Ultra-high spatial resolutions in photopatterning molecular orientations

Yun, Hai1; Jiang, Songxu1; Chen, Hao1; Zhu, Youyang1; Xu, Xinzhu2,3; Li, Bingxiang4,5; Xi, Peng2,3; Jiang, Miao1; Wei, Qi-huo1,6

2024-08-26

10.1364/OE.533753

OPTICS EXPRESS   影响因子和分区

1094-4087

Accurately aligning liquid crystal molecules into predetermined spatially variant orientations is crucial for fabricating devices such as flat optical elements, soft actuators and robots. Despite the developments of various photopatterning techniques for this purpose, the limits of their spatial resolutions have been rarely addressed. In this study, we delve into the physical constraints governing the spatial resolutions of two prominent photopatterning methods: single exposure to light fields with structured polarizations and multi-exposures to light fields with structured intensities. Theoretical analyses show that the minimal grating period of the first method is only half of the Abbe limit of an intensity imaging system, and that the minimal grating period for the second system can surpass the Rayleigh limit. Experimental studies demonstrate unprecedent high spatial resolution with minimal grating periods of 1 mu m. We further establish that the minimal core size in photopatterned singular topological defects is linearly proportional to the minimal grating period and the topological charge and that these photopatterning techniques can yield less than 1 mu m defect cores that are in high demand for applications such as coronagraphs. (c) 2024 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

SCI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

National Key Research and Development Program of China[2022YFA1405000] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[12174177]

Optics

Optics

WOS:001306585800006

Optica Publishing Group

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mech & Energy Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
2.Peking Univ, Coll Future Technol, Dept Biomed Engn, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China
3.Peking Univ, Natl Biomed Imaging Ctr, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China
4.Nanjing Univ Posts & Telecommun, Coll Elect & Opt Engn, Nanjing 210003, Peoples R China
5.Nanjing Univ Posts & Telecommun, Coll Flexible Elect Future Technol, Nanjing 210003, Peoples R China
6.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Ctr Complex Flows & Soft Matter Res, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China

Yun, Hai,Jiang, Songxu,Chen, Hao,et al. Ultra-high spatial resolutions in photopatterning molecular orientations[J]. OPTICS EXPRESS,2024,32(18).

Yun, Hai.,Jiang, Songxu.,Chen, Hao.,Zhu, Youyang.,Xu, Xinzhu.,...&Wei, Qi-huo.(2024).Ultra-high spatial resolutions in photopatterning molecular orientations.OPTICS EXPRESS,32(18).

Yun, Hai,et al."Ultra-high spatial resolutions in photopatterning molecular orientations".OPTICS EXPRESS 32.18(2024).