Laser-Written Tunable Liquid Crystal Aberration Correctors

Abstract

In this Article, we present a series of novel laser-written liquid crystal (LC) devices for aberration control for applications in beam shaping or aberration correction through adaptive optics. Each transparent LC device can correct for a chosen aberration mode with continuous greyscale tuning up to a total magnitude of more than 2π radians phase difference peak to peak at a wavelength of λ = 660 nm. For the purpose of demonstration, we present five different devices for the correction of five independent Zernike polynomial modes (although the technique could readily be used to manufacture devices based on other modes). Each device is operated by a single electrode pair tuned between 0 and 10 V. These devices have potential as a low-cost alternative to spatial light modulators for applications where a low-order aberration correction is sufficient and transmissive geometries are required.

Modal Phase Modulators Based on Liquid Crystals with 3D-Printed Polymer Microstructures: Increasing Size and Complexity

“…The principle behind this approach is illustrated in Figure 1. Recently, in Xu et al [13], we demonstrated the versatility of such an approach, replicating one Zernike mode from each of the first five non-trivial orders of Zernike modes, with our tilt device demonstrating a root mean square (RMS) phase error of no more than 0.27 rad for all amplitudes.…”

Laser-written tunable liquid crystal aberration correctors

“…Recently, in Xu et al 10 , we were able to further demonstrate that by continuously varying the polymerization depth within the LC layer, we could even successfully recreate Zernike polynomials and generate continuously tunable aberration correction devices. These results were very promising, demonstrating the high versatility and applicability of this technique.…”

“…In the present paper, we tackle the challenge posed by the commonly occurring spherical aberration by creating a new aberration correction device. The spherical mode corrector device presented is significantly larger than the correctors described in Xu et al 10 , at 16 times the area, with a large total diameter of 1000 μm, which would allow the device to be much more easily integrated into practical optical paths. Furthermore, a demonstration of devices of this size indicates that the device size is not limited by the manufacturing process.…”

“…Our design methodology closely follows that described in Xu et al 10 . First, we used a finite difference simulation to determine the effective refractive index of the LC bulk at a variety of voltages, relative to the polymerization depth.…”

Dual-Wavelength Volumetric Microlithography for Rapid Production of 4D Microstructures

“…Stimuli-responsive polymer materials like hydrogels, magnetic polymers, and liquid crystal (LC) networks (LCNs) and elastomers (LCEs) (jointly termed liquid crystal polymers (LCPs)) capable of externally triggered shape deformations can be utilized to make 3D micro-objects that change their configuration in time . Many applications of such systems, commonly termed 4D, are envisioned, including targeted drug delivery, cell manipulation, microsurgery, , smart surfaces for haptic technologies or controlled wettability, microrobotics, , microassembly, , photonics, − and advanced microfluidics …”