Electro- and nonlinear optics of liquid crystal materials with nanoparticulate internal structure

Abstract

The combination of liquid crystals (LCs) and reconfigurable nanoparticulate networks results in most versatile materials for controlling light beams. These material systems can be used for developing multi-functional reconfigurable photonics and opto-electronics components and spatial light modulators with ultimate light modulating capabilities. We review here our results in laser recording of one and two-dimensional diffraction gratings and gratings with variable pitch. Nonlinear optical properties of LC with nanoparticulate internal networks and diffraction gratings laser-recorded in these materials are discussed. Nanoparticulate networks are capable of stabilizing the thermodynamic relaxation of photoinduced <i>cis</i>-isomers of molecules in photosensitive azobenzene LCs used as host for the nanoparticulate network leading to bistability of the phase state (anisotropic and isotropic) of the material, and reversible all-optical switching between those states.