Suspensions of 2D hexagonal boron nitride show an anomalously large specific Cotton–Mouton coefficient, enabling the fabrication of a magnetically tuneable and stable birefringent optical device. This device serves as a transmissive light modulator with wavelengths entering the ultraviolet (UV)-C region, representing a technological advance in deep-UV modulation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Wen, C.-H., Gauza, S. & Wu, S.-T. Ultraviolet stability of liquid crystals containing cyano and isothiocyanato terminal groups. Liq. Cryst. 31, 1479–1485 (2010). This paper reports the degradation of organic LCs under UV exposure.
Caldwell, J. D. et al. Photonics with hexagonal boron nitride. Nat. Rev. Mater. 4, 552–567 (2019). A review article that presents the photonic properties and potential applications of 2D h-BN, including their use as DUV emitters and detectors.
Segura, A. et al. Natural optical anisotropy of h-BN: highest giant birefringence in a bulk crystal through the mid-infrared to ultraviolet range. Phys. Rev. Mater. 2, 024001 (2018). This paper reports the giant birefringence of h-BN crystals, with a further increase in the DUV range.
Lan, T., Ding, B. & Liu, B. Magneto-optic effect of two-dimensional materials and related applications. Nano Select 1, 298–310 (2020). A review article that summarizes the unique magneto-optical effects of 2D materials.
Ding, B. et al. Giant magneto-birefringence effect and tuneable colouration of 2D crystal suspensions. Nat. Commun. 11, 3725 (2020). This paper presents the first experimental observation of a giant magneto-optical Cotton–Mouton effect and a transmissive magneto-chromic effect in aqueous suspensions of 2D oxide materials.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Xu, H. et al. Magnetically tunable and stable deep-ultraviolet birefringent optics using two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride. Nat. Nanotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-022-01186-1 (2022).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
A 2D material-based liquid crystal for deep-ultraviolet light modulation. Nat. Nanotechnol. 17, 1050–1051 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-022-01192-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-022-01192-3
- Springer Nature Limited