Patent ID: 9188804
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: C09K,F24S,G02B,G02F,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for constructing a thermotropically-actuated distributed Bragg reflector comprising: combining a photopolymer and a thermotropically-actuated liquid crystal; aligning the liquid crystal such that an optical index of the liquid crystal matches an optical index of the photopolymer when the liquid crystal is in an ordered state, and such that the optical index of the liquid crystal mismatches the optical index of the photopolymer when the liquid crystal is in a disordered state; and photopolymerizing the photopolymer to enclose the thermotropically-actuated liquid crystal such that the liquid crystal is free to transition between the ordered and disordered states responsive to temperature changes; wherein the aligning operation includes providing an electric field across the liquid crystal to align the optical index of the liquid crystal at the optical index of the photopolymer during the photopolymerizing operation.