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CREOL Colloquium Series: Dr. Nelson V. Tabiryan "Azobenzene liquid crystals breathing life into optical materials"
Friday, October 03, 2008 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM CREOL Room 102
Azobenzene liquid crystals breathing life into optical materials:photoactuated polymers, phototunable bandgaps, micro-optical structures, and polymer engines fueled by light
Dr. Nelson V. TabiryanBEAM Engineering for Advanced Measurements Abstract:We review opportunities of using azobenzene liquid crystals (azo LCs) for imparting photoresponsivity into a variety of photonic structures ranging from photonic bandgaps to LC-based polarization gratings. Photoisomerization results in dramatic changes in optical properties of azo LCs making possible nonlinear optics at nano- and micro-watt power levels. Azo LCs demonstrate the most efficient self-phase modulation and nonlinear transmission processes, including formation of spatial solitons. Azo LC materials were used for producing bandgaps phototunable throughout the visible/near IR spectrum and for imprinting micro-optical structures. Photoinduced isotropic state of azo LCs represent a new, UV-rechargable, class of highly nonlinear optical materials. Polymer azo LCs are capable of photoactuation with a large amplitude (~ ±90°), high speed (~180°/s), at room temperature, with low power density light beams and may function as polymer engines fueled by light. Biography:Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics, received from the Institute of Physical Investigations of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, Yerevan (1982). Thesis supervisor - Prof. B. Ya. Zeldovich. Doctor of Sci. (2nd Doctor degree) received from the Highest Certifying Commission of the USSR. Co-founder (with Prof. B.Ya. Zeldovich), President and Director of research of Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Corporation (since 1996). Visiting Scientist, CREOL/UCF, Orlando, Florida (1994-1996). Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow, Institute of Applied Physics, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany (1992-1994). Chairman of the International Scientific Advisory Board on Optics of Liquid Crystals (since 2007). Co-Chairman of the 12th International Topical Meeting on Optics of Liquid Crystals, Puebla City, Mexico (2007). Co-Chairman of the Symposium on Responsive Soft Matter, Material Research Society, Boston, Massachusetts (2006). Chairman of the 11th International Topical Meeting on Optics of Liquid Crystals, Sand Key, Clearwater Beach, Florida (2005). Fellow of the Optical Society of America (since 1999). Chairman of the International Display Sciences Conference, Berlin (1996). Member of the International Advisory Board of the Journal of Nonlinear Optical Physics. Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at the University of Calabria, Italy (1991, 1995). Led development of Crystal-Scan Optical Multimeter, recognized by Photonics Circle of Excellence Award as one of 25 most innovative products of the year 2001. Published around 200 articles in refereed journals, 1 monograph. CREOL Colloquium SeriesContact: Aristide DogariuPresentation starts at 11:00 AM preceded by mingling & refreshments from 10:30.
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