Effect of Monomer Functionality on the Morphology and Performance of the Holographic Transmission Gratings Recorded on Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-11-2003

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

Transmission gratings were formed holographically in polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) composite materials using commercially available LTV-curable acrylate monomers and the nematic liquid crystal TL203. Monomer mixtures with average functionality ranging from 1.3 to 3.5 were used to prepare HPDLC transmission gratings. The phase-separated morphology and surface topology of the transmission gratings as observed through scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy varied profoundly with the different monomer mixtures characterized by their average functionalities. The switching properties of the HPDLC gratings were correlated with the morphological changes.

Publication Title

Macromolecules

Volume

36

Issue

3

First Page

630

Last Page

638

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