近日，韩国浦项科技大学的Su Seok Choi及其研究团队取得一项新进展。经过不懈努力，他们实现可伸缩手性液晶弹性体的全向色波长调谐。相关研究成果已于2024年5月22日在国际知名学术期刊《光：科学与应用》上发表。

在这项研究中，该研究团队实现了理想的全向波长控制，不仅涵盖了更长和更短的波长，而且在宽带范围内显著提升了可调谐性。通过对手性液晶弹性体（CLCEs）介质弹性体致动器的面胀缩应变进行精确控制，研究人员实现了介质弹性体致动器的同步、全方位结构调色控制。这一在全向波长控制方面的突破极大地增加了调谐的自由度和通用性，使其更适用于一系列高功能性的光子应用。

据悉，基于刺激响应材料的波长可调谐结构色，如手性液晶(CLCs)，由于其在各种可调谐光子应用中的高功能性而引起了越来越多的关注。理想情况下，从波长调谐自由的角度来看，按需全向波长控制是非常可取的。然而，尽管此前对可调谐CLC结构色进行了广泛的研究，但迄今为止，大部分研究仍局限于向短波长的单向波长调谐。

附：英文原文

Title: Omnidirectional color wavelength tuning of stretchable chiral liquid crystal elastomers

Author: Nam, Seungmin, Jung, Wontae, Shin, Jun Hyuk, Choi, Su Seok

Issue&Volume: 2024-05-22

Abstract: Wavelength-tunable structural colors using stimuli-responsive materials, such as chiral liquid crystals (CLCs), have attracted increasing attention owing to their high functionality in various tunable photonic applications. Ideally, on-demand omnidirectional wavelength control is highly desirable from the perspective of wavelength-tuning freedom. However, despite numerous previous research efforts on tunable CLC structural colors, only mono-directional wavelength tuning toward shorter wavelengths has been employed in most studies to date. In this study, we report the ideally desired omnidirectional wavelength control toward longer and shorter wavelengths with significantly improved tunability over a broadband wavelength range. By using areal expanding and contractive strain control of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) with chiral liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs), simultaneous and omnidirectional structural color-tuning control was achieved. This breakthrough in omnidirectional wavelength control enhances the achievable tuning freedom and versatility, making it applicable to a broad range of high-functional photonic applications.

DOI: 10.1038/s41377-024-01470-w

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-024-01470-w