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Published on: February 27, 2019
Coupling of Defect Modes in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals Separated by Isotropic Polymeric Layers
Shaohua Gao1, Yanzi Zhai2, Xinzheng Zhang3
1The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak-Light Nonlinear Photonics, TEDA Institute of Applied Physics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China. gaosh@mail.nankai.edu.cn.
Localized optical modes in cholesteric liquid crystals with multiple defect layers show coupling effects. Mode splitting occurs with more than one defect layer, enabling applications in filters and lasers.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Liquid Crystal Physics
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) can host localized optical modes within defect layers.
- Understanding mode coupling is crucial for designing advanced optical devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate and analyze the coupling effects between localized optical modes in CLCs with multiple defect layers.
- To investigate the phenomenon of mode splitting and its relation to the number of defect layers.
- To calculate the dispersion relation of mini-bands within the photonic band gap.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method for numerical simulations.
- Analyzed coupling effects between defect modes in CLC structures.
- Calculated the dispersion relation of mini-bands.
Main Results:
- Simulations revealed significant coupling effects between localized optical modes.
- Mode splitting was observed when more than one defect layer was present, analogous to tight-binding approximations.
- The dispersion relation of mini-bands within the photonic band gap was numerically determined.
Conclusions:
- Multiple defect layers in CLCs lead to mode splitting due to coupling effects.
- These structures show potential for developing multiwavelength filters.
- The findings suggest applications for low-threshold lasers utilizing these photonic band gap structures.
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