Direct birefringence and transmission modulation via dynamic alignment of P3HT nanofibers in an advanced opto-fluidic component

• Poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) nanofibers are semiconducting high-aspect ratio nanostructures with anisotropic absorption and birefringence properties found at different regions of the optical spectrum. In addition, P3HT nanofibers possess an ability to be aligned by an external electric field, while being dispersed in a liquid. In this manuscript we show that such collective ordering of nanofibers, similar to liquid crystal material, significantly changes the properties of transmitted light. With a specially fabricated opto-fluidic component, we monitored the phase and transmission modulation of light propagating through the solution of P3HT nanofibers, being placed in the electric field with strength up to 0.1 V/μm. This report describes a technique for light modulation, which can be implemented in optical fiber-based devices or on-chip integrated components.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Nanoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Nano-technology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Absorption spectroscopy

Aspect ratio

Birefringence

Electric fields

Light modulation

Liquid crystals

Modulation

Nanofibers

Optical fiber fabrication

Optical fibers

Anisotropic absorption

Birefringence property

External electric field

Fiber-based device

High aspect ratio nano-structures

Liquid crystal materials

Poly-3-hexylthiophene

Transmission modulation

Light transmission

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)