Nominal model for the optical response of a chiral sculptured thin film infiltrated with an isotropic chiral fluid

Abstract

Abstract An ellipsoid-based structure–property relationship model for a chiral sculptured thin film (STF) infiltrated with a chiral fluid is presented. The effect of the constitutive and microstuctural parameters on the optical response of the chiral STF is explored. Specific structure–property relations are developed. The model predicts that infiltration by a chiral fluid shifts the spectral location of the Bragg regime, and this shift is linearly dependent on the degree of chirality of the fluid. The bandwidth of the Bragg regime also changes. Finally, the model also predicts that the chiral fluid can either enhance or diminish the optical activity exhibited by a chiral STF. Which of these effects occurs depends on the microstructural and constitutive parameters of the chiral STF and the constitutive parameters of the chiral fluid.