Patent for LLE Technology Awarded

 

A patent was awarded for "All-Optical, Optically Addressable Liquid Crystal-Based Light Valve Employing Photoswitchable Alignment Layer for High-Power and/or Large Aperture Laser Applications," based on research conducted in LLE's Optical Materials Technology (OMT) Group by Senior Research Engineer and Principal Investigator Kenneth L. Marshall and OMT Group Leader Stavros G. Demos. This patent describes examples of optically addressable LC-based light valves designs and materials that are suitable for use in high-power laser applications, and addresses shortcomings of existing liquid crystal (LC) electro-optical technologies for controlling and improving the spatial distribution of the beam amplitude and/or phase. Such LC electro-optical devices are limited to the low power, front end of these laser systems due to their inherent low near-IR laser-damage threshold. Key elements of this new optically addressable LC light valve concept are novel photoswitchable alignment layers along with LC materials that have been designed to possess exceptional single-pulse and multipulse resistance to damage from high-intensity laser energy from near-IR to UV wavelengths, approaching that of conventionally polished fused silica. Envisioned applications for these devices and materials are in high-average-power and/or peak-intensity laser applications, such as for laser systems for additive manufacturing and directed energy applications, where the anticipated operational lifetime of the LC device could be extended by three orders of magnitude (from thousands- to millions of incident laser pulses).

 

News from: https://www.lle.rochester.edu/index.php/2023/03/06/patent-awarded-for-liquid-crystal-technology/