Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network
A novel approach for fabricating a microlens array with a tunable surface topographical structure and focal length is proposed in the present study. The microlens array was manufactured through the photoinduced molecular reorientation of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) stabilized by a polymer network....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/15/7901 |
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| author | Jose Carlos Mejia Miho Aizawa Kyohei Hisano Kohsuke Matsumoto Sayuri Hashimoto Shoichi Kubo Atsushi Shishido |
| author_facet | Jose Carlos Mejia Miho Aizawa Kyohei Hisano Kohsuke Matsumoto Sayuri Hashimoto Shoichi Kubo Atsushi Shishido |
| author_sort | Jose Carlos Mejia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A novel approach for fabricating a microlens array with a tunable surface topographical structure and focal length is proposed in the present study. The microlens array was manufactured through the photoinduced molecular reorientation of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) stabilized by a polymer network. The fabricated microlens array had a mountain-shaped topographical structure due to the accumulation of polymers and LC molecules. The molecular orientation of the LC inside the microlens was disordered, while the outer side of the microlens was ordered. The thermal expansion of the polymer network and the phase transition of the LC molecules within the microlens array allowed the surface topographical structure and the focal length to be reversibly tuned under heat treatment. The results of this research work will enable future implementations to provide a thermally tunable microlens array. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:46:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f307876d6b4c4e14bf413071512561a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:46:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f307876d6b4c4e14bf413071512561a32023-11-30T22:12:15ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-08-011215790110.3390/app12157901Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer NetworkJose Carlos Mejia0Miho Aizawa1Kyohei Hisano2Kohsuke Matsumoto3Sayuri Hashimoto4Shoichi Kubo5Atsushi Shishido6Laboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanLaboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanLaboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanLaboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanLaboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanLaboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanLaboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-12, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, JapanA novel approach for fabricating a microlens array with a tunable surface topographical structure and focal length is proposed in the present study. The microlens array was manufactured through the photoinduced molecular reorientation of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) stabilized by a polymer network. The fabricated microlens array had a mountain-shaped topographical structure due to the accumulation of polymers and LC molecules. The molecular orientation of the LC inside the microlens was disordered, while the outer side of the microlens was ordered. The thermal expansion of the polymer network and the phase transition of the LC molecules within the microlens array allowed the surface topographical structure and the focal length to be reversibly tuned under heat treatment. The results of this research work will enable future implementations to provide a thermally tunable microlens array.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/15/7901nematic liquid crystalsmicrolens arraypolymer networktopographical controlfocal length |
| spellingShingle | Jose Carlos Mejia Miho Aizawa Kyohei Hisano Kohsuke Matsumoto Sayuri Hashimoto Shoichi Kubo Atsushi Shishido Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network Applied Sciences nematic liquid crystals microlens array polymer network topographical control focal length |
| title | Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network |
| title_full | Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network |
| title_fullStr | Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network |
| title_short | Surface Topographical Control of a Liquid Crystal Microlens Array Embedded in a Polymer Network |
| title_sort | surface topographical control of a liquid crystal microlens array embedded in a polymer network |
| topic | nematic liquid crystals microlens array polymer network topographical control focal length |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/15/7901 |
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