Wurtzite III-nitride semiconductor materials have many technically important applications in optical and electronic devices. As GaN-based visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers starts to mature, interest in developing UV devices starts to rise. The search for materials with larger bandgaps and high refractive index contrast in the UV range has inspired multiple studies of BN-based materials and their alloys with traditional III-nitrides. Additionally, alloying III-nitrides with boron can reduce their lattice parameters giving a new option for strain engineering and lattice matching. In this work I investigate the refractive indices of BAlN and BGaN over the entire compositional range using hybrid density functional theory (DFT). An interesting non-linear trend of the refractive index curves appears as boron content is increased in the BAlN and BGaN alloys. The results of this calculation were interpolated and plotted in three dimensions for better visualization. This interpolation gives a 3D dataset that can be used in designing a myriad of devices at all binary and ternary alloy compositions in the BAlGaN system. The interpolated surface was used to find an optimum design for a strain-free, high reflection coefficient and high bandwidth DBR. The performance of this DBR was quantitatively evaluated using finite element simulations. I found that the maximum DBR reflectivity with widest bandwidth for our materials occurs at a lattice parameter of 3.113 Å using the generated 3D dataset. I use the corresponding material pair to simulate a DBR at the wavelength 375 nm in the UVA range. A design with 25 pairs was found to have a peak reflectivity of 99.8%. This design has a predicted bandwidth of 26 nm measured at 90% peak performance. The high reflectivity and wide bandwidth of this lattice-matched design are optimal for UVA VCSEL applications. I have assisted in exploring different metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques, continuous growth and pulsed-flow modulation, to grow and characterize BAlN alloys. Samples grown using continuous flow show better optical quality and are characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The refractive index of samples obtained experimentally is significantly below the predicted value using DFT.

Much of the interest in bent-core compounds in the last few years has centred aroundtheir potential to form nematic liquid crystal phases, which may be both biaxial andpolar. These properties offer possibilities for nematic ferroelectric switching andnonlinear optics applications. In this work, two optical properties, the refractive indices and the second ordernonlinear optical response, were investigated in the high temperature (> 170 °C)nematic phase of a series of bent-core oxadiazole compounds, of varying chain typeand length. An experimental technique, based on the acquisition and analysis of reflectionspectra from liquid crystal cells, and capable of operating at the high temperaturesrequired, was used for the measurement of refractive indices. The extraordinaryrefractive index was found to range from 1.70 to 1.78 over the nematic phase of thebent-core compounds. The ordinary refractive index varied from 1.58 to 1.62. Bothranges of values are higher than is typically observed for rod-like liquid crystals. Thebirefringence took values from ~ 0.10, in the high temperature nematic phase, to~ 0.18, close to the underlying smectic phase. A new experiment was designed, constructed and tested for the second harmonic(SH) measurements. The dependences of the SH on temperature and on scatteringangle are well explained by the theory of SH generation by the flexoelectricpolarisation induced by thermal fluctuations of the director in the nematic phase. Themaximum conversion efficiency was measured to be very low, ~ 1/10000 of apercent. No evidence for the formation of macroscopic biaxial nematic phases was found byeither the refractive indices or SH experiments. However, for the compounds havinglong nematic phases of > 50 °C, different regimes of behaviour in the uniaxialnematic phase were revealed by the SH experiments. This atypical behaviour isconsistent with other reports on these compounds. This study cannot confirm the existence of nanoscale cybotactic clusters in thenematic phases of the bent-core compounds examined but neither is it inconsistentwith them.

Liquid crystals (LCs) are important materials for flat panel display and photonic devices. Most LC devices use electrical field-, magnetic field-, or temperature-induced refractive index change to modulate the incident light. Molecular constituents, wavelength, and temperature are the three primary factors determining the liquid crystal refractive indices: ne and no for the extraordinary and ordinary rays, respectively. In this dissertation, we derive several physical models for describing the wavelength and temperature effects on liquid crystal refractive indices, average refractive index, and birefringence. Based on these models, we develop some high temperature gradient refractive index LC mixtures for photonic applications, such as thermal tunable liquid crystal photonic crystal fibers and thermal solitons. Liquid crystal refractive indices decrease as the wavelength increase. Both ne and no saturate in the infrared region. Wavelength effect on LC refractive indices is important for the design of direct-view displays. In Chapter 2, we derive the extended Cauchy models for describing the wavelength effect on liquid crystal refractive indices in the visible and infrared spectral regions based on the three-band model. The three-coefficient Cauchy model could be used for describing the refractive indices of liquid crystals with low, medium, and high birefringence, whereas the two-coefficient Cauchy model is more suitable for low birefringence liquid crystals. The critical value of the birefringence is deltan~0.12. Temperature is another important factor affecting the LC refractive indices. The thermal effect originated from the lamp of projection display would affect the performance of the employed liquid crystal. In Chapter 3, we derive the four-parameter and three-parameter parabolic models for describing the temperature effect on the LC refractive indices based on Vuks model and Haller equation. We validate the empirical Haller equation quantitatively. We also validate that the average refractive index of liquid crystal decreases linearly as the temperature increases. Liquid crystals exhibit a large thermal nonlinearity which is attractive for new photonic applications using photonic crystal fibers. We derive the physical models for describing the temperature gradient of the LC refractive indices, ne and no, based on the four-parameter model. We find that LC exhibits a crossover temperature To at which dno/dT is equal to zero. The physical models of the temperature gradient indicate that ne, the extraordinary refractive index, always decreases as the temperature increases since dne/dT is always negative, whereas no, the ordinary refractive index, decreases as the temperature increases when the temperature is lower than the crossover temperature (dno/dT<0 when the temperature is lower than To) and increases as the temperature increases when the temperature is higher than the crossover temperature (dno/dT>0 when the temperature is higher than To ). Measurements of LC refractive indices play an important role for validating the physical models and the device design. Liquid crystal is anisotropic and the incident linearly polarized light encounters two different refractive indices when the polarization is parallel or perpendicular to the optic axis. The measurement is more complicated than that for an isotropic medium. In Chapter 4, we use a multi-wavelength Abbe refractometer to measure the LC refractive indices in the visible light region. We measured the LC refractive indices at six wavelengths, lamda=450, 486, 546, 589, 633 and 656 nm by changing the filters. We use a circulating constant temperature bath to control the temperature of the sample. The temperature range is from 10 to 55 oC. The refractive index data measured include five low-birefringence liquid crystals, MLC-9200-000, MLC-9200-100, MLC-6608 (delta_epsilon=-4.2), MLC-6241-000, and UCF-280 (delta_epsilon=-4); four middle-birefringence liquid crystals, 5CB, 5PCH, E7, E48 and BL003; four high-birefringence liquid crystals, BL006, BL038, E44 and UCF-35, and two liquid crystals with high dno/dT at room temperature, UCF-1 and UCF-2. The refractive indices of E7 at two infrared wavelengths lamda=1.55 and 10.6 um are measured by the wedged-cell refractometer method. The UV absorption spectra of several liquid crystals, MLC-9200-000, MLC-9200-100, MLC-6608 and TL-216 are measured, too. In section 6.5, we also measure the refractive index of cured optical films of NOA65 and NOA81 using the multi-wavelength Abbe refractometer. In Chapter 5, we use the experimental data measured in Chapter 4 to validate the physical models we derived, the extended three-coefficient and two-coefficient Cauchy models, the four-parameter and three-parameter parabolic models. For the first time, we validate the Vuks model using the experimental data of liquid crystals directly. We also validate the empirical Haller equation for the LC birefringence delta_n and the linear equation for the LC average refractive index . The study of the LC refractive indices explores several new photonic applications for liquid crystals such as high temperature gradient liquid crystals, high thermal tunable liquid crystal photonic crystal fibers, the laser induced 2D+1 thermal solitons in nematic crystals, determination for the infrared refractive indices of liquid crystals, comparative study for refractive index between liquid crystals and photopolymers for polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) applications, and so on. In Chapter 6, we introduce these applications one by one. First, we formulate two novel liquid crystals, UCF-1 and UCF-2, with high dno/dT at room temperature. The dno/dT of UCF-1 is about 4X higher than that of 5CB at room temperature. Second, we infiltrate UCF-1 into the micro holes around the silica core of a section of three-rod core PCF and set up a highly thermal tunable liquid crystal photonic crystal fiber. The guided mode has an effective area of 440 ƒÝm2 with an insertion loss of less than 0.5dB. The loss is mainly attributed to coupling losses between the index-guided section and the bandgap-guided section. The thermal tuning sensitivity of the spectral position of the bandgap was measured to be 27 nm/degree around room temperature, which is 4.6 times higher than that using the commercial E7 LC mixture operated at a temperature above 50 degree C. Third, the novel liquid crystals UCF-1 and UCF-2 are preferred to trigger the laser-induced thermal solitons in nematic liquid crystal confined in a capillary because of the high positive temperature gradient at room temperature. Fourth, we extrapolate the refractive index data measured at the visible light region to the near and far infrared region basing on the extended Cauchy model and four-parameter model. The extrapolation method is validated by the experimental data measured at the visible light and infrared light regions. Knowing the LC refractive indices at the infrared region is important for some photonic devices operated in this light region. Finally, we make a completely comparative study for refractive index between two photocurable polymers (NOA65 and NOA81) and two series of Merck liquid crystals, E-series (E44, E48, and E7) and BL-series (BL038, BL003 and BL006) in order to optimize the performance of polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC). Among the LC materials we studied, BL038 and E48 are good candidates for making PDLC system incorporating NOA65. The BL038 PDLC cell shows a higher contrast ratio than the E48 cell because BL038 has a better matched ordinary refractive index, higher birefringence, and similar miscibility as compared to E48. Liquid crystals having a good miscibility with polymer, matched ordinary refractive index, and higher birefringence help to improve the PDLC contrast ratio for display applications. In Chapter 7, we give a general summary for the dissertation.

The work reported in this thesis has been carried out in the following two areas of Optical metrology: 1. Measurement and correction of prism angles 2. Measurement of refractive indices using a spectrograph. The prism angles are conventionally tested by mechanical bevel protractors, autocol-limators (angle dekkors), simple interference techniques and interferometers. All these methods have their own limitations either in accuracy or in terms of cost. Mechanical methods are usually employed to measure the angles of prisms. Interference techniques and interferometers are also used but they need optically polished components. For both mechanical and simple interference methods of testing, it is essential to fabricate more than a single component in number. The process of building interferometers or purchasing interferometers, angle dekkors and standard angle gauges is not cost effective for many research laboratories, and medium scale industries. To overcome these difficulties simple and inexpensive methods without sacrificing the accuracy in the bargain are suggested for the measurement of prism angles, based on the principles of reflection of light. The refractive indices of prism materials for invisible and weaker spectral lines are usually determined from spectrograms using dispersion formulae and numerical interpolation techniques. In these methods, the accuracy of the results depends on the accuracy of determining the constants of the dispersion formulae. A simple experimental technique, using a spectrograph, is devised for the measurement of refractive indices of solids and liquids both for visible and invisible spectral lines (wavelengths). The thesis has been divided into six chapters. The first chapter starts with the general introduction. The second chapter presents the literature review of the existing methods for angle and refractive index measurements. The third chapter describes the proposed new techniques for prism angle measurements. The fourth chapter presents the experimental results of angle measurements, and the discussion of the accuracy of the results. This chapter also gives the scope for further research. The fifth chapter describes a newly proposed technique for measuring refractive indices and the experimental results. This chapter also gives the scope for further research. The summary of the results, conclusions, and suggestions for further work are presented in chapter six.

Propriedades ópticas, magnéticas e elásticas de duas liomesofases nemáticas tipo I (decilsulfato de sódio/água/ n-decanol e laurato de potássio/água/cloreto de potássio) e urna tipo II (decilsulfato de sódio/água/n-decanol /sulfato de sódio) são estudadas. Nas investigações de tais propriedades as medidas realizadas e instrumentação/meios utilizados foram os seguintes: medidas de sinais ópticos, texturas e temperaturas de transições de fases foram obtidas com auxilio de um microscópio petrográfico com temperatura controlada na platina; medidas de índices de refração e birrefringências obtiveram- se com adaptações do refratômetro de Pulfrich; medidas de susceptibilidades diamagnéticas direcionais foram realizadas com adaptações ao magnetômetro de amostra vibrante; medidas de constantes elásticas foram obtidas com auxilio de uma montagem especial. São realizados cálculos para as susceptibilidades diamagnéticas direcionais e respectivas anisotropias moleculares para alcanos, álcoois e anfifilicos de interesse em liornesofases . Da comparação entre as anisotropias moleculares calculadas e as medidas em liomesofases correspondentes, infere-se que o ordenamento molecular de anfifilicos, nas mesofases, deve ser alto. O método de Kirkwood, que permite correlacionar polarizabilidade elétrica com a susceptibilidade diamagnética molecular média em substâncias puras, é estendido e adaptado a misturas complexas, criando assim urna promissora perspectiva de correlação entre as medidas ópticas e magnéticas em liomesofases. Evidências experimentais diretas, da aplicabilidade da teoria do continuo para termo trópicos às liomesofases, são apresentadas. / The optical, magnetic and elastic properties of three nematic lyomesophases are studied. Two are type I (Na decyl sulfate/ water/n- decanol and K laurate/water/K chloride) and one type II (Na decyl sulfate/water/n- decano l/Na sulfate). To measure these properties we used the following equipment : texture and optical sign were observed by optical microscopy with temperature controlled, hot and cold, stages; refractive indices were measured in an adapted Pulfrich refratometer; the individual elements of the diamagnetic susceptibility tensor were measured with a vibrating sample magnetometer; the elastic constants were measured using the Frederikzs transition in a special experimental set-up. Starting from the concept of localized magnetic susceptibilities, molecular anisotropies were calculated for saturated hydrocarbons , alcohols and amphiphilic compounds, which are of interest for lyomesophases. Comparing these results with the experimentally measured anisotropies of the lyomesophases it is possible to conclude that a high degree of molecular order is present in the nematic amphiphilic systems. The Kirkwood method is extended and adapted for complex mixtures. The use of this method opens new perspectives for exploring the correlation between the molecular polarizability and the mean diamagnetic susceptibility.

Propriedades ópticas, magnéticas e elásticas de duas liomesofases nemáticas tipo I (decilsulfato de sódio/água/ n-decanol e laurato de potássio/água/cloreto de potássio) e urna tipo II (decilsulfato de sódio/água/n-decanol /sulfato de sódio) são estudadas. Nas investigações de tais propriedades as medidas realizadas e instrumentação/meios utilizados foram os seguintes: medidas de sinais ópticos, texturas e temperaturas de transições de fases foram obtidas com auxilio de um microscópio petrográfico com temperatura controlada na platina; medidas de índices de refração e birrefringências obtiveram- se com adaptações do refratômetro de Pulfrich; medidas de susceptibilidades diamagnéticas direcionais foram realizadas com adaptações ao magnetômetro de amostra vibrante; medidas de constantes elásticas foram obtidas com auxilio de uma montagem especial. São realizados cálculos para as susceptibilidades diamagnéticas direcionais e respectivas anisotropias moleculares para alcanos, álcoois e anfifilicos de interesse em liornesofases . Da comparação entre as anisotropias moleculares calculadas e as medidas em liomesofases correspondentes, infere-se que o ordenamento molecular de anfifilicos, nas mesofases, deve ser alto. O método de Kirkwood, que permite correlacionar polarizabilidade elétrica com a susceptibilidade diamagnética molecular média em substâncias puras, é estendido e adaptado a misturas complexas, criando assim urna promissora perspectiva de correlação entre as medidas ópticas e magnéticas em liomesofases. Evidências experimentais diretas, da aplicabilidade da teoria do continuo para termo trópicos às liomesofases, são apresentadas. / The optical, magnetic and elastic properties of three nematic lyomesophases are studied. Two are type I (Na decyl sulfate/ water/n- decanol and K laurate/water/K chloride) and one type II (Na decyl sulfate/water/n- decano l/Na sulfate). To measure these properties we used the following equipment : texture and optical sign were observed by optical microscopy with temperature controlled, hot and cold, stages; refractive indices were measured in an adapted Pulfrich refratometer; the individual elements of the diamagnetic susceptibility tensor were measured with a vibrating sample magnetometer; the elastic constants were measured using the Frederikzs transition in a special experimental set-up. Starting from the concept of localized magnetic susceptibilities, molecular anisotropies were calculated for saturated hydrocarbons , alcohols and amphiphilic compounds, which are of interest for lyomesophases. Comparing these results with the experimentally measured anisotropies of the lyomesophases it is possible to conclude that a high degree of molecular order is present in the nematic amphiphilic systems. The Kirkwood method is extended and adapted for complex mixtures. The use of this method opens new perspectives for exploring the correlation between the molecular polarizability and the mean diamagnetic susceptibility.

Dans ce mémoire, je propose une nouvelle technique optique de mesure de positions relatives 3D, tailles et indices de réfraction d’un ensemble de particules, éclairées par un faisceau laser plan pulsé : l’imagerie interférométrique de Fourier (FII). Dans le cadre de ce travail, les particules sont sphériques, homogènes transparentes et isotropes. Lorsque ces particules sont éclairées, elles se comportent comme des sources d’ondes lumineuses sphériques qui interférent entre elles. L’enregistrement des franges d’interférences et leur analyse par transformation de Fourier peut permettre d’accéder aux caractéristiques des particules. Dans ce mémoire, je décris l’influence des caractéristiques de particules sur les représentations spectrales des franges d’interférences crées par les couples de particules éclairées dans l’espace de Fourier 2D. Les franges d’interférences sont simulées numériquement en utilisant la théorie de Lorenz-Mie. Puis j’aborde le problème inverse en montrant comment il est possible de retrouver les caractéristiques des particules, en me servant de l’optique géométrique et du filtrage spatial par transformation de Fourier. / In this thesis, I propose a new optical technique for measuring 3D relative positions, sizes and refractive indices of a set of particles, which are illuminated by a plane and pulsed laser beam. In this work, the particles are spherical, transparent, homogeneous and isotropic. When these particles are illuminated, they have the behavior of sources of spherical light waves which interfere. The recording of interference fringes and analysisby Fourier transform can measure the characteristics of the particles. I describe the influence of particle characteristics on spectral representations of the interference fringes created by the pairs of particles illuminated in 2D Fourier space. The interference fringes are simulated numerically using the Lorenz-Mietheory. The inverse problem is approached by showing how it is possible to measure the characteristics of particles with geometrical optics and spatial filtering by Fourier transformation.