Multidimensional Photopatterning of Heterogeneous Liquid‐Crystal Superstructures Toward Higher‐Level Information Optics
Abstract
Abstract Soft matter, featuring superior flexibility and intriguing tunability, has shown enormous potential in sensors, soft robots, and light tailoring. However, limited by its inherent structural complexity, soft matter remains uncompetitive in multidimensional and high‐density information optics. Herein, a heterogeneous liquid‐crystal (LC) superstructure composed of interlocked nematic and chiral LCs is designed to achieve higher‐dimensional light control. Optically multidimensional photopatterning with programmable UV polarization and dosage is proposed to precisely customize both transverse and longitudinal LC arrangements, bringing in a wide range of light‐matter interactions within a single micrometer‐thick film. The constructed heterogeneous LC superstructure not only enables simultaneous near‐field full‐color printing and far‐field full‐color holography but also boasts brightness controllability and polarization selectivity. This low‐cost photonic structure enables a high information density of ≈1.6 million hybrid‐dimensional optical data per square millimeter, unlocking new capabilities in optical storage, display, and encryption. This work creates an ingenious bond between advanced photopatterning technologies and higher‐level optical informatics, and pioneers soft‐matter‐mediated full‐dimensional optics.
Article Details
Authors (12)
Si‐Jia Liu
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and Manipulation College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
Yi‐Heng Zhang
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and Manipulation College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
Rui Sun
Peng Chen
Lin Zhu
Dong Zhu
Wen Chen
Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Yi‐Ming Wang
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and Manipulation College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
Shi‐Hui Ding
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and Manipulation College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
Shi‐Jun Ge
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and Manipulation College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
Wei Hu
Yan‐Qing Lu
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures & Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures & College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing China