The optical and electronic properties of nanocrystalline WO3 thin films prepared by reactive dc magnetron sputtering at different total pressures (Ptot) were studied by optical spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Monoclinic films prepared at low Ptot show absorption in the near infrared due to polarons, which is attributed to a strained film structure. Analysis of the optical data yields band-gap energies Eg ≈ 3.1 eV, which increase with increasing Ptot by 0.1 eV, and correlate with the structural modifications of the films. The electronic structures of triclinic δ-WO3, and monoclinic γ- and ε-WO3 were calculated using the Green function with screened Coulomb interaction (GW approach), and the local density approximation. The δ-WO3 and γ-WO3 phases are found to have very similar electronic properties, with weak dispersion of the valence and conduction bands, consistent with a direct band-gap. Analysis of the joint density of states shows that the optical absorption around the band edge is composed of contributions from forbidden transitions (>3 eV) and allowed transitions (>3.8 eV). The calculations show that Eg in ε-WO3 is higher than in the δ-WO3 and γ-WO3 phases, which provides an explanation for the Ptot dependence of the optical data.

This is an author produced version of a paper published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination. 2 AbstractElectrochromic films of tungsten oxide and nickel oxide were made by reactive dc magnetron sputtering and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The optical properties were investigated in detail by spectroscopic ellipsometry and spectrophotometry, using a multiple-sample approach. The W oxide film was modeled as a homogeneous isotropic layer, whereas the Ni oxide film was modeled as an anisotropic layer with the optical axis perpendicular to the surface. Parametric models of the two layers were then used to derive complex refractive index in the 300-1700-nm-range, film thickness, and surface roughness. A band gap of 3.15 eV was found for the W oxide film, using a Tauc-Lorentz parameterization. For the Ni oxide film, taken to have direct optical transitions, band gaps along the optical axis, perpendicular to it, and in an isotropic intermediate layer at the bottom of the film were found to be 3.95, 3.97, and 3.63 eV, respectively. Parameterization for the Ni oxide was made by use of the Lorentz model.

Tunable liquid crystal light deflecting devices based on nonuniform anchoring energy are proposed. These devices have uniform thicknesses of the layers they are composed of, and beam deviation is controlled with a uniform electrical field. Potential applicability of such an approach in beam deflectors and active lenses is investigated. It is shown that the approach is a competitive alternative to liquid crystal light deflecting devices, in which the needed spatial distribution of liquid crystal molecules is achieved either due to nonuniform thickness or due to generation of nonuniform electrical field.

Original Publication: Sergiy Valyukh, Iryna Valyukh, V Chigrinov, H S Kwok and Hans Arwin, Liquid crystal light deflecting devices based on nonuniform anchoring, 2010, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, (97), 23, 231120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3526311 Copyright: American Institute of Physics http://www.aip.org/

This is an author produced version of a paper published in Thin Solid Films. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proofcorrections or journal pagination. AbstractThin films of Ni x W 1-x oxides with x = 0.05, 0.19, 0.43 and 0.90 were studied. Films with thicknesses in the range 125 -250 nm were deposited on silicon wafers at room temperature by reactive DC magnetron co-sputtering from targets of Ni and W. The films were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). XRD spectra and SEM micrographs showed that all films were amorphous and possessed a columnar structure. The ellipsometric angles Ψ and Δ of as-deposited films were measured by a rotating analyzer ellipsometer in the UV-visible-near infrared range (0.63-6.18 eV) and by an infrared Fourier transform rotating compensator ellipsometer in the 500-5200 cm -1 wavenumber range. SE measurements were performed at angles of incidence of from 50° to 70°. Parametric models were used to extract thicknesses of the thin films and overlayers of Ni x W 1-x oxide at different compositions, band gaps and optical constants. Features in the optical spectra of the Ni x W 1-x oxides were compared with previous data on tungsten oxide, nickel oxide and nickel tungstate.

We introduce a method for the determination of the optical retardation, its wavelength dispersion, the cell twist angle, and the orientation of the input director in a reflective liquid crystal (LC) cell. These parameters are found from the extremes of a characteristic function defined as a sum of two spectral reflectivities of the LC cell placed between a pair of linear polarizers. The reflectivities are measured for two cell orientations, one of which is arbitrary and the other one is turned through 45°. Both theoretical analysis and experimental procedures are presented. Excellent agreement between the experiment and our theory has been found. The proposed method can be applied to the measurement of reflective LC cells with small and large cell gaps, as well as cells with small and large twist angles.