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Optofluidic modulator based on peristaltic nematogen microflows

Nature Photonics volume 5, pages 234–238 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Nematogens rotate by the application of external fields, thereby enabling optical modulation. This principle has had a profound impact on our daily lives through the plethora of liquid-crystal displays in use around us1,2. However, the wider use of nematic liquid crystals, particularly in microdisplays3 and information processing, has been hampered by their slow response times. In nematogens, rotational and translational molecular motions are coupled4, so flow is inevitably linked with optical modulation5,6. This linkage motivated us to fuse microfluidics with anisotropic liquids and introduce an optofluidic7,8 modulator that exhibits a submillisecond (250 µs) symmetric response and can operate at frequencies up to 1 kHz. The modulator is based on peristaltic nematogen microflows9 realized in polydimethylsiloxane microfluidics. The latter simultaneously permits peristalsis by means of elastomeric deformation, nematogen alignment and rapid prototyping through cast-moulding. Together with large-scale, vertical integration and piezoelectric nanotechnologies, this optofluidic paradigm can enable high-density and three-dimensional architectures of fast modulators.

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Figure 1: Concept of peristaltic flows of nematogens in microfluidic channels.
Figure 2: Steady-state analysis of nematogens in confined geometries and peristaltic flow visualization.
Figure 3: Optical modulation.
Figure 4: Performance at 1 kHz.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank J.-F. Molinari, N. Stergiopoulos and S. Maerkl for fruitful discussions on time-domain elastomer modelling methods, oscillatory flows of viscous liquids and microfluidic flow architectures, respectively.

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Author notes

  1. J. G. Cuennet and A. E. Vasdekis: These authors contributed equally to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Optics Laboratory, School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland

    J. G. Cuennet, A. E. Vasdekis & D. Psaltis

  2. Center of Excellence CEMIF.CAL and Department of Physics, LICRYL (Liquid Crystals Laboratory, IPCF-CNR), University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy

    L. De Sio

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  1. J. G. Cuennet
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  3. L. De Sio
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Contributions

A.E.V. and D.P. conceived the peristaltic strategy. J.G.C. performed the experimental and numerical flow characterization and conoscopic measurements. A.E.V. designed the experiments, built the experimental apparatus, and performed the optical experiments, calculations and microfabrication. L.D.S. supplied background in liquid crystals and materials. A.E.V. and D.P. wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to A. E. Vasdekis.

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Cuennet, J., Vasdekis, A., De Sio, L. et al. Optofluidic modulator based on peristaltic nematogen microflows. Nature Photon 5, 234–238 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2011.18

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