Optical modes of multilayered photonic structure containing nematic layer with abnormal electroconvective rolls

• Published in: Optical materials 2020-02, Vol.100, p.109630, Article 109630
• Main Authors: Gunyakov, Vladimir A., Krakhalev, Mikhail N., Timofeev, Ivan V., Zyryanov, Victor Ya, Shabanov, Vasily F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cross-polarization diffraction; Electroconvective instability; Geometric phase; Nematic liquid crystal; Optical modes; Photonic structure
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2019.109630

Optical modes of a multilayered photonic structure with the twisted nematic liquid crystal as a defect layer have been investigated. The electroconvective flow in the nematic makes a spatially periodic structure in the form of abnormal rolls. Non-adiabatic propagation of polarized light in the defect layer causes unique features of the optical modes corresponding to the ordinary o-waves. The decay of these modes has been demonstrated with increasing voltage due to the effect of cross-polarization diffraction loss. The modes short-wave shift resulting from the contribution of the non-adiabatic geometric phase to the total phase delay of the wave during a round-trip propagation through the photonic structure has been found both experimentally and numerically. •Multilayered photonic structure with convective rolls in nematic layer was studied.•Electrically induced abnormal rolls effect on defect modes in photonic bandgap.•Increasing control voltage causes monotonic decay of defect modes.•Violation of adiabatic propagation of light leads to short-wave shift of the o-modes.