Cholesteric liquid crystals with tunable defect inside

TL;DR

This paper investigates how defect modes in cholesteric liquid crystals can be tuned by adjusting defect layer properties and system parameters, enabling control over reflection and transmission characteristics for potential optical applications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of how defect layer thickness, anisotropy, and system geometry influence defect modes in cholesteric liquid crystals, offering new tuning mechanisms.

Findings

Reflection at defect modes can be widely tuned by defect position and thickness.

System thickness and boundary dielectric properties significantly affect defect mode reflection.

The system exhibits transmission asymmetry influenced by defect and system parameters.

Abstract

Peculiarities of the defect modes of cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) with an isotropic/anisotropic defect inside are investigated. The influence of the defect layer thickness and its anisotropy of refraction, the influence of the system thickness and of the defect layer position in the system, as well as the influence of the dielectric borders on the defect modes is investigated. It is shown that it is possible to change reflection at the defect modes in wide intervals and change the defect mode wavelength, by tuning the defect location and its thickness. Such a system possesses transmission asymmetry. Also, the CLC system thickness and the refraction coefficient of the medium bordering the CLC layer on its both sides have essential influence on the reflection at the defect mode and on the reflection frequency.