title: Effects of low polymer content in a liquid-crystal microlens.
abstract: A small number of bifunctional monomers are mixed with a nematic liquid crystal (LC) and cured with a distributed electric field, which is produced by a circular-hole-patterned electrode structure. A gradient type of lens, that is, a LC microlens, is investigated for various polymer concentrations. Addition of 3% polymer is enough to freeze the gradient-index properties of the structure in the form of a convex lens, and a polymer-stabilized LC microlens is demonstrated. Although a lower concentration of polymer cannot hold the distribution properties in a curing process, it can maintain the variable focus as a nematic material can. The polymer networks can also eliminate the disclination line that usually appears and causes the lens in this type of LC device to deteriorate.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nose
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bos