| Holographically-formed Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals (H-PDLC) are phase-segregated liquid crystal/polymer composites which enable electrically switchable holographic recordings. They are formed using a holographic exposure apparatus to create an interference pattern, which is recorded through polymerization to produce Bragg-mode gratings. Application of an electric field eliminates the Bragg grating, and the material appears optically transparent.; Optical applications are being evaluated for H-PDLC implementation. Therefore, there is an increasing need to understand the fundamental physics of their formation and operation, and to optimize the electro-optical performance. This work describes H-PDLC formation, characterization, and fundamental investigations into the physics of liquid crystals confined in polymer droplet cavities. Systematic materials studies were performed, and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) are used to examine morphological details of the polymer. The results indicate a difference in phase-separation between materials sets. Examination of droplet cavities reveals a novel rough texture that is used to explain electro-optic performance differences between materials sets.; Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) results are presented for H-PDLC samples formed with deuterated liquid crystal. The findings indicate a change in the nematic temperature range in the confined liquid crystal as compared to bulk. The onset of the nematic phase is found to occur gradually, and the phase transition is non-continuous with regard to the order parameter. Using the electro-optic properties of transmission-mode grating, the size, shape, and distribution of droplets is characterized. These attributes are found to vary with temperature when confined to the small droplets of H-PDLC films, and a coupled-wave theory is used to model these findings.; New techniques for H-PDLC formation are reported, including multiplexing (spatial, angular, and temporal) and diffuse grating methods. They are employed to create multiple gratings in a single film, resulting in the development of pixilated multi-color samples with an improved viewing cone. A predictive model based on photo-diffusion is developed for temporal multiplexing.; Finally, several innovative H-PDLC applications are presented, including switchable waveguides, remote sensing filters, and optical strain gauges. Fundamental characterization measurements utilizing wavefront analysis, scattering, and absorption are examined for their effects on H-PDLC device implementation. |
