BEAM Co.’s photoanisotropic materials are used for photoalignment of liquid crystals and liquid crystal monomers. Availability of different molecular structures allows using sources of light in a wide range of wavelengths. The molecular alignment axis – the axis of photoinduced anisotropy – is perpendicular to light polarization. It may be reversible and provides an opportunity of pre-alignment. The materials support high resolution patterning of liquid crystals and liquid crystal monomers required, particularly, for fabrication polarization gratings and diffractive waveplates, including cycloidal waveplates for large angle beam deflection, vector vortex waveplates (spiral phase waveplates) with submicron singularity size, and fast waveplate lenses.
Deposition techniques include spin-coating, inkjet coating, spray coating, and dip coating. Typical spin-coating on a glass substrate is realized at 3000 rpm during 60 s. No subsequent annealing typically required.
The material can be delivered in solutions optimized for glass, plastic, etc.
| Item code | Peak absorption wavelength, [nm] | E [J/cm2] for different radiation wavelengths | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 325 nm | 365 nm | 458 nm | 488 nm | ||
| PAAD-22 | 366 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.4 |
| PAAD-27 | 410 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.15 | 0.6 |
| PAAD-72 | 423 | - | - | 0.06 | 0.3 |
