Nanoscale light modulators from silicon-liquid crystal hybrids

Michal V. Wolkin; Selena Chan; Philippe M. Fauchet

doi:10.1117/12.426940

18 May 2001 Nanoscale light modulators from silicon-liquid crystal hybrids

Michal V. Wolkin, Selena Chan, Philippe M. Fauchet

Proceedings Volume 4293, Silicon-based and Hybrid Optoelectronics III; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.426940
Event: Symposium on Integrated Optics, 2001, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

A novel light modulator device constructed by integrating nanoscale silicon mirrors with nematic liquid crystals is reported. The mirrors are composed of porous silicon Bragg reflectors, prepared via electrochemical etching of crystalline silicon. By controlling the etching parameters, the average pore size can be easily adjusted to accommodate the liquid crystal molecules. In our device, the pores are perpendicular to the multilayer structure and the pore size is 20 - 50 nm. It is shown that when voltage is applied to this composite device, the liquid crystal molecules re-orient such that their long axis aligns along the electric field. The molecular reorientation changes the refractive index of each layer, and accordingly the reflection of the mirrors is electrically modulated. The fabrication, optical characterization, molecular alignment, and operation of this novel device are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Michal V. Wolkin, Selena Chan, and Philippe M. Fauchet "Nanoscale light modulators from silicon-liquid crystal hybrids", Proc. SPIE 4293, Silicon-based and Hybrid Optoelectronics III, (18 May 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.426940

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KEYWORDS

Silicon

Liquid crystals

Molecules

Refractive index

Reflectivity

Crystals

Modulation

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