A business plan centered on this technology was developed as part of the requirements for the minor in entrepreneurship from the Eller College of Management. An industrial analysis is presented in this study that involves product development, marketing, and financial analyses (Appendix I).

Este trabalho visa o estudo de elastômeros de uretano/uréia (PU/PBDO) e elastômeros de acetoxipropilcelulose (APC). No caso dos elastômeros de PU/PBDO, sintetizamos filmes com e sem a presença de grãos magnéticos orientados ou não na matriz elastomérica. Após o processo de síntese, algumas amostras de PU/PBDO com e sem as nanopartículas foram expostas à radiação ultravioleta por algumas horas. Diferentes técnicas foram utilizadas na análise estrutural e comportamento óptico e mecânico destes filmes, tais como, a técnica de ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN) convencional e de campo cíclico rápido, difração de raios X, ensaios de tensão x deformação, birrefringência óptica e microscopias óptica, de força atômica e de força magnética. Os resultados de RMN mostraram que a presença das nanopartículas na estrutura dos filmes de PU/PBDO enfraquece a dependência de T1 com a frequência de Larmor na região de interações inter-segmentos da curva de dispersão. Os módulos de Young das amostras de PU/PBDO não dopadas são maiores que os obtidos para as diferentes situações de amostras dopadas. O filme de APC é mais resistente e flexível que os diferentes filmes de PU/PBDO. Os resultados de raios X mostraram que ambos os filmes são compostos por uma rede reticulada e que o cisalhamento aplicado durante a síntese do filme, assim como, diferentes estiramentos aplicados em determinada direção da amostra, podem induzir uma certa orientação das moléculas em sua direção. Padrões de escala µm são observados em amostras de PU/PBDO, com e sem as nanopartículas magnéticas, quando suas superfícies são irradiadas com luz UV e depois aplicado um estiramento em qualquer direção da amostra. Isso indica que as ligações cruzadas induzidas pela luz UV ocorrem na presença das nanopartículas. Nas amostras de APC, o próprio cisalhamento aplicado ao filme, durante sua preparação, produz um padrão de escala µm em sua superfície. Além deste padrão de escala micrométrica, há formação de padrões de escala macroscópica que aparecem somente durante ou após o estiramento do filme ao longo da direção perpendicular ao cisalhamento. / This work aims the study of the urethane/urea (PU/PBDO) elastomerers and acetoxypropylcellulose (APC) elastomers. In the case of PU/PBDO elastomers, we synthesized films with and without the presence of oriented or not magnetic grains in the elastomeric matrix. After the synthesis process, some PU/PBDO samples with and without the nanoparticles were exposed to ultraviolet radiation for several hours. Different techniques were used in the structural analysis and mechanical and optical behavior of these films, such as, the technique of conventional and fast field cycling nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction, stress x strain tests, optical birefringence and optical, atomic force and magnetic force microscopy. The NMR results showed that the presence of nanoparticles in the PU/PBDO film structure weakens the T1 dependence with the Larmor frequency in the region of inter-segment interactions of the dispersion curve. Young modules of the PU/PBDO undoped samples are larger than those obtained for the different situations of the doped samples. APC film is more resistant and flexible then different PU/PBDO films. The X-rays results showed that both films are composed of a cross-linked network and that the casting applied during the film synthesis, as different stretches applied in a given direction in the sample can induce a certain orientation of the molecules in their direction. Patterns of the µm are observed in PU/PBDO samples, with and without the magnetic nanoparticles, when their surfaces are irradiated with UV light and then applied a stretch in any direction of the sample. This indicates that cross-links induced by UV light occur in the nanoparticles presence. In APC samples, the actual casting applied to the film during its preparation, produces a pattern of µm scale on its surface. Besides this micron-scale pattern, there is formation of macroscopic patterns that appear only during or after film stretching along the direction perpendicular to the casting.

As telas de cristal líquido (LCD) são usadas em TVs, calculadoras, telefones celulares, computadores (laptop e palm), vídeo games e agendas eletrônicas. O aumento e a rápida obsolescência tecnológica desses dispositivos eletrônicos causa o descarte excessivo de LCDs usados, diminuindo a vida útil de aterros. Por isso é necessário o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de reciclagem de LCDs, que deve ser iniciada pela caracterização de LCDs, seguida do processamento das telas com objetivo de separar os materiais, utilizando algumas técnicas de Tratamento de Minérios. Os ensaios realizados para caracterização dos componentes da tela foram: solubilização em solvente; chama; infravermelho; DSC; MEV com EDS; difração de raios-X; e perda ao fogo. A seqüência identificada dos materiais de fora para dentro foi: triacetato de celulose, poli (álcool) vinil dopado com iodo, triacetato de celulose, cristal líquido, vidro com ITO, triacetato de celulose, poli (álcool) vinil dopado com iodo, triacetato de celulose, polímero não identificado com mica. Após a caracterização foi realizada a etapa de liberação de materiais, utilizando-se de moinhos de rolos, de disco, de martelos, de bolas, separação por álcool, imersão em nitrogênio líquido, e solubilização em água, para separação dos materiais recicláveis. A operação de Tratamento de Minérios que apresentou cerca de 98% de separação dos materiais foi com o moinho de martelos. Este material pode ser usado eventualmente como substituto da areia. Para viabilizar a separação dos materiais existe a necessidade de alteração no projeto das LCDs. / Liquid crystal displays (LCD) are used in TVs, calculators, mobiles, computers (laptop and palm), video games and electronic agendas. The increasing and fast technological obsolescence of these electronic devices causes their extreme discard, decreasing the landfills useful life. Therefore it is necessary the development of a LCD recycling methodology which must be started by the LCDs characterization, followed by the displays processing with the objective of separating materials, using some Ore Treatment techniques. The characterization tests of the LDC components: solvent solubilization, flame, infrarred, DSC, MEV with coupled EDS, X-ray diffraction and loss on fire. The sequence of the identified materials were: celulose triacetate, poly vinyl alcohol with iodine, cellulose triacetate, liquid cristal, ITO glass, cellulose triacetate, poly vinyl alcohol with iodine, cellulose triacetate, polymer with muscovite. Following the characterization, the materials releasing step was performed. Firstly the LCDs were grinded using different kinds of mills, then the grinded materials were passed through several separation tests: separation on alcohol, immersion in liquid nitrogen and solubilization in water. Hammer milling present the best results. The project of the LCDs should be improved in order to allow the materials separation.

Foram estudadas fases micelares do sistema lauril (dodecil) sulfato de sodio (sls)/agua/decanol nos estados isotropico i e liquido-cristalino por espalhamento de raios-x com enfase nas transicoes de fase iSETAhexagonal hALFA e iSETAnematica nc. O estudo das posicoes do pico intermicelar no sistema binario sls/agua, indica que as micelas sao estaveis e levemente anisometricas nas fases i concentradas com empacotamento local de micelas esferoidais. Ocorre crescimento micelar na vizinhanca da transicao iSETAhALFA. A analise da curva de espalhamento i (q) em concentracoes menores (ate 9% em peso de sls) mostra ser possivel a determinacao da funcao distribuicao de distancias p (r), em casos especificos onde i (q) e dominada por um pico predominantemente relacionado a estrutura interna micelar. As anisometrias micelares NI sao deduzidas dos valores de dmax sendo p (r)=0 para r> OU =dmax obtemos NIAPROXIMADAMENTE IGUAL1.5. A analise das curvas de espalhamento de solucoes mais concentradas evidenciam que as micelas crescem mais por adicao de decanol ao longo da transicao de fase iSETAnc (NIAPROXIMADA MENTE IGUAL3) do que por aumento de concentracao de anfifilico no sistema binario ao longo de iSETAhALFA (NIAPROXIMADAMENTE IGUAL2,4). Estes resultados sao discutidos no ambito de previsoes teoricas recentes de transicoes de fase iSETAliquido-cristalinas / Micellar phases of the system sodium dodecyl sulfate (SLS)/water/decanol have been studied by X-ray scattering in isotropic I and liquid crystalline states, with emphasis on the 1-+hexagonal Ha and 1nematic Nc phase transitions. Study of the intermicellar peak position in the binary SIS/water system, taking into account relative volumes of amphiphile, shows that micelles are stable and slightly anisometric in concentrated I phases, with local close packing of spheroidal micelles. Micellar growth occurs only near the 1Ha transition. Analysis of the scattering curve I( q) for lower concentrations (up to 9 wt% SLS) shows that it is possible to obtain the distance distribution function p(r), in specific cases in which l(q) is dominated by a peak due to the inner micellar structure. Micellar anisometries v are deduced from Dmax values, with p(r)=O for r Dmax. It results v.: 1.5. The electron density distribution p(r) obtained from p(r) in these lower concentrations confirm the existence of micellar anisometry.

A number of high performance fibres (aramid, PBZT and PBO) spun from liquid crystal polymer solutions were examined in this work. In particular, a thorough investigation of the mechanical response of these fibres under tensile and compressive deformations was carried out. The major experimental tool employed was the technique of Laser Raman Spectroscopy. It was found that stress-induced changes of these fibres at molecular level are proportional to the macroscopic deformation applied. This correlation is unique for the fibres. A method for converting spectroscopic data to predicted stress-strain curves in tension and compression was proposed. An estimation of their compressive strength was derived and an understanding of the nature of their compressive failure was discussed. The adhesion of these fibres to epoxy resin was also investigated by monitoring in situ the interfacial stresses developed along the interface/interphaseo f model single fibre composite coupons. The strength of the interfacial bond was measured. The effect of various parameters such as fibre modulus, fibre diameter and fibre nature upon the interfacial strength of the various systems was evaluated. The mechanisms of stress transfer along with the nature of interfacial damage was examined accurately. It was found that the major parameter controlling the above mechanisms was interfacial yielding in shear. A numerical appoximation (using Finite Element Analysis) was employed in order to evaluate the experimental results. Finally, general conclusions concerning the performance of these fibres were drawn.

Zhang Ailing. / "September 2004." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.