Liquid crystal photonic microdevices

We have utilized the process of three dimensional anisotropic phase separation of mixtures of liquid crystal (LC) and polymer to fabricate electro-optical and photonic devices such as one and two dimensional diffraction gratings and microlens arrays. The operation of optical gratings and microlens arrays (or, fly's eye lenses) is controllable with an external electric field. This method has also been applied to one obtain internal microscopic polymer columns perpendicular to the substrates in optical devices. These column structures have been used to fabricate large area flexible substrate homeotropic nematic devices having high-contrast. This method has also been used to construct conventional devices; such as, TN, STN, and FLC devices with great ease and with flexible substrates.