All-optical and polarization-independent spatial filter based on a vertically-aligned polymer-stabilized liquid crystal film with a photoconductive layer

Opt Express. 2009 Dec 7;17(25):22386-92. doi: 10.1364/OE.17.022386.

Abstract

An all-optical and polarization-independent spatial filter was developed in a vertically-aligned (VA) polymer-stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC) film with a photoconductive (PC) layer. This spatial filter is based on the effect of light on the conductivity of PC layer: high (low)-intensity light makes the conductivity of the PC layer high (low), resulting in a low (high) threshold voltage of the PC-coated VA PSLC cell. Experimental results indicate that this spatial filter is a high-pass filter with low optical-power consumption (about 1.11 mW/cm(2)) in an optical Fourier transform system. The high-pass characteristic was confirmed by simulation. Accordingly, the all-optical and polarization-independent spatial filter can be used to enhance the edges of images.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electronics / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Light
  • Liquid Crystals / chemistry*
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Refractometry / instrumentation*
  • Scattering, Radiation

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial