Ultra-broadband wavelength conversion sensor using thermochromic liquid crystals

Ichun Anderson Chen, S. W. Park, G. Chen, C. Wang, C. Bethea, R. Martini, D. Woolard

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Wavelength conversion (WC) imaging is a methodology that employs temperature sensitive detectors to convert photoinduced termperature into a detectable optical signal. One specific method is to use molecular detectors such as thermochromic liquid crystals (TLC), which exhibits thermochromism to observe the surface temperature of an area by observing the apparent color in the visible spectrum. Utilizing this methodology, an ultra-broadband room temperature imaging system was envisioned and realized using off the shelf thermochromic liquid crystals. The thermochromic properties of the sensor were characterized to show a thermochromic coefficient α = 10%/°K and a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 64 μW. With the TLC camera, images of both pulsed and continuous wave (CW) sources spanning 0.6 μm to 150 μm wavelengths were captured to demonstrate its potential as a portable, low-cost, and ultra-broadband imaging tool.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTerahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-Wave Technology and Applications VI
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Event2013 Terahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-Wave Technology and Applications VI Conference - San Francisco, CA, United States
Duration: 5 Feb 20137 Feb 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8624
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

Conference2013 Terahertz, RF, Millimeter, and Submillimeter-Wave Technology and Applications VI Conference
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco, CA
Period5/02/137/02/13

Keywords

  • THz
  • far-infrared
  • focal plane array
  • imaging
  • pyro-optical detection
  • thermochromic liquid crystals
  • wavelength conversion

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