An Optofluidic Platform Based on the Geometric Phase of Cholesteric Liquid Crystals for Dynamic Light Field Control

The integration of optofluidic chips for manipulating light and liquids has catalyzed significant advances across various fields, including biology, medicine, chemistry, and display technologies. In this study, we propose an integrated platform for dynamic light field control by combining optofluidics with a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer template (CLCPT). We begin by investigating the dynamic tunability of CLCPT reflective bands embedded in a microfluidic chip, where the refractive index (RI) of the liquid can be tuned in real time across the visible spectrum. Next, we employ liquid crystal photoalignment to geometrically phase-encode the CLCPT and integrate it into a microfluidic channel, creating planar optical devices that leverage liquid RI variations to control the optical behavior. As examples, we demonstrate on-demand tunable planar optics such as q-plates and lenses. Finally, we integrated CLCPT with an optofluidic system for dynamic color displays, thereby expanding the range of display capabilities. This dynamic CLCPT optofluidic platform represents a promising route for controlling optical fields and, when combined with large-scale microfluidic integration, has potential applications in dynamic displays, imaging, holography, and sensing.